Kathleen Johnson
Kathleen Johnson

@kmejohnston

December 2021

The Club’s big Christmas drinks guide

Drinks cabinet looking a little bare? Still have some gift giving left to sort out? Luckily for you, Kathleen Johnson, co-host of drinks podcast Straight Up, whizzes us through the bottles of the moment (while we stump up the discounts, so you can snag them that bit cheaper)…

Out-of-this-world wine

High in the Languedoc hills lies a 200m crater, gouged into the rocky soil by a meteorite 1,000 years ago. Today, it’s the heart of winery Domaine du Météore, where some of the most delicious, organic biodynamic wines in the world are produced, thanks to the unique terroir and a minimal intervention approach. Give the gift of stardust with this (discounted) 12-bottle tasting case (£199).

Enjoy 20 per cent off across all wines by the case at Domaine du Météore using code BAMETEORE before 23:59 GMT on 31 January 2022. Offer excludes the mixed cased. Free delivery applies when spending £100 or more. 

Out-of-this-world wine

The celeb favourite

Distilled in Portland, Oregon, Aviation Gin (currently £25 on Amazon) is owned by actor Ryan Reynolds, who bought the business in 2018 after becoming utterly obsessed with its unique blend of seven botanicals, including coriander and dried sweet orange peel. It’s so good, in fact, that we stock it in the lounge at JFK, alongside tonics by Betty Buzz, the mixer brand launched by Reynolds’ wife, Blake Lively. 

The celeb favourite

For the purpose-driven tequila drinker

For the margarita lover in your life, it must be Mijenta: a small-batch, sustainable tequila crafted by hand in the highlands of Jalisco, by a treasured community of artisans (£54.99). Its super-smooth, totally one-off flavour profile is thanks to the meticulously slow process and traditional methods employed by Mijenta’s maestra tequilera, one of the most respected and awarded tequila authorities in Mexico.

Mijenta Tequila is offering a site wide 15 per cent off until 23:59 GMT on 31 December 2021. Simply use code BAMember to redeem.

For the purpose-driven tequila drinker

The one that gives you a taste of First

Hattingley Valley is the wine of choice in our premium cabins, which should tell you everything you need to know about just how highly we rate this English sparkling wine. While there is an excellent, ultra-luxurious gift box on offer this year, we’ll be buying the ‘Susie and Peter’s Big English Wine Adventure’ set (£75), where all profits from the collector’s edition duo go to the Marine Conservation Society.

The one that gives you a taste of First

The Baileys alternative

Everyone loves a little liqueur at Christmas time, so why not trade in the Baileys and treat the sweet tooth in your life to a bottle of Shanky’s Whip? Infused with vanilla and caramel, the decadently rich tipple is smooth and creamy (but dairy-free), offsetting the comforting spice of the black Irish whiskey base. Excellent in an espresso martini, but even better served straight (£23.95).

You can be in with the chance to win a Shanky’s Whip Irish Whiskey Liqueur. To enter, and for terms and conditions, click here

The Baileys alternative

Champagne, South African-style

The kitsch, hand-drawn labels on Van Hunks bottles make this South African wine pretty enough to be a present, but it’s the small batch fizz inside (from £20 a bottle) that is guaranteed to get you on the recipient’s good side. Made from the grapes from the viticultural paradise of Stellenbosch on the Western Cape, this gorgeous golden nectar is creamy and biscuity, with a smooth and dry finish as well as tiny, effervescent bubbles. 

Van Hunks is reserving a bottle of Van Hunks Brut MCC and a bottle of its Rosé MCC for two Executive Club Members. To enter, and for full terms and conditions, click here. You can also enjoy 20 per cent off using code BA20 before 23:59 GMT 31 December 2021.

Champagne, South African-style

For alcohol-free festivities

Founded in Scandinavia by a former social worker, Oddbird makes the most fantastic alcohol-free fine wines on the market and, as such, is a cult favourite among the ever-growing mindful drinking movement. From Merlot and Shiraz to Chardonnay and sparkling Blanc de Blancs, a bottle (from £10) will make the perfect gift not just for the teetotal, but for the sober-curious or indeed the designated driver, promising all the taste of the highest-quality wine and none of the hangover. 

For alcohol-free festivities

The tropical one

For the eternal sun seeker, only a bottle of Suncamino will do. It’s the world’s first floral rum, created by Capetonian friends with a lust for adventure, the outdoors and the ocean. Packaged in a beautifully designed bottle, the rum (£28.95) is distilled in Barbados before notes of hibiscus, honey and orange blossom are added in South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom, a world heritage site famous for its botanical diversity. 

Get 15 per cent off your bottle of Suncamino Rum using code SUNCAMINO15 from drinkspirited.co.uk. Code valid until 23:59 GMT on 28 December 2021. 

The tropical one

The 12 beers of Christmas

Bestow brilliant beers this Christmas with BrewDog’s next-level variety pack (£12.75): delivering 12 different cans from headliners such as Lost Lager and Punk IPA, to seasonal favourite Hoppy Xmas. The cans come in a bespoke festive box, but there are variations to suit all climates, making it ideal for the connoisseur looking for new flavours to stock up on for the year ahead (think Mango IPA or cake-inspired stout). The best part? BrewDog is carbon negative, proving that beer can do good and taste good. 

The 12 beers of Christmas

The best in bottled cocktails

LAIBA, Asia’s first artisanal bottled cocktail brand, is globally renowned for good reason: these award-winning, sustainably sourced serves promise the same level of quality as those in the best bars in the world, using natural ingredients and with a shelf-life of more than 18 months. Curate its own luxurious-looking box from a choice of eight cocktails, including Bloody Mary, Twisted Negroni and an Earl Grey infused Old Fashioned (from £7.50 each).

Members can enjoy 15 per cent off their basket using code BAXMAS15 at laibabeverages.com. Code expires at 23:59 GMT on 31 December 2021.

The best in bottled cocktails

This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Offers