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A little booze always makes for a great last-minute gift.
By Sirena HeThere's someone in your life that you owe all your Friendsgivings, stay-in happy hours, and afterparty night caps to. You know who I'm talking about, the man, woman, brother, somebody who's always inviting you over and telling you that you don't need to bring a thing. Because they've got a bar cart that's more stocked than a speakeasy during Prohibition.
As a professional drinker and an amateur at home bartender, I'm the expert on this subject. I've been in the kitchen training for the Master Chef of home bartending competition shows that don't exist yet. There's nothing more important to someone who loves a good drink, and loves to make one themselves, than a stocked bar cart. That doesn't just mean buy them award-winning bottles. (Though I have some great reccomendations for bourbon, scotch, gin, and more.) You can dig deeper than that.
I'm here to help you pick out that gift that says I thought about this for more than five minutes. That said, booze is the ultimate last-minute holiday gift. Even in a small Southern puritan town, there's probably a liquor store that's open until midnight on Christmas Eve. Even if you don't have time to ship in some gorgeous glassware, you can get our recommendation on a bottle they'll love just as much. That's where our head is at. Whatever you decide, big or small, you can pat yourself on the back the next time your giftee makes you a drink, because you made that drink possible.
$180 at CB2If you love aperol spritzes or negroni sbagliato (sbagliati?) or really any delicious apertivo, you'll need a gorgeous glass to put them in. These etched wine glasses are classy and funky, just perfect for any sparkling cocktail.
$699 at Crate & BarrelThis elegant, simple yet stylish wooden bar cart would fit in with any kind of home decor. Whether you have a cozy cottage-core living room, or a rustic barn inspired kitchen, this bar cart would look natural anywhere. And better yet, it fits all of your glassware and gorgeous collector's bottles.
$164 at Food52Avant-garde fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester is still putting out collections, but her current tableware project is our favorite of her endeavors. These tumblers make great rocks glasses, even if they're an ounce or two undersized. Another option are the coupes, which we love as a more organic, less angular martini glass.
$395 at Ralph LaurenAs far as barware goes, no one is going to better Ralph Lauren. The Stirling decanter is just gorgeous, the perfect way to show off whatever fancy bottle they're sipping on currently. There's matching rocks glasses if they prefer a set, as well.
$176 at waterford.comYou can't really enjoy an old fashioned or a manhattan unless they're poured into these gorgeous, vintage inspired Waterford tumbler glasses. They'll instantly elevate any drink you fill them with, be it Jim Beam or Pappy Van Winkle.
$468 at Neiman MarcusExpensive, yes, but we love the old world look of this Italian pewter shaker. Plus, it's got a better weight in hand than anything else out there. Take it to a jeweler, and you can get engraved with their initials for a personal touch.
$42 at AmazonFor all your shaking and stirring needs, you'll want to grab this Yeti insulated stainless steel cocktail shaker. It comes in customizable colors. This deep red is classy, but I also think chartreuse is a really hot shade for this year. And enjoy all the drinks you mix up in this super strong, leakproof container.
$17 at AmazonFrom one of the most influential cocktail bars of this millenium, Death & Co. created their own book to tell of their mythology. Craft cocktails wouldn't be where they are today without the whimsy and the technical skill of the mixologist there. Learn from the greats and master bartending skills that can't be taught elsewhere.
$59 at Reserve BarSweet, dry, aromatic, Sake ONO is a versatile bottle for any cocktail lover to have in their arsenal. Sake cocktails are all the rage just as Japanese cocktail bars become impossible to get into. But you don't need to worry about that, if you have a bottle of Sake ONO at home to whip up some delicious saketinis or highballs.
$28 at AmazonYou can't make a proper cocktail without bitters. This set of bourbon barrel aged bitters from Woodford Reserve will have you totally set to whip up any classic drink and even create some new mixtures of your own.
$11 at AmazonOn title alone, this is the best cocktail recipe book you can purchase. If they're a reader, this book gives them recipes for 70 literary-inspired cocktails and bar snacks.
$20 at wairauriverwines.comGift your friends this crisp and irresistibly easy to drink Sauvignon Blanc from a family owned New Zealand vineyard called Wairau River. Grown with environmentally conscious farming, you can feel no guilt about adding this delicious wine to a spritzer or a cocktail.
$1,500 at BaccaratHave you seen anything more beautiful? Sharp angles paired with a delicate curve at the top of the coupe. Go big this year. Go for Baccarat.
$99 at shop.kastraelion.comThere's a reason the espresso martini had a major comeback in recent years. Any good at home bartender would love this kit by Kástra Elión Vodka to stir up their own anytime.
$100 at Reserve BarWhen you think of Scotch, you don't really think of smooth rich frozen desserts, but for this Glenmorangie edition, the combination is divine. Sweet, creamy, and so easy to sip, this bottle is sure to please any scotch lover in your life.
$203 at Reserve BarChampagne is synonymous with the holiday season. It is, after all, necessary to toast with a glass of bubbly. This set has everything your loved one needs to ring in the new year.
$56 at Reserve BarA good glass of rosé is imperative for the start of a new year. This bottle is gorgeously designed for your tasteful friend to display at home or uncork at your next gathering.
$310 at Total WineThere's nothing that an excellent bottle of bourbon can't remedy. This bottle is the perfect gift because it will taste great neat or in an Old Fashioned, a Hot Toddy, a Manhattan, and anything else that matches the mood.
$86 at Total WineIf you want to get more weird with a bourbon gift, go for Jimmy Red from High Wire Distilling in Charleston, South Carolina. It's a straight whiskey made from Jimmy Red corn, which was a famous variety for Prohibition-era moonshiners. The corn is a deep red heirloom variety that was nearly extinct before the distiller worked with Clemson University to start cultivate it for the sake of whiskey making once again. It's a fantastic whiskey, an interesting bottle, and an incredible story.
$10 at Total WineNothing beats a perfectly measured out, shaken up and spiced holiday cocktail. Except maybe if you could get that in a bottle that's ready to drink? Now you can have all the deliciousness of autumn wrapped up and delicately proportioned out for you in a bottle of On The Rocks Spice Pear Whiskey Sour.
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