Christmas 2025 Premium Spirits Review

As Christmas rolls in with its twinkly lights and unapologetic indulgence, it’s the perfect excuse to upgrade your drinks cabinet with spirits that actually feel festive. This year’s standout bottles bring winter spice, rich honey warmth, bold citrus and a touch of cheeky glamour, ideal for gifting, entertaining or simply enjoying by the tree in blissful solitude. These are the pours that make Christmas cocktails sparkle a little brighter and the season feel that much merrier. Cheers to great bottles and even better company. Happy Christmas one and all.

Bullards London Dry Gin

ABV: 42.5%

From Norwich with surprisingly posh swagger, it’s a classic London Dry that’s been quietly upgraded with tonka bean, an ingredient that adds a sort of marzipan-meets-vanilla luxury without turning things into dessert.

On the nose, you get bright lemon sherbet, dried lime peel, and a gentle cloud of cardamom. Then comes the tonka: soft, creamy, elegant. The palate is silky and slightly oily in that “this is going to make a great Martini” way. Juniper leads proudly, but is supported by orange zest, peppery spice, and that lovely almond-vanilla richness.

The finish? Long, gentle, citrus-tinged and faintly sweet. The kind of finish that makes you check the bottle level to ensure someone hasn’t been “helping themselves” (spoiler: it was you).

Serve tip: A G&T with a twist of orange, it leans into the marmalade magic.

£45.00 at Jarrolds

Dutch Barn Vodka Ginger Spiced

ABV: 38%

Dutch Barn Ginger Spiced feels like the friend who convinces you to go out for “one drink” and somehow you end up singing karaoke at 2am. It’s made from British apples and then absolutely stuffed with ginger, citrus and spice. The result is bold, warming, and just mischievous enough.

On the nose, expect an instant hit of freshly grated ginger, candied ginger, and a squeeze of lemon. The base vodka lends a crisp orchard sweetness that rounds off the heat beautifully. Take a sip and it comes alive — fiery ginger upfront, a lively wave of citrus, and a warming, fragrant spice blend. It’s big, but not brash. The heat has purpose.

The finish is long, warm, and hangs around like someone who heard you’ve opened a second bottle.

Serve tip: Over ice with soda or ginger beer and a lime wedge. Or straight from the freezer if you’re feeling feral.

£32.00 via Ellers Farm Distillery shop

No.3 London Dry Gin

ABV: 46%

No.3 is what happens when you take the soul of a classic London Dry, dial up the juniper, and let it strut around at 46% ABV like it owns the room. Because, frankly, it does. It wins awards constantly, and it’s not shy about reminding everyone.

Expect a nose full of piney juniper, crisp grapefruit and cardamom. The palate is crisp, clean, insanely well-balanced: bright citrus, spiced coriander seed, warming cardamom, and a dry, earthy backbone. It’s a purist’s gin, unapologetically so.

The finish is satisfyingly dry, clean and confident. Martini lovers will find religion.

Serve tip: A bone-dry Martini with a lemon twist. Anything else is a distraction.

£41.95 via The Whisky Exchange

Mermaid Winter Gin

ABV: 38%

Mermaid Winter Gin tastes like winter holidays on a windswept coastline, cosy yet fresh, indulgent yet crisp. Infused with fig, vine fruits, cassia, honey and orange peel, it’s their signature coastal gin dressed in its seasonal finery.

On the nose, expect juicy figs, warm vanilla, oranges and a subtle hum of winter spice. The palate delivers a lovely balance: honeyed sweetness, dried fruit, bright citrus and cassia warmth, all elevated by a tiny hint of sea-breeze minerality.

The finish is soft, spiced, and quietly luxurious, like sitting by a fire while someone hands you a plate of Christmas cake.

Serve tip: A winter G&T with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick.

£40.00 via Isle of Wight Distillery

Savoia Orancio

ABV: 17.2%

Savoia Orancio is not your everyday orange aperitivo, it’s orange wine blended with pomegranate, saffron, citrus and spice in a way that feels both exotic and effortlessly Italian. Imagine Aperol, but with a passport full of stamps.

The nose bursts with bitter orange, bergamot, a hint of lime and warm saffron. The palate dances between sweet and bitter: vibrant citrus, red-fruit brightness, ginger warmth, and the soft tannic grip you’d expect from orange wine. It’s layered, aromatic and dangerously drinkable.

The finish is lightly bitter, citrusy and spiced, the perfect “another spritz?” enabler.

Serve tip: 50/50 Orancio and Prosecco, ice, and a handful of grapes if you’re feeling theatrical.

£22.45 via DrinksOne

Savoia Americano Rosso

ABV: 18.6%

Savoia Americano Rosso blends vermouth from Turin, bitters from Milan, and Marsala wine from Sicily, effectively the entire country of Italy in one bottle. It’s richer than your standard red aperitivo but more elegant than a sweet vermouth.

On the nose you get bitter orange, bergamot, herbal roots and warm spices (cinnamon, cassia, ginger). Sip it and you’re met with that wine-driven richness: dried fruits, citrus peel, subtle caramel and Marsala depth balanced with herbal bitterness. It nails the sweet-bitter “amaro meets aperitivo” vibe.

The finish is long, slightly earthy, gently bitter and citrus-bright.

Serve tip: Swap it into your Negroni for a more sophisticated, wine-first profile.

£25.50 via Spiritly UK

Honey Thief Sour Cherry

ABV: 15%

Honey Thief Sour Cherry is honey liqueur meets cherry compote meets mild chaos. Made from fermented European honey and infused with sour cherry, it’s basically dessert that’s learned how to behave in polite company.

The nose is juicy, tart cherry over warm honey with a whisper of almond. On the palate you get a gorgeous blend: lush honey sweetness, bright cherry tang, and a little acidity to keep everything from sliding into syrup territory. It’s playful but surprisingly refined.

The finish is sticky-cherry delicious with a warm honey glow. Very easy to overpour.

Serve tip: Over ice with an orange wedge, or splashed into prosecco.

£34.00 via Honey Thief website

Honey Thief Pure Honey

ABV: 15%

Pure Honey is the “no extra flavours, thanks, I’m fabulous as I am” member of the Honey Thief family. It’s a honey-forward liqueur with nothing to hide behind, and it absolutely doesn’t need to.

The aroma is all golden honey, wildflowers, soft caramel and beeswax. On the palate it’s smooth, floral, velvety and balanced, with just enough acidity to prevent it becoming sticky. Think of mead that decided to get a proper haircut and take life seriously.

The finish is warm, glowing and floral. A comfort blanket in liquid form.

Serve tip: Neat and chilled, or used instead of honey syrup in cocktails for extra richness.

£34.00 via Honey Thief website

Still G.I.N (Dre & Snoop)

ABV: 42.5%

Still G.I.N is Dre and Snoop’s elegant comeback to their immortal “Gin & Juice” line, a premium, vacuum-distilled gin built for modern palates. Slick, citrus-forward, and surprisingly refined, it’s a celebrity spirit that actually earns its place on the shelf.

The nose brings bright tangerine, juniper, coriander seed and a gentle lift of rose. On the palate: crisp juniper, vibrant citrus, subtle spice and a soft floral note that rounds off the edges beautifully. Vacuum distillation keeps everything fresh and precise.

The finish is clean, citrus-fresh and quietly sophisticated. A proper grown-up gin.

Serve tip: As a classic “gin & juice”, go on, you know you want to.

£32.95 Hard To Find Whisky

Limited Edition Tart Bathtub Gin

ABV: 43.3%

Bathtub Gin has had a festive makeover… and it’s a beauty. This limited-edition design, created in collaboration with culinary creatives Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison of Tart London, transforms Bathtub’s signature brown paper wrap into a whimsical winter’s tale. Woodland hares, soaring birds, winding serpents and crescent moons dance across the label, capturing the wild, folkloric spirit of a British winter. It’s the kind of bottle that looks as good on your Christmas table as it tastes in your glass.

Inside, of course, is the award-winning Bathtub Gin we know and love, copper-pot distilled in Kent and double-infused for that rich, creamy depth. The aroma brims with orange peel, juniper and spice, balanced by soft vanilla and cardamom. On the palate, it’s full-bodied and silky, with bright citrus, gentle warmth and a finish that lingers like a fireside conversation that ran a bit late.

This collaboration is all about seasonality, storytelling and the joy of gathering, a bottle that’s as much a keepsake as a drink.

Serve tip: Keep it simple: a classic G&T with a wedge of orange, or a festive Negroni by the fire.

£33.50 Bathtub Gin Website

Project #173 Dubai Chocolate Rum

ABV: 42%

Project 713’s Dubai Chocolate Rum is pure indulgence, the sort of bottle that makes you feel like you should be reclining on a velvet sofa while someone fans you with a palm leaf. It’s a chocolate-infused rum inspired by Dubai’s love of luxury, and it delivers exactly that: richness, warmth, and just the right amount of show-off energy.

On the nose, it’s dessert immediately: dark cocoa, sticky toffee, roasted nuts and a hint of spiced date. Beneath the sweetness lies a proper Caribbean-style rum backbone, molasses, vanilla and a flicker of oak. The palate is gloriously smooth: rich chocolate, brown sugar, a touch of coffee bean, and warm baking spices. It’s sweet but not childish, luscious without being syrupy.

The finish rolls on with cocoa, caramel and a soft rum heat, like the last bite of a high-end chocolate truffle that’s somehow alcoholic. A luxurious fireside sipper, no question.

Serve tip: Over ice with an orange zest twist, or in an outrageously good Christmas Old Fashioned.

£20.95 Master Of Malt

Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto

ABV: 20%

Italicus is a showstopper, visually, aromatically, emotionally. A modern revival of Italian rosolio, it’s built around Calabrian bergamot and supported by chamomile, lavender, gentian and rose. It tastes like a citrus grove wearing a floral crown.

The nose is bright with bergamot peel, lemon zest and delicate floral tones. The palate brings waves: sweet citrus, fresh bergamot, soft lavender and rose, then a tiny herbal bitterness to keep things elegant. It’s light, layered, fragrant and utterly charming.

The finish is aromatic, citrus-led and lightly bitter, practically begging to be spritzed.

Serve tip: Italicus Spritz with a green olive. Trust the Italians — it works.

£32 Waitrose