The holidays are in the air, and that means it’s time for you to panic about buying gifts.
What should you get your loyal VIP guests? How can you reward the employees who went above and beyond for you this year? What can you raffle at your holiday fundraiser? So much pressure!
Well, freak out no more, friend. We’re swooping in to help you this holiday season like Batman wearing a plush red Santa hat. We’ve sifted through countless gift ideas to help you reward your best customers, recognize your top performers, and motivate people to participate in raffles and silent auctions. Kick your up feet, take a deep, relaxing breath, and calmly peruse our holiday gift guide.
What’s that? What can you get us to show your appreciation? Look, we did this out of the goodness of our hearts – you don’t have to get us anything. But if you insist, we are partial to $10,000 stacks of crisp $100 bills. Call us sentimental, I guess…
1. JIM Smart Decanter
Sure, decanters a cool addition to any back bar or home bar. However, no decanter is as cool as one voiced by Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s 7th Generation Master Distiller, that’s capable of taking voice commands and pouring shots to users who are of legal drinking age. Yes, this is a thing that exists and it’s right at the top of our personal gift lists, which is why it’s at the top of this list. “JIM” is the world’s first smart decanter, and if you think the SNES Classic is difficult to get your mitts on, JIM is an even harder holiday find. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one – and generous enough to give JIM to someone else as a gift – you’ll win the holidays this year. The video below shows you why everyone wants a JIM smart decanter.
2. Flaviar Membership
We’ve spoken about Flaviar before, and we’re big fans. To recap, this subscription service is helping a number of your guests discover new spirits and develop their palates. Flaviar makes an excellent gift for your VIP guests or an outstanding employee. A membership is also a fantastic fundraiser or raffle item.
An incredible development makes giving the gift of Flaviar even more impressive: the release of their first private label whisky. Son of a Peat is 48.3% ABV blended, peated Scotch made from 8 malt whiskies from Speyside, Islay and Island distilleries. The private label is, of course, available only to Flaviar members. If you’re lucky, maybe the person who receives this fantastic gift from you will let you sample their Son of a Peat when the next bottling is released.
3. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Rosé Gift Packs
The holiday season has arrived when Veuve Clicquot releases their gift sets and packaging. Starting with Yellow Label, you have several options from which to choose. The Clicquot Arrow is a metal case emblazoned with one of 29 global destinations and they’re distances from Reims. The Arrow is also equipped with an NFC chip and QR code, allowing people to take virtual journeys into the world of Veuve Clicquot. The Cork Ice Jacket is exactly what it sounds like: an eco-friendly jacket that can keep a bottle cold for up to two hours. An alternative is the Shopping Bag, which can keep a bottle cold for the same amount of time as the Cork Ice Jacket. The Clicquot Trunk is made from Veuve Clicquot yellow cardboard and leatherette.
There are several options on the rosé side of things, but we’re most impressed with the Clicq’Call. This unique box comes with a 750ml bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rosé equipped with a speaker so you can record your own personalized message. Thank a VIP for their loyalty, thank an employee for going above or beyond, or wish the recipient a happy holiday – the choice is yours!
4. Share Mini Moët Bottles
You know what’s better than giving one person one bottle of Moët & Chandon Impérial? Giving that person 6 187ml bottles of Impérial with Moët & Chandon branded sippers. Why is that better? Because it means they can in turn share the joy of Champers with others! This 6-pack of Moët is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
5. Stillhouse Roadie
The stainless-steel packaging of Stillhouse always makes an impression, and it means you don’t even have to wrap any of its 7 flavors (a limited release holiday option is available right now) before gifting one to someone. Stillhouse whiskeys don’t break the bank, are perfect for mixing in cocktails, and the 375ml Roadie is basically purpose-built to fit into a stocking.
Choose from Original, Apple Crisp, Peach Tea, Coconut, Mint Chip, Red Hot, or limited release Spiced Cherry and make someone’s holiday. Wrapping paper optional!
6. Belvedere Ice Duo
We can’t imagine anyone being unimpressed by the Belvedere Ice Duo gift set. Not only do they receive a 750ml bottle of Belvedere Vodka, this gift comes with a sleek and striking modern ice bucket and pair of tongs. Whether the person you give this set chooses to chill their bottle in the bucket or use the bucket to keep ice cubes cold, they’re going to love this gift.
7. Absolut Holiday
As Absolut says, “For that person that has everything…vodka is the answer.” The liquid inside these limited edition 750ml and 1L bottles is the same great Absolut vodka, but the exteriors are bedecked in a striking sequin sleeve. You can change the color from blue to silver with a quick swipe of your hand, or you can get creative and flip a pattern into it. Considering how they stand out and make a statement on the back bar, you may be tempted to Grinch it up and keep a bottle of three for yourself. We don’t blame you, and we won’t tell Santa.
8. Grey Goose Flour Tin and Holiday Gift Set
There are a few holiday options available from Grey Goose this year, but we’re focusing on two in particular. First up, let’s look at the Flour Tin, which contains a 750ml bottle Grey Goose. An homage to the brand’s history, traditional flour tins go hand in hand with the bakeries of France. Such tins contain blé panifiable supérieur, or “superior wheat flour,” which happens to be the only grade permitted in the production of Grey Goose.
The Holiday Gift Set contains a 750ml bottle of Grey Goose and stirrers and olive picks featuring the iconic goose, so not only are you giving the gift of vodka, you’re giving the gift of Martinis. You’re the best.
9. Ardbeg Quadrant Holiday Set
If you have someone on your gift list who loves their whisky big, bold and smoky, the Quadrant Holiday Set from Ardbeg will make their entire holiday. The packaging is as bold as the 700ml bottle of Ardbeg Ten Years Old, widely revered as a complex single malt with the most peat and biggest smoke. And it doesn’t stop there. The holiday set, depending on what your rep has available, comes with either a 50ml bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail or two Ardbeg branded glasses. You can’t go wrong either way!
10. The Vintner’s Trilogy
Single malt Islay Scotch distiller Bowmore has introduced The Vintner’s Trilogy, and the whiskey aficionados and curious among your guests will be grateful to be gifted one of the expressions from you and your bar. The first release in the trilogy is Bowmore 18 Year Old Double Matured Manzanilla. As the name suggests, this 52.5% ABV cask strength expression is aged in two types of barrels: ex-bourbon and ex-manzanilla sherry. The second release, 26 Year Old Wine Matured (48.7% ABV), rests for 13 years in ex-bourbon barrels, and then spends another 13 years in a wine barrique, the most common type of wine barrel. The third expression in The Vintner’s Trilogy, 27 Year Old Port Cask, won’t be available until late 2018, meaning you can plan to cross one item off next year’s holiday gift list now!
11. Barceló Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario
Close to four decades ago, a 10-year-old blended rum aged in American white oak barrels was created by Miguel Barceló. Private reserves of this rum were then aged in casks that once contained Bordeaux and were graded to various degrees. The result? Barceló Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario, which has now reached its sixth year of release. Ron Barceló releases just 9,000 hand-numbered bottles of this prestigious, double-aged 86 proof rum each year, replete with a wooden display pedestal and embossed tin, and only 600 make their way to the United States.
12. Moscow Copper Co. Monogram Mule Mug
People love Moscow Mules, copper mugs, and their own names. Why not wrap up all three of those in one gift? The Monogram Mug from Moscow Copper Co. is 100% copper inside and out and free of artificial lacquer, is made with a heavy gauge handle, and can be engraved with any letter from A to Z. Monogram Mugs also come packaged in an attractive gift box. If you think about it, Moscow Copper Co. has thought of everything, so you can kick back after ordering knowing that your work is done.
13. Groove Ring
Not every gift you consider giving has to be bar or nightclub related. The Groove Ring is a world first: a flexible silicone ring with breathable interior that can be worn and shown off in any situation. No more worrying about shattering or chipping your ring. You can wear one when you’re behind the bar, rocking a shift in the kitchen, hiking or climbing, tinkering under the hood, or playing sportsball without worrying about losing a finger*. Groove Ring not only comes in an array of attractive designs (we’re partial to the Midnight and Red if you’re asking), it’s backed by one of the best warranties we’ve seen. Doesn’t fit right? Did it stretch out or lose its color? Eaten by a dog that mistook it for homework? Just don’t like it anymore? That’s all covered by the Groove Ring 94-year warranty.
14. Grillbot Bundle Deluxe
You know what a lot grillers don’t like? Scrubbing their grills clean. You know what almost everyone loves? Robots. If only there were a robot that could clean a grill with ease and convenience… Oh, look – the Grillbot! This gift will have whoever you give it to considering braving a snowstorm just so they can have an excuse to use their fancy new cleanin’ ‘bot. And unlike some other robots, the Grillbot comes with essentially no learning curve. Simply set it on a grill, press a button to have it clean for 10, 20 or 30 minutes, and close the grill’s lid. We know it uses a set of brass brushes to clean but we like to pretend that it’s using lasers underneath the lid while shouting action film one-liners in a menacing computerized voice. Just in time for the holidays, you can get the Grillbot Bundle Deluxe, which includes one orange, red, blue or black Grillbot, pre-installed brass brushes, a set of stainless steel brushes, a carrying case, and a 3-year warranty for $99.95, a saving of over $60.
15. StubbyStrip Original
One of our friends from down under created a convenient and dare we say cool way to transport drinks. That intrepid Aussie knew there was a better way to carry bottles and cans to the beach, a campsite, or a buddy’s house than a big cooler, and he was right. The StubbyStrip isn’t meant as a cooler replacement, but it is cooler than fishing around and trying to grab a drink before your hand goes numb. Simply put up to 7 bottles and/or cans in a StubbyStrip Original – which is available in 7 colors – and drop it into a cooler. When it’s time, grab it, offer your fellow party people a cold one, and be a hero.
16. The Port, The Stout and The Vine
No, that isn’t the title of the newest, hipstery gastropub**, they’re the latest and greatest drinkware from EcoVessel. Each of these double-walled, premium food grade 18/8 stainless steel vessels is BPA-free. The Port is a 10-oz. condensation-free wine, beer or whiskey tumbler available in three colors with a removable lid and silicone base, and its TriMax Triple Insulation keeps beverages hot or cold.
The 16-oz. Stout is lightweight, stackable, dishwasher safe, and recyclable.
Available in four colors, the recyclable 750ml VINE can hold an entire bottle of wine within its TriMax Triple Insulation construction, and the leakproof top means you won’t have to worry about spilling a single drop. The VINE comes with a funnel for easy filling and a brush for cleaning.
17. UncommonGreen Topography Maps Barware
Some snobs will disagree but most people know it’s science*** that drinks taste better in good-lookin’ glassware. UncommonGreen certainly knows this to be a fact, and their Topography Maps Glassware collection is one of the coolest we’ve seen. Each glass is etched with an intricate topographic map of a mountain and canyon, and when we say collection we mean it – there are 26 different designs available, and custom etching is available. Perfect for the active, outdoorsy guest or employee on your gift list.
18. Primula Cold Brew Bottle
We all know cold brew coffee is, ironically stated, a hot trend. In fact, we dedicated an entire recipe article to cold brew coffee cocktails last week. It’s a fairly safe bet that some of your guests or employees enjoy making cold brew at home, and this gift from Primula is sure to plaster a huge grin across their faces. The Primula Cold Brew Bottle allows the user to make their own cold brew coffee and take it with them, all in one clever solution. Made from borosilicate glass, the 20-oz. Cold Brew Bottle is BPA free and top shelf dishwasher safe. A dual-layer micro-filter built into the bottle’s base makes it easy to make cold brew at home and take it with you; just follow the simple instructions, store it in the fridge, shake the bottle, slip on the sleeve, and voilà – cold brew on the move.
*Groove Ring’s claim, not ours! Try your best to not lose your digits, ok? We worry about you because we care.
**To the best of our knowledge. You never know what’s about to open in Brooklyn.
***I mean, kind of.
Nightclub & Bar received no payment or sample items in exchange for coverage.