Glass of Bubbly’s Luxury Christmas Gift Guide

It’s almost Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, and with it, a perfect excuse to treat yourself and your loved ones, so without further ado, here is Glass of Bubbly’s Luxury Christmas Gift Guide, filled with luxurious sparkling wines, spirits, cheeses and more.

Wine Advent Calendar 2023

To start things off, we all enjoy the countdown to Christmas, and no matter your age, there’s an advent calendar out there for you, this year, we’re recommending Spicers of Hythe‘s Wine Advent Calendar for 2023.

As the song goes, Christmas Time. Mistletoe and… WINE! Countdown to Christmas with their Wine Advent Calendar. Behind each door, you’ll find a lovely little bottle of wine. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Malbec, Pinot Grigio, White Zinfandel. There’s plenty of choice. The question is, which one will be behind each door?

24 individual bottles of wine, white, rosé and red, you’ll be able to enjoy a different bottle each day on the lead up to Christmas.

Wine Advent Calendar 2023 is available from Spicers of Hythe, opened in 1926 by the Great Grandfather Percy Spicer, it was Spicers’ first grocery store in Hythe, Kent and on that first day recorded takings of £1.14.0d – that’s £98.26 in today’s money!

If Hampers are more your thing, then Spicers of Hythe have you covered, they deliver over 175,000 hampers each year.

Christmas Crackers by Herdwick Distillery

Advent Calendars and Christmas Crackers are two things you can’t go without for Christmas, both are expanding in choice, and each year they seem to get ever so more exciting, and it’s thanks to companies willing to do something different. Pull apart Herdwick’s Christmas Crackers this year to find an enjoyable gin and tonic within to enjoy over your Christmas Dinner.

They contains 1x 250ml cocktail can ABV 6.3%, available in the following flavours:

• Yan Gin and Fell Tonic
• Strawberry Yan Gin With Cream Soda
• Berry Yan Gin with Pink Lemonade
• Marmalade Yan Gin with Lemonade
• Rhubarb & Ginger Yan Gin with Ginger Beer

Also, check out their fantastically labeled Christmas Yan Gin, available in 20cl or 70cl, their London dry gin is infused with a hand selected bouquet of over 10 botanicals and then blended with damsons, oranges, apples, blackcurrants, ginger, cherries, elderberries and a hint of mixed spice. Perfectly served over ice with either ginger beer or tonic water.

From time immemorial, Cumbrian shepherds have been counting their famous Herdwick sheep in the local dialect, beginning with Yan (one). Those who have tasted the amazing new drink say it is truly #1 in capturing the exhilaration of Lake District life and landscape, and its romantic connections to the wider world.

Villa Sandi, Opere & La Gioiosa

Villa Sandi produces what seems to be an endless supply of Prosecco, but without ever compromising on quality, no matter what bottle you decide to pick up, you will get a worthy and enjoyable experience.

Located in the picturesque region of Prosecco, Villa Sandi has had a foothold in the region since 1622, thanks to their Palladian-style Villa located among the green hills of the Marca Trevigiana, the Moretti Polegato family, for several generations have dedicated their time producing and sharing their wines and Proseccos around the world.

Awards at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2023

• Sustainability Trophy in partnership with Slow Food UK: Villa Sandi – Italy
• Villa Sandi – Opere Serenissima DOC – Gold Classic & Elegant
• Villa Sandi – Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Biodiversity Friends – Silver Creamy
• Villa Sandi – Prosecco DOC Brut Biologico Il Fresco – Silver Herbal Gardens
• Villa Sandi – Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut Il Fresco – Silver Light & Fruity
• Villa Sandi – Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiorie DOCG Extra Brut Rivetta 120 – Sea Breeze
• Villa Sandi – Prosecco DOC Brut Rosé Millesimato 2022 – Silver Summer Days
• La Gioiosa – Prosecco DOC Brut Rosé 2022 – Trophy Creamy
• La Gioiosa – Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut – Silver Summer Days

The 12 Gins of Christmas – Advent Calendar

Getting ready for a Gin-full Christmas with The Whisky World, if you’re shopping for an advent calendar for a person who appreciates a good gin, then you’ll find few better than this one. Each day provides a different sample from three different distillers.

The 12 Gins of Christmas Advent Calendar is presented in a very festive and quality advent calendar, on the countdown to Christmas, you’ll be able to pull out a draw each day and discover the next exciting flavour to try from 3 separate distillers, including Whitley Neill, Berkshire and J.J. Whitley.

What also adds to this experience is the fact you’ll easily be able to keep the box for next year, create your own advent calendar for someone else or use it as a handy storage box for some of your smaller items.

Devon Rum – Minature Taster Set

Introduce your friends or family to the taste of Devon Rum with a perfect miniature taster set, it’s the best way to discover a distillery’s range and get a sense of what you like, so you can jump into a full bottle, we all enjoy a drink during the festive season and during the cold months of the new year, so there’s no better time to start exploring and tasting.

What was the inspiration behind the creation of Devon Rum Co.?

“Established in March 2020, the Devon Rum Company exists to share the joy of artisan rums with the world. Our award-winning range of Golden, Spiced, and Honey Spiced Rum are hand-crafted in the heart of Devon with pride and passion. Here, our local team blends and bottles only the finest spirits, with a focus on high quality ingredients, full-bodied flavours, and environmental sustainability.

Our premium spirits begin life as a unique blend of exotic pot and column-distilled rums from Jamaica and Guyana. We take this super smooth base to the next level, adding a splash of soft Devon spring water, whole aromatic spices, fresh citrus zest and natural flavourings. The result is a range of award-winning spirits that can be equally enjoyed neat, over ice, with classic mixers, or in boozy cocktails.

We’re about more than just great rum, too. And that’s why we take ethics and sustainability seriously. Our on-going mission is to ensure that our products, ingredients, and packaging are sourced ethically, and that we’re supporting local businesses whenever possible. It’s also critical to us that we manage and off-set the impacts that our business has on the world around us. That’s why everything we use – from our screen-printed glass bottles to our branded box tape – is 100% plastic free and recyclable.

We’re also proud to be a carbon negative producer, and have been since 2020. This means we calculate and off-set our annual carbon footprint, by planting trees on our native Dartmoor and beyond.” – Brad Wicks – Head of Marketing for Devon Rum

Fitz – Royal Fizz

Fitz has a fascinating origin story to tell, which kept me wanting to know more the longer I kept reading.

With the ever growing English Sparkling Wine Industry, Fitz wanted to enter the industry by trying something different, when Fitz first started every English Sparkling Wine was made using the Traditional Method, but Fitz didn’t want to make their Sparkling Wines that way, they wanted to create a different flavour, they wanted to give England and the rest of the world a different tasting English Sparkling Wine.

Fitz didn’t want the classic Champagne flavours of, toast, brioche, biscuit and yellow stone fruits that come with the traditional method, they wanted something different, so Fitz produces their Sparkling Wines by using the Charmat Method of secondary fermentation (mostly used by the Italians & Germans), this helps make their Sparkling Wines fruity-driven and easy to drink.

You can discover their full story here: Fitz – Sparkling Wine Made In England or hear from the Winemaker himself: Interview with Gareth Davies Winemaker at Fitz

• Fitz – Pink – Gold Meditation
• Fitz – Brut – Silver Zesty & Zingy

Sapling Spirits – Climate Positive British Vodka

Another splendid taster set, their Sapling Vodka Spritz Gift Set contains 3 x Vodka miniatures and 3 x flavoured tonics/sodas along with a recipe on how to make each drink, making it more of an experience rather than just a taster.

Sapling Spirits are on a mission and they need our help, they have set the goal to plant 1,000,000 trees by 2027, currently, they have helped plant over 153k trees in their projects across the UK and abroad,

A tree for every bottle. They have their very own tree nursery where trees are grown from seed and planted around the UK.

125k+ bottles saved through their refills, the bars and restaurants that serve Sapling’s Vodka use 5-litre eco boxes so that their bottles can be refilled and reused, this helps eliminate glass waste and their carbon footprint by around 25%. One eco box saves 7 bottles from ever being created.

Fox & Fox Mayfield – Award Winning English Sparkling Wine

Fox & Fox was created from the love of Jonica Fox and her husband Gerard Fox who both planted their first vine in 2004, it was Gerard who inspired Jonica to get into the fizz business after he tasted some English Sparkling Wine at an event in London in 2003, and by 2009, they had started producing their own English Sparkling Wine. They currently own 30 acres and grow the following grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. They are also the ones to credit for producing the World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly for 2021.

You can find out more about them and their English Sparkling Wines here in this article: Fox & Fox – Award Winning English Sparkling Wine

• Fox & Fox – Astral 2019 – Trophy Zesty & Zingy
• Fox & Fox – Tradition 2014 – Gold Classic & Elegant
• Fox & Fox – Essence 2016 – Gold Forget Me Not
• Fox & Fox – Eclipse 2019 – Gold Gastronomic
• Fox & Fox – Mosaic Midsummer Rosé 2015 – Gold Meditation
• Fox & Fox – Apogee 2019 – Gold Sea Breeze
• Fox & Fox – Mosaic 2016 – Silver Spring Fling
• Fox & Fox – The Elizabethan 2014 – Silver Winter Warmer

Dewar’s Whisky – 12 Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky

Available at Tesco for only £31, this whisky from Dewar’s is a premium 12 year-old Scotch blend, delivering quality without a hefty price tag, easily accessible and offers something a little different to the usual whisky rotation – certain to impress friends and family at your at-home during Christmas this year. Building on the renowned Dewar’s house style of honeyed Highland whisky, the 12-Year-Old features amplified spice and rich fruit notes, adding a finish of vanilla, butterscotch and smoke.

To showcase the generous depth of the 12-Year-Old, DEWAR’S has collaborated with Ollie Sagerstrom Blom, bartender at the distinctive Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green, named the UK’s best cocktail bar in the Top 50 Cocktail Bars awards.

Ingredients

1. 40 ml DEWAR’S 12-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky
2. 15 ml Stones Ginger Wine®
3. 2.5 ml (1:1) sugar syrup
4. 15 ml maple verjus
5. 10 ml pear liqueur
6. Coast Maple Soda (to top)
7. Orange twist (for garnish)

Hooting Owl Gin – Tour De Yorkshire

Ever fancy taking a tour around Yorkshire, without leaving your home, Hooting Owl has an incredible taster kit that allows you to taste your way through Yorkshire, traveling through the North, East, South and West of Yorkshire.

Take a mini tour of Yorkshire, the Hooting Owl way, with their six-bottle miniature gin gift set.

Containing:
1 x 5cl Veterans Gin.
1 x 5cl Signature Gin.
1 x 5cl North Yorkshire Gin.
1 x 5cl East Yorkshire Gin.
1 x 5cl South Yorkshire Gin.
1 x 5cl West Yorkshire Gin.

The Hooting Owl Distillery is based in the historic village of Barmby Moor at the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds, taking all its inspiration and flavours from around the Yorkshire region.

Producing about 1,000 bottles a day “If we really push ourselves”, they hand label every bottle, the reason, is because they make 137 different gins, plus 8 rums, 2 vodkas, a Couple of ‘bourbons’ and the Brandy, we certainly have a lot of choices when it comes to Hooting Owl’s selection.

Conker – Gin

“Set up by Rupert Holloway in April 2015, Conker was Dorset’s first gin distillery that has now sold over 200,000 bottles around the UK.

After spending his younger years studying and working on building his CV, Rupert began his serious working career as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor, but pretty quickly realised something was missing and that his real passion lay elsewhere.

With craft drinks on the rise, Rupert started to research distilling and began foraging on the cliff tops of Bournemouth. At aged 29 he took the leap to leave his day job and launch Dorset’s first gin distillery. A £10k government grant followed and one year later Conker’s Dorset dry Gin launched to the public.

Passionate foragers, distillers and bottlers, the company handcrafts its spirits in small batches to ensure no shortcuts or compromises are taken when it comes to the craft processes, the ingredients and the final quality.

Conker embodies the spirit of Dorset, blending British wheat spirit and New Forest Spring Water with botanicals that can be found across the Dorset coast and New Forest.”

Conker Dry Dorset Gin – Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Juniper leads the exhibition on the aroma, with a zest of lime citrus and notes of elderberries.”

Flavour – “Juniper again greets us, with a slight spice mixed with some light sweetness, adding onto that are some samphire, elderberries, nettles and floral notes on this palate.”

Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire

Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire is led by brothers Guillaume (winemaker) and Sébastien (head of international marketing and sales) with guidance from their parents Gilles and Brigitte.

Their story begins in the 19th century, with a man who was both a gardener and poet, Mr. Désiré Lemaire was the one who bought the first pieces of land in Hautvillers, which became the epicenter of the Maison Roger-Constant Lemaire

It wasn’t until 1945, when his grandson, Roger-Constant, had the vision to expand, he doubled the area of the estate and moved the epicenter of the family to Villers-sous-Chatillon.

Then it was Roger-Constant’s daughters, Brigitte Lemaire, and her husband, a talented young winemaker by the name of Gilles Tournant who breathed further life into their family tradition, combined with their children Sebastien and Guillaume, they continued producing exceptional Champagne, forging their own path.

• Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire – Trianon 66 – Gold Gastronomic
• Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire – Trianon – Gold Pastries Delight
• Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire – Rosé de Saignée – Gold Winter Warmer

VB Distillery – Vodka

If you’re looking for a spirited bottle to enjoy over the Christmas season, either by the glass or within some festive cocktails, then VB Distillery has a fantastic vodka to fill that slot, with what can be considered its festive labeling, with its lovely red and gold mix.

Inspired by their Master Distiller’s Latvian heritage, Vilnis Baiks recalls fond memories of helping grandma make Kandža, today the unique flavours of their Gin and Vodka are born from the original recipes learned making this traditional Latvian moonshine.

Available in 350mls of 700mls, it’s crisp and warming, with a kind of smooth sensation, made in Hampshire England.

Devon Cove – Gift Box

Devon Cove creates award-winning Cove Vodka and Liqueurs using King Edward potatoes, lovingly grown on our family farm overlooking Hope Cove in Devon. Our copper pot, single distilled vodka is handcrafted in an artisan distillery, made only from the finest ingredients, to ensure its smooth, luxurious taste.

Spread a little cheer with Cove Vodka’s miniatures gift set. A great way to taste, enjoy and discover Cove Vodka and its liqueurs range. Their Cove Vodka Gift Set includes 3 x 5cl miniatures; award-winning Cove Vodka, divinely fruity Cove Damson Liqueur and luxuriously rich and velvety Cove Hazelnut Liqueur. A perfect gift from Devon for friends and family.

Copperfish – Chocolate Orange Rum

Perhaps one of the most related Christmas spirits to try this year would be Copperfish’s Chocolate Orange Rum, a limited edition, it’s their fourth release, with their chocolate orange rum being made from scratch, fermented, distilled, oak cask aged and bottled in Looe, Cornwall.

Copperfish is based on Buller Quay in the small Cornish coastal town and fishing port of Looe. This is where you’ll find their small craft distillery and retail outlet. Established in 2018, and towards the end of that summer they started producing their first batch of Moonshine, which allowed them to open their doors in August to start selling a range of Moonshines and branded merchandise including their cool T-shirts.

Their brand Copperfish, references the major industries of Cornwall, namely fishing and mining. Working closely with the talented Andrea Lilley of Moosedisco to bring the logo and the Copperfish creature to life. In creating labels for their range of flavours they chose to reference the colours of copper oxides to keep Copperfish truly authentic.

In December 2019 they formed their current dream team: Billy (Director), Rob (Distiller), Jemma (Finance and Procurement) and Andy (Sales & Marketing). Their spirits are made in Cornwall sourcing local ingredients (where possible), to support their local economy, reduce “drink miles” and create an authentic locally produced product.

Lyre’s – Non-Alcoholic Sparkling

For anyone looking to have a sparkling Christmas without the alcoholic touch, discover Lyre’s Classico Grande Non-Alcoholic Sparkling is available for £9.99, with flavours of ripe green apple, soft green citrus, green pears, and a touch of chalk.

“Classico doesn’t just mimic an Italian Sparkling, it stands alone as a premium non alcoholic celebration in a bottle.” – Lyre’s

Mixologist’s Garden

Mixologist’s Garden has just launched its brand-new innovative range of convenient freeze-dried fruit garnishes.

Offering the classic and unique garnishes of Lemon, Lime, Strawberry, Raspberry and Blueberry, they’ll help you complete your ultimate at-home bar, meaning you no longer have to remember to buy, store, prepare and potentially waste, fresh fruit for your drinks. With a long shelf life, resealable pack and no need to refrigerate, you’ll always have a quick and easy way to elevate your drinks.

Now available in selected Asda and Co-op stores (RRP £2.75 per 10g pouch), Mixologist’s Garden garnishes transform the flavour, taste, and appearance of any drink instantly – perfect for enhancing fizz as well as creating cocktails, spirits and soft drinks.

Krombacher Pils 5ltr ‘Fresh Keg’ + Exclusive Pint Stein

Enjoy the REAL taste of draught beer in an exclusive Krombacher Pint Stein available at the northern wine and beer co. Once opened it stays fresh for 30 days! The patented technology makes the 5L Fresh Keg a perfectly versatile mobile system for real draught beer.

It‘s ready-to-use with no fuss: The draught nozzle is already attached and no further tapping equipment is needed. The tinned steel can is the optimal protection from the sun preserving the superior quality of Krombacher Pils and is fully recyclable.

The built in carbonator (max.5,4g/l) carbonates the beer only when it‘s tapped– guaranteeing the beer stays perfectly fresh for 30 days after opening.

The Mouse House – Christmas Cheese

The Mouse House Cheese Co is a family run company based in Lincolnshire, who have traditionally been producing waxed cheddar truckles for nearly 20 years on there family farm. At the Mouse House they offer a wide range of gift boxes and hampers perfect for the festive season perfect ideas for Christmas Gifts or to create that festive spread. They offer Gift Boxes such as our Festive Four Truckle, where you can choose your top four 200g Truckles that you want in box; pick and mix for adults! They also offer Free Delivery over £30 and delayed Christmas delivery.

Pong – Christmas Extravaganza Box

Get ready to enjoy the most wonderful display of cheeses produced either locally from right here in the UK or some of the finest from around Europe, like France, Italy and Switzerland, with luxurious hard, soft, blue, smoked and more cheeses to choose from, Pong will have you spoilt for choice.

The Pong Christmas Extravaganza Box is a magnificent Christmas cheese selection that is suitable for royalty or indeed the dining table of the most demanding of cheese-loving families.

The Yummy Yank – Chocolate Brownie Snaps

Christmas Tree Brownie Snaps Launch Just In Time For The Festive Season, with the taste of the edge of a brownie and the snap of a cookie, meet the latest snack from The Yummy Yank which is now available in Christmas tree shapes and seasonally delicious flavours!

Available in two flavours, Chocolate with a Hint of Mint and Chocolate with a Hint of Orange, these brand-new Brownie Snaps have the same great taste as the originals, but in a fun, seasonal shape of a Christmas Tree. What’s more – they are available in 100% recyclable packaging, meaning they are earth-friendly too. With the flavour of a brownie edge and that signature snap, the totally unique Brownie Snaps are the most delicious chocolatey snack for any time of the day.

The Yummy Yank is offering three flavours of Brownie Snap Christmas Trees for £16.50 including UK delivery.

Whether you choose to dip it, dunk it, snap it, or munch it, Brownie Snaps are made with nothing but the finest quality ingredients, including Extra Brute Belgian cocoa, making them a rich, flavourful snack and multiple award winners, and if you’re feeling really festive, try dunking them into your glass of bubbly for an extra special moment.

Ueshima Coffee Company

Take a Coffee Journey to Japan this Christmas with Ueshima Coffee Company

To end off the day or start off the morning, give the coffee lover in your life a taste of Japan this festive season with Ueshima Coffee Company, it’s the number one coffee brand in Japan and becoming one of the fastest growing coffee brands in the UK.

90 years in the making, get a taste of the House Blend or the Fuji Mountains this year or you can embark on a flavour adventure with Ueshima’s Taster Bundles, designed to give you a glimpse of their core range.

 

Image Credit: Tree – Presents – Santa – Christmas