Gift Guide 2015: The Bartender

Once again, the holiday season is upon us, and if you’re anything like me you’re ready for a drink. After all, Fiona is approaching 16 months and practically guaranteed to pull down our Christmas tree. This annual gift guide for the bartender/drink lover has quickly become my favorite piece of the year. It’s where I send all my friends and family when they ask me for gift ideas. Plus, putting it together is always a blast! I pour myself a glass of eggnog, throw on some holiday tunes, slip on a big comfy sweater, and get to work. As always, I tried my best to represent a wide range of gifts – both in price and in function. All of which I’d be more than happy to find under the (soon-to-be-broken) tree. Just sayin’ . . . 

1. Gold-Plated Usagi™ Cobbler Shaker $77 – Beautiful centerpiece to any bar cart.
2. 3D Shape Cocktail Chiller Set $35 – Keep your booze cool with these artfully made geometric stones.
3. The Oak Bottle $80 – Barrel-age your wine/spirit in days instead of months/years.
4. Candy Cane Bottle Opener $10 – ’tis the season to pop some bottles!
5. Shibori-Dyed Cocktail Napkins (Set of 4) $24 – Your guests might want to snag these steal from your next cocktail party.
6. Sake Gumi, Sake Club (6-month membership) $174 – Learn about sake the best way possible . . . by drinking it! Two bottles per month for six months.
7. Del Maguey Copita (6-piece set + fan palm basket) $14 – As mezcal was meant to be sipped.
8. Bull In China Black Walnut Ice Mallet $110 – The Mother of all ice mallets.
9. Stainless Steel Straws (set of 6) $15 – Because you can never have enough reusable straws.
10. Large Pineapple Tumbler (Gold) $99 – Beautiful, functional, fun – simply my favorite tumbler on the market.
11. Camping Without Beer – Stainless Steel Beer Glass $13.50 – Truth.
12. Mixology Dice (pouch) $24 – Super fun way to learn about cocktails.
13. Skull Barspoon $28 – This eye-catching barspoon was developed in collaboration with the great Beachbum Berry.
14. Edible Fragrance – Charred Bourbon Barrel $18 – Creatively enhance your cocktails with these enchanting aromatics.
15. R2D2 Hip Flask $10 – Grab it in time for the new Star Wars release!!
16. Hella Bitters Cola Tonic Syrup $13 – Two classic mixers is one = hella good!
17. Salt Shot Glasses (set of 4) $28 – Tequila shots anyone…
18. Jackson Cannon Bar Knife $79 – Sleek and versatile. For those that take their garnishes seriously.
19. Extinct Abbott’s Bitters $25 – The bitters used in the original Manhattan cocktail recipe.
20. Gold-Platted Leopold® Jigger $29 – Measure your pours with style.
21. The Cocktail Chronicles $17 -My favorite cocktail book of the year, from Paul Clarke, Editor of Imbibe Magazine.