Looking for a gift for family and friends that love a top tipple? These alcohol gift sets feature the best gin gifts, rum gifts, vodka gifts, wine and other top drinks made by British producers.
Laneberg Wine
Newcastle-born Elise Lane set up Laneberg Wine in Gateshead’s Team Valley after returning to her native North East roots. Elise launched the business after a successful corporate finance career, with the aim of changing people’s perceptions of English wines. Her white, red and rose releases have all won international awards at both the Wine GB Awards and the International Wine and Spirits competition. The business selects the highest quality grapes from the Midlands and Southern England vineyards and has a non-interventionist approach, meaning after the team de-stem, crush and press the grapes, they intervene as little as possible in order to let the grapes express themselves and their natural flavours. Instead of piling in sugar, additives and preservatives, the wines are left as natural as possible – the end result delivering high-quality, uniquely-tasting drinks.
Masons of Yorkshire
Karl and Cathy Mason always had an unwavering belief that, when it came to gin, doing things the right way without compromise would lead to the very best outcome. And on World Gin Day 2013, Yorkshire’s first gin, Masons of Yorkshire, was born. Since the beginning, the husband-and-wife team set out to create a product that was exceptional. At Masons, there are no gimmicks, no shortcuts and absolutely no compromises. Simply the purest and most delicious gin, made properly. From the Original Gin to the Yorkshire Tea Edition, Masons of Yorkshire has always believed in driving excellence when it comes to the taste and quality of their products. Now the range features a range of expressions to please every palate; from Pear and Pink Peppercorn Gin; Orange and Lime Leaf; English Lavender Gin; Raspberry Gin; as well as a number of Vodka expressions. At the state-of-the-art distillery in the heart of Yorkshire, guests can discover the magic and marvellousness behind Yorkshire’s favourite gin. Learn the art of distilling, develop the senses with guided tastings of the range with a complete distillery tour or join the team for a sophisticated cocktail evening where you will learn the coveted art of mixology.
Alnwick Rum
Founded in 1914, The Alnwick Rum & Spirits Company has grown to become one of the country’s acclaimed niche rum companies. The business started off with one product, Legendary Dark Rum – a favourite amongst sailors and fisherman in the North East. After being acquired by the Harry Hotspur Holdings group in 2013, new expressions were added to the range including a Golden Spiced; a smooth blended white sipping rum ‘White Knight’ and liqueurs. Holy Island Rum was later added to the range and features two expressions: the Holy Island Rum is a dark rum with caramel and nut aromas, a slight sweetness and a hint of dark treacle. Holy Island Spiced Rum is has a powerful creamy toffee vanilla aroma with hints of warm spices, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Hepple Spirits
Hepple Spirits was founded to reveal the true, invigorating taste of wild juniper. The story began on the hills of Hepple, in Northumberland, one of Britain’s last wild sanctuaries for juniper.
Celebrated foraging chef Valentine Warner brought legendary bartender Nick Strangeway and distillery developer Cairbry Hill up to Hepple in the remote Northumbrian National Park to meet Walter Riddell, owner of the Hepple estate, in March 2013. A bone-chilling wind was blowing from the east, as ever.
The original plan was to make something esoteric, but out on the moor the wind hounded and the chaps took refuge amongst a stand of ancient junipers, glittering with green and purple berries.
As they huddled amongst the shaking juniper, bejewelled with berries, it became clear that something core to gin had never been fully revealed – the true essence of gin; juniper.
Clarence Spirits St Mary’s Gin, Rum & Vodka
Clarence Spirits Limited is owned by the husband-and-wife team Martin and Julie Summers.
Whilst running a successful restaurant and having just finished a grueling evening function and gasping for a drink, the couple sat down and thought a Gin and Tonic would hit the spot.
However, with over 150 Gins to choose from and the majority of them being flavoured, Julie and Martin settled for wine instead and then discussed why there wasn’t a gin that was smooth and subtle – and that you can drink by itself with ice or add a flavoured tonic to mix things up.
As the pair lived and both felt passionately about the beautiful seaside town of Whitley Bay, in the North East of England, they thought the name had to be Whitley Bay based and there’s nothing more famous than the lighthouse and island St Mary’s – which appears inside each bottle. As well as a gin, rum and vodka, the couple have launched a range of Christmas gifts including baubles and crackers filled with their famous spirits.
House of Ruhr
The House Of Ruhr is a tale of friendship from overseas and wonderful gins. House of Ruhr was formed by retired police officer Bryn Jones thanks to his friendship with German police officer Peter Meinken whose family owns a distillery in the town of Wanne-Eickel in Germany’s Ruhr Valley. His passion for the spirit inspired Bryn to set up his import business after Peter asked him to help get gin made in his distillery to bars and customers in the North East. The collection includes Bergmann (infused with physalis, goji berry and yerba) Renton (infused with 12 botanicals) and Vogel (infused with lemon and allspice). The gins have also been awarded prestigious medals, each scooping silver in the London Spirits Competition, beating off national competition.
WL Distillery Gin
Durham-based WL Distillery is making a splash in the gin market after winning a trio of industry awards within a three-month period. Hot on the heels of the announcement that the distillery had won Silver at the prestigious 2021 London Spirits Competition, WL has also been awarded Gold at The Gin Masters, alongside Design Bronze at The World Gin Awards. The signature 1st Edition Gin was just six months into production when the distillery, which was founded by Scott Wilson-Laing, was awarded Silver at the prestigious 2021 London Spirits Competition. Scott uses the North East’s culture and tradition, as well as spending his summers in his grandad’s garden, eating fruit from the bushes and trees as he basked in the sun and bonded with his family, as inspiration. He uses the flavours from his childhood to produce the handmade, small batch gins. “With gin from WL Distillery, we’re giving people a real sample of what the North East is all about. We set out to bottle up and give people a real flavour of the North East, and to feel those flavours from the Great British gardens. This is what inspired the creation of WL Distillery,” says Scott.
