A Few Specialty Liquor Gift Ideas

Every year many of our favorite distilled spirits put together special promotions and gift sets just for the holidays. From engraved limited edition bottlings to a gift sets with all styles of barware. Here are some of my favorites and you'll find more of the gift sets with a quick trip to almost any local liquor store, or you can put together your own spirited gift basket.

Here are some of my favorite holiday promotions for 2008:

• 1800 Tequila Essential Artist Bottles - Not only can you buy a limited edition with contemporary artwork on it, but you can order a bottle filled with tequila that displays the artwork you upload for only $225 - expensive but really one-of-a-kind.
• Reidel Glassware - Reidel makes excellent glassware (there's nothing like sipping out of one of those tequila glasses) and they just launched their online store where you can find the perfect, classic glass for anything you're drinking from grappa to Cognac and their O Martini Glasses are beautiful.
• Engraved Bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue - Get your bottle of one of the great Scotches engraved with a personal message for the person you're giving it to. There are many engraving locations throughout the US during November and December (website has the details) or if you're out of one of those areas, I'm told you can order one by calling 877-JW-BLUE-LABEL for $275.

• YourGiftLabel.com - On the personalized bottle idea, at this website you can order labels for bottles of Glenlevit, Chivas Regal, Wild Turkey or Kahlua with a message of your choice. The good thing is that you can order up to 5 free labels per visit, the bad thing is that you have to get your own bottle, but that's not bad.
• Lucid Absinthe Gift Set - This gift set is includes everything need for two people to enjoy the green fairy in its traditional fashion. If you can find it the set has a bottle of Lucid and vintage-style glasses and absinthe spoon.
• Tequila Herradura Gift Set - This is one of those collectors/novelty sets that comes out only during the holidays. This one features a bottlel of either Herradura's blanco or reposado tequila with two horseshoe- shaped glasses ("herradura" is Spanish for horseshoe).