5 of the Best Gins to Try this Christmas
As the festive season approaches, there’s no better time to explore some of the new and exciting gins out there. Whether you're hosting a cozy gathering, preparing for a party, or simply unwinding by the fire, the right gin can work to elevate your Christmas celebrations.
From classic juniper-forward varieties to innovative, flavoured options, we’ve rounded up the top five gins you absolutely must try this Christmas. Plus, we’ll share some delicious festive cocktail recipes to complement each one.
Let’s dive in!
Mermaid Gin
Named after its main botanical, rock samphire, known locally as the ‘mermaid’s kiss’, the highly popular Mermaid Gin from the Isle of Wight Distillery bursts with a refreshing, complex and contemporary style. Presented in a beautiful blue ‘fish scale’ bottle, this gin includes ten ethically sourced botanicals from the island including elderflower, juniper, and hops.
Our recommended cocktail:
Blackberry Gin Fizz
Get in the holiday spirit with this delicious yuletide version of a classic Blackberry Gin Fizz cocktail, made with Mermaid Gin. Top with frozen blackberries for a cool wintery touch.
Ingredients
35ml Mermaid Gin
15ml lemon juice
10ml sugar syrup
Handful of blackberries
Handful of frozen blackberries
Soda water
Method
· Muddle gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup with a small handful of blackberries in a glass.
· Top with soda.
· Garnish with a rosemary sprig and frozen blackberries.
Sing Gin
Sing Gin is a premium small batch gin from the village of Kettlesing in the Yorkshire Dales. Crafted from a grape-based spirit rather than grain, it contains seven botanicals including juniper, mint, orange peel and home-grown flax seeds.
Our recommended cocktail:
Winter Mimosa
Warm up your winter celebrations with a gin-forward twist on a classic mimosa cocktail. This winter version combines bright, bubbly Champagne with Sing Gin, creating a luxuriously festive tipple that's perfect for the first Christmas morning toast.
Ingredients
35ml Sing Gin (chilled overnight in the fridge)
50ml fresh orange juice
Champagne
Method
· Combine gin and fresh orange juice in a Champagne flute.
· Top with Champagne.
Bivrost Arctic Gin
Made under the glimmer of the Northern Lights, Bivrost Arctic Gin is produced at the world’s northernmost distillery in Norway, using pure glacier water with locally harvested botanicals such as berries, herbs and marine plants.
Our recommended cocktail:
Frosted Pine Gibson Martini
This shimmering cocktail is sure to impress your party guests this Christmas. The contrast of the white shimmering cocktail against the sprig of rosemary adds a winter wonderland vibe to this delicious martini.
Ingredients
60ml Bivrost Arctic Gin
30ml dry vermouth
15ml sugar syrup (this can be made a few hours before and infused with a sprig of rosemary to add a woody aroma)
A pinch of edible white lustre dust or edible glitter
A sprig of rosemary
Ice
Method
· Combine gin, vermouth, sugar syrup and lustre dust/glitter in a cocktail shaker.
· Add ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
· Strain into a martini glass
· Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Downpour Sloe & Bramble Gin
Downpour Sloe & Bramble Gin is crafted at a family-run distillery in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Made from hand-foraged sloe berries and Uist brambles, this unique gin stands out with its rich flavour, enhanced by the rare process of aging in ex-bourbon casks, which adds a depth of fruitiness to the spirit.
Our recommended cocktail:
Seasonal Sloe Gin Fizz
Nothing says winter more than sloe berries. Traditionally picked at the first frost of the year, they are often added to gin to produce a cherry and almond-like taste. This seasonal Sloe Gin Fizz is a festive treat, ideal for Christmas and New Year celebrations!
Ingredients
50ml Downpour Sloe & Bramble Gin
20ml lemon juice
15ml sugar syrup
1 rosemary sprig
20ml egg whites
Method
· Shake together the gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, rosemary sprig and the egg whites in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
· Strain and remove the ice.
· Return the mixture to the shaker and shake without ice to ensure maximum froth.
· Serve in a gin or wine glass.
Isle of Harris Gin
From the Isle of Harris in the Hebrides, Isle of Harris Gin has a distinctly crisp maritime character. It’s made from seven sustainably sourced botanicals, including juniper berries, coriander seeds and cassia bark as well as sustainably sourced sugar kelp, found in the deep rockpools of the island.
Our recommended cocktail:
Cranberry Gin Cocktail
Embrace the holiday spirit with our festive Cranberry Gin Cocktail! This vibrant blend of gin, cranberry juice, and a splash of zesty lemon is the perfect way to raise a glass to health and happiness this Christmas.
Ingredients
30 ml Isle of Harris Gin
150ml cranberry juice
1ml lemon juice
Mint leaves
Fresh cranberries
Ice cubes
Method
· Fill a tumbler glass with ice cubes and add gin and lemon juice.
· Top with cranberry juice and stir.
· Garnish with a few cranberries and mint leaves.
Still Spirit stock these gins as well as a large range of spirits including whisky, tequila, rum and vodka. Whichever of our gins or cocktail recipes you decide to try this festive season, we wish you a very Merry Christmas filled with ‘high spirits’, laughter and lots of fun.
