How sweet is this quartet of coasters? Starring colorful prints of classic drinks like a martini and a margarita and finished with dainty embroidered edges, they’ll turn any happy hour into a festive occasion. The coasters are constructed using extra-thick linen, which means they’re sturdy enough to protect your surfaces from any stains or scratches—and to last through multiple seasons of cocktail parties. 

Whenever I’m asked to recommend a local shop in my hometown of Los Angeles, I point folks to Toiro in West Hollywood. Owner Naoko Takei Moore started selling donabe clay pots in 2008, and since opening her brick-and-mortar store in 2017, has expanded to carrying artisanal pottery, kitchen tools, and tableware from all over Japan. Everything at Toiro is hand-selected by Moore herself and showcases her eye for timeless design and love of Japanese craftsmanship, and this striking turquoise sake server with matching pair of cups is no exception. 

Sometimes, it’s nice to change up your beverage pairings from beer or wine to something a bit more unexpected. When I’m looking to do this, sake is an obvious choice. It’s easy-drinking, bright, and can stand up nicely to a variety of foods. It’s also refreshing, letting its understated versatility shine through when sipped chilled or when blended into classic cocktails like martinis or negronis. If you’re looking to change things up at your next holiday dinner, look no further than Sake Ono’s Junmai Daiginjo. Crisp notes of melon, pear, and citrus allow for a complex twist on your aperitif cocktail, and when enjoyed chilled, it forms a perfect union with soft cheeses, charcuterie, grilled or roasted fish, rare beef, or desserts such as tarte tatin, key lime pie, or cheesecake. Plus, at 15 percent ABV, it’s perfect for imbibing without excess. Most importantly, though, is the quality that goes into its production. Each bottle is made from ingredients local to Niigata, Japan, where a generations-old brewery is still using just four simple components: rice, water, koji, and yeast. 

The perfect present for the martini lovers in your life! This glass ornament consists of a trio of glittery brat-green olives skewered onto a cocktail pick, a calligraphed “I like it dirty” tag, and a dip-dyed silk ribbon. Mouth-blown and hand-painted in Poland, the ornament is as cheeky as it is elegant. Tuck it solo into a stocking, or double up on the holiday cheer by pairing it with an equally charming Champagne Taste ornament. 

Give the gift of whimsy this holiday season with a cheerful two-tone pitcher from New York City designer Sophie Lou Jacobsen. Made of durable borosilicate glass and available in lots of fun colorways—I’m partial to the green and blue—the versatile vessel can be used to serve everything from wine and big-batch cocktails to water and iced tea. For the ultimate hostess gift, pair it with a bottle of something special, or even a bouquet of fresh flowers—the pitcher also makes a lovely vase.

The concept of terroir isn’t always front of mind when we’re talking about tequila, and honestly, that’s a shame. While all tequila is made from Blue Weber agave (just one of over 200 hundred agave species), there is so much diversity of flavor and aroma the plant has to offer based on where and how it’s grown. Tequila Ocho’s Single Estate Reposado, aged in oak barrels, is a great starter for folks who might not be acquainted with sipping tequilas—aka the bourbon or scotch drinker in your life—as it really highlights the unique expressions of the individual agave fields. And while sipping a reposado neat is the best way to experience this breadth of flavor, we won’t judge you for mixing it into an extremely stellar Paloma.

These etched champagne glasses from the Italian fashion house Marni’s first tableware collection with Belgium-based homeware brand Serax couldn’t be more chic. Each coupe is laser-engraved with an illustration of anemones designed by Marni’s creative director Francesco Risso. The flower motif is a good example of the playful, quirky elegance that the Italian brand  is known for, and while these glasses may look delicate, gift recipients will be pleased to know that they’re dishwasher safe.

As the title of Josh Noel’s new book indicates, Malört, the intensely bitter wormwood liqueur, is complicated. As Chicago’s signature spirit, it represents so many things all at once: a rite of passage, a bartender’s handshake, a drinking challenge, a hangover cure, a source of mockery, a badge of honor, and lately, a cultural afterthought-turned-sensation. Malört truly contains multitudes, and Noel, an author and a former beer and travel writer for the Chicago Tribune, explores them all as he digs deep into the history, lore, and legacy of the Windy City’s unofficial liquor. The result is a page-turner filled with compelling characters and stellar reporting that you don’t have to be a Malört-head to appreciate. 

Great chardonnays demand fresh appreciation, and this beautiful trio of wines from Foley Family Wines & Spirits is the perfect place to start your taste test. The 2022 Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay from Sonoma County offers a subtle, nutty flavor profile, while the light minerality of the 2019 Silverado Vineyards Firetree Chardonnay from Los Carneros pairs beautifully with roasted root vegetables. When you taste the 2020 Ferrari-Carano Emelia’s Cuvée Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley, its rich flavor, with underlying notes of nectarine, quince, and apricot, will quickly earn a place at your holiday feast.

Nothing says celebration with a capital C like opening Champagne with a sword, otherwise known as sabrage. You’ll just need two things: our beginner’s guide to this essential party trick, and, of course, the right tool for the job. Enter Made In’s handsome ebony wood-handled saber crafted in Thiers, France. Pair it with a bottle of your favorite bubbly, or for extra bonus points, get it engraved with your gift recipient’s name.

A cult favorite in its native Arizona, Suncliffe’s limited-edition (only 500 bottles!) barrel-aged gin deserves your—and your giftee’s—attention. As an homage to Sedona’s historic apple orchards, founders Ryan Lawrence, Thomas Giddings, and Clare Byrne finished this year’s release in calvados casks that once held single malt from fellow Arizona producer Whiskey Del Bac. The nuanced, light amber gin that emerged boasts notes of vanilla, butterscotch, and baking spices, and works equally well during cocktail hour mixed into a Negroni as it does after dinner served neat as a nightcap. 

Yes, oyster vodka is a thing! Briny and savory without being overpowering, Ostreida is just the thing for martinis, Bloody Marys, and any cocktail that needs a touch of salinity. The first of its kind, this singular spirit from Providence, Rhode Island, distillery Industrious Spirit Company (ISCO) is made with organic corn from New York State and fresh oysters harvested locally and beyond (each bottle includes a neck tag highlighting the specific oyster farm and region). Not only is ISCO serious about sourcing, it’s also committed to sustainability: The distillery composts all their oyster shells, sends spent grains to nearby farms for animal feed, and donates a portion of the proceeds from each bottle to a local nonprofit dedicated to ocean health. 

There’s a time and place for bottled cocktails, but if they’re as good as Hoste’s Gold Fashioned, the time is now and the place is everywhere. Founder Robert Haynes cut his teeth at iconic Chicago cocktail bars the Violet Hour and Analogue before launching Hoste in 2020. This year’s limited-edition release of Haynes’ take on the classic Old Fashioned blends sherry cask-finished Kentucky straight bourbon, Indiana straight rye whiskey, Malawian demerara sugar, and Afghan saffron bitters, and includes an orange zest atomizer (a fancy word for a tiny spray bottle) for garnish. While it comes with a hefty price tag, each bottle makes 10 truly top-notch cocktails, and all your giftee has to do—after opening the artfully designed packaging—is pour over ice, spray, and serve.

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