Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Posted by Spirits Kiosk on 4 Mar 2021
With Mother's Day merely a week away, we're seeing our search box fill with questions and queries for gift ideas. To help, we've put together a few suggestions and explained why each would make a lovely gift for the occasion.
No gimmicks, no frou-frou sweet and pink mummy nonsense - the kind we'd actually give ours because it's great booze and that's what she drinks.
Rum, both Spiced or regular always makes for a good gift idea. Better still is that currently, there is a huge amount of diversity in what you can choose. One of our recent additions to Spirits Kiosk was Mad City Rum. It uses molasses rums from Jamaica, Guyana, Dominican Republic and Barbados and once blended, they add a mix of 25 botanicals including coconut, orange, coffee, lapsang, cubeb, tonka and cardamom before redistilling it.
We like it because it's neither a spiced nor "flavoured" rum, nor a traditional sipper either.
By adding the botanicals they have managed to highlight the notes present in the base rum blend. The result is something that is clearly a Rum, but with extra hints of coconut and soft mocha on the nose. To taste, citrus, tropical fruits with hints of vanilla and pecan nuts come through. We feel it makes for a good gift because not only does it look cool, it's also versatile - serve it with tonic (as pictured) or try it in a Daiquiri making it fit for both casual sipping or more elaborate moments.
Who doesn't love Tequila? Moreover, who doesn't like the kind of Tequila that comes in a beautiful bottle and makes for an amazing Margarita!? Our pick of the bunch is the Cenote Blanco Tequila. It's packed with bright citrus and pepper on the nose. The wood isn't noticeable in it's own right (the spirit is mellowed for a few weeks after distillation) but the impression is one of a soft Blanco with a touch of spice to finish.
Not just an impactful gift, it's a tequila that brings a sense of occasion each time you take the cork off.
Broken Clock Vodka is somewhere between botanical vodka and crisp classic. It was is inspired by the home of famed 18th century novelist Laurence Sterne, Shandy Hall, in Coxwold who once wrote of it "I am as happy as a prince, at Coxwould, and I wish you could see in how princely a manner I live - 'tis a land of plenty."
The weighty texture makes for a luxurious Martini but try it in a Bloody Mary where the vodka's sweet apple and subtle herbal undertone make it somewhere between a gin and a vodka, while the peppery bite adds to the spice. It's a lovely gift for those who take great pride in enjoying a moment of indulgence when at home.
If you know your mother loves and Old Fashioned, why not try a Rye Whiskey from an up-and-coming distillery in the Black Forest? Besides, if a Stork delivered you to her doorstep all those years ago, isn't it fitting that said bird also delivers tasty Whiskey too? Yeah, we thought that was tenuous too, but any excuse eh...
Stork Club Straight Rye is distilled from carefully selected German rye, and matures in barrels made of both American and German Napoleon oak. You can expect a rye with a youthful, bold character. There's caramel and spices, dark chocolate and the typical peppery note of rye on the finish, making for a vibrant whiskey that works perfectly with Bitters and some sugar syrup.
MACK by Mackmyra is a flavourful whisky with a bright, fresh character and notes of vanilla, pear and citrus. On the nose it’s fruity and elegant and to taste the combination of sweet notes combined with a touch of spiciness give it depth.
Flavours aside, we love it as a gift as it delivers that Skandi cool look, has the quality liquid to back it but for some completely unknown reason, is way undervalued and for the money, represents a really high quality offering at a very wallet friendly price.
If you are into Tequila, Fortaleza is a name that will have come up many times. It is a favourite of tequila aficionados the world over for good reason and is sure to impress as a gift.
This tequila is produced in a small batch process, right down the the handblown bottles. It's a great example of 100% tahona-milled tequila and with its citrus and savoury cooked agave notes that are reminiscent of olives and basil, Fortaleza Blanco is one you can sip on the rocks, enjoy in a Margarita or use to make a superb Paloma.
Recently, The King's Ginger got a royal revamp. Not only is it now bottled in gloriously tactile glass, the recipe got a refresh to be, well, fresher! The aroma is unmistakably of bright ginger and zesty lemon. Now the gorgeous liqueur has a clear aroma fresh ginger and zesty lemon, while to taste, the initial flow of ginger syrup sweetness is interrupted by the tingle of warming ginger and a subtle, gentle uplift of waxy lemon.
It's an easy one to sip on neat or serve with apple juice, making for a beautiful looking gift that's an easy winner for those who don't usually make cocktails.