Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry. So make sure you put a smile on a loved one's face with this guide to Christmas gifts for foodies. From holiday spirits to hampers filled with gourmet biscuits and cheese, this holiday is sure to be filled with everything sweet and savory. Enjoy!
Havana Club Añejo 7 Años
This Christmas, Havana Club has designed a limited-edition Neoclassical tin, a beautifully designed gift for only the most stylish and discerning drinker. The Añejo 7 Años offers an exquisite bouquet of intense and complex notes of cocoa, vanilla, cedar, sweet tobacco and light tropical fruits making it perfect for those who enjoy an intense and round flavour. Havana Club Añejo 7 Años is available in all Waitrose, Tesco stores in addition to online from the Whiskey Exchange (from £23.79). Havana-Club.com .
Champagne From Armand de Brignac
Cased inside a stunning black wooden design is the 750ml, limited-edition collection entitled The Armand de Brignac Trilogie. Choose from Armand de Brignac Champagne cuvées Brut Gold, Rosé or Blanc de Blancs. The Armand de Brignac Trilogie is available in the UK from Selfridges and Harvey Nichols department stores nationwide and online, and selected leading independent retailers from £1,295. TheChampagneCompany.com
Seed & Bean Organic Chocolate
Indulge this Christmas with Organic Seed & Bean – the UK’s only 100% ethically accredited chocolate company that has varieties suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Handmade in Northampton they source the finest cocoa from around the world to create the most exciting and unique chocolate bars, snack bars, gift sets and 200g bars with flavours including Pumpkin Seeds & Hemp Oil Extra Dark Chocolate and Mandarin & Ginger Extra Dark Chocolate. SeedandBean.co.uk .
Paxton & Whitfield Cheese Hamper
Cheese aficionados beware, these gifts are almost too good to give away. Paxton & Whitfield, Britain’s leading cheesemonger for 200 years, has a must-buy range of hampers available for Christmas. For a gift to make a lasting impression, The Mayfair is a show-stopper. Costing £500, it boasts everything from Cheddar Truckle, Brie de Melun, Half Own Cure Ham, pate and mustard, to a 75cl bottle of Champagne Grand Cru and Paxton’s Vintage Port 75cl – plus more. The gifts are presented in a wooden hamper, starting from £24. PaxtonandWhitfield.co.uk .
Russian Standard Gold
The Russians are well-known for their celebratory periods, and vodka truly is the drink of choice to bring people together. So make this Christmas extra-special with a bottle of Russian Standard Gold available from Selfridges (£20). The perfect celebration vodka for the holidays, it contains extracts of Siberian Golden Root, providing notes of light vanilla, cinnamon, five spice and ginseng to the taste. With an herbal hint and warm spice to its aroma, the finish is slightly warmer than the other vodkas. RussianStandard.com .
Champagne Gosset
Christmas is a time for celebrating, and celebrating requires champagne. Look no further than Gosset’s Grande Reserve NV, a powerful yet elegant bubbly perfect for toasts over the Christmas period. Bottled in the distinctive Bouteille Ancienne, the champagne (43% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier) is delicious as an aperitif or with food. Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne, having been founded in Aÿ in 1584. From £45 and available from Selfridges, Harrods and Fortnum & Mason. Champagne-Gosset.com .
Barcardi Rum
Bacardi turns 150 this year, and in celebration it's launched a new spiced rum offering, perfect for the man in your life this Christmas. Made with a unique blending process, the result is a smooth, velvet-like taste bursting with oaky spirit and a hint of smokiness, capturing all that's best of the festivities (£23). Add a dash of coke, or sip it on its own for the perfect after-dinner tipple. Bacardi.com .
Denhay Dorset Drum
Impress your friends with an after-dinner treat on the cheeseboard this Christmas (from £25). Sold at between seven and 12 months, the Denhay Dorset Drum is handmade on a farm in Dorset from cows on the farm, then matured on old wooden shelves. The result is a smooth, traditionally tasting cheddar combined with a moreish creaminess and a nutty rounded flavour. Presented in an attractive box, the Dorset Drum also makes a great gift for foodies. Denhay.co.uk .
Chocolate Coffee Masala Caramels
For a tasty Xmas treat, Devnaa’s limited-edition Dark Chocolate Coffee Masala Caramels will be ideal for foodies. Melt-in-the-mouth smooth caramel infused with coffee and their signature spice blend of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger – enrobed in fine dark chocolate, beautifully finished with a sprinkle of coffee and sugar crystals are to die for. The price is £15.95 for 16 chocolates. Available from luxury Indian chocolate maker Devnaa.com. Made in London, suitable for vegetarians and alcohol free. Products available from Harvey Nichols. Devnaa.com .
Tzuki Knife Set
Know a budding Jamie Oliver? Then this is the perfect pressie for them. Professional Japanese Damascus stainless steel knife set, made from the same material as a samurai sword, will give any wannabe chef the cutting edge. Having the right tools to cut, carve and chop foods to create all manner of delicious dishes is key, and the Tsuki 5 Piece Knife Set and Wallet from Nisbets comprises a selection of high quality classic kitchen knives to suit a wide range of different food preparations. To complete the Set, each of the knives can be kept safely in a black, roll case knife wallet. Available from Nisbets, priced at £191.99 from Nisbets.co.uk .
Tanqueray No. Ten
Made by distilling fresh oranges, limes and grapefruit, Tanqueray No. Ten (from £27.99), ultra-premium London dry gin, is a luxurious and classic gift. Chanomile flowers create the signature velvety mouth feel and other hand-selected, meticulously sourced botanicals provide further layers of unrivaled taste. Tanqueray No. Ten is made in small batches, using only the highest quality distillate, and it’s perfect for using to impress friends with cocktails over the holidays. Tanqueray.com .
Spirits From Drinks21
Get your loved ones gifts exclusive to Drinks21.com . Offerings include Heavy Water Vodka (one of the purest Scandinavian vodkas available) and the cool refreshing taste of ABK6 Ice Cognac. From limited edition "rare finds" to more popular quality brands, drinks21.com serves up a menu of boutique spirits, champagnes and wines for those looking to stimulate their palate with a taste of the unexpected.
Patron XO
Is there a coffee-lover in your life? Then take note. Just in time for Christmas, Patrón is launching 350ml half bottles of -+. This smooth drink is a delicious blend of Arabica coffee and ultra premium Patrón Silver tequila (from £16.99), which deftly showcases the deep coffee flavour. Serve chilled, mix it into cocktails, or use it as a unique and delicious dessert topping. See WaitroseDirect.com.
Lahloo Tea
Tea is synonymous with England, making it the perfect gift to send from London. Lahloo’s has a Winters Teas range especially for Christmas. Our favourites are the delicious Spice Chai (£6.00/50g) – made from a secret blend of Konghea Assam tea from India and Sri Lanka with cinnamon, ginger, green cardamom, it’s perfect for cold winter nights. For the connoisseur, the White Tea Gift Set (£50) is ideal, featuring an individual Hario glass infuser teapot and two Japanese white teacups. The last date for Christmas orders for pre-Christmas delivery in the UK is Monday 17 December 2012. LahlooTea.co.uk .
Chesil Smokery Subscriptions
A selection box from Chesil Smokery will be a delight for any foodie to open over Christmas. Buyers can choose from a one-off present or a monthly subscription for a gift that keeps giving throughout the year. Our favourites include The Old English Box (£40), crammed full of old-smoked salmon, Kippers, smoked haddock, and smoked cod’s roe. While the Shindig Box (£75) offers fishy items such as cold-smoked salmon, hot-smoked venison loin, cold-smoked trout, hot-smoked duck breast, hot-smoked chicken breast, hot-smoked mackerel, and Gravadlax. See ChesilSmokery.com .
Steenberg Christmas Hamper
Give someone a spicy Christmas this year with a hamper or gift box from Steenbergs (from £39.50), the artisan spice company. Delivered with a handwritten message, these presents are filled to the brim with delicious aromatic spices. The Christmas hamper is packed in a practical white willow hamper with leather straps, and contains hot chocolate plain and chili, organic Fairtrade cinnamon quills, jar of mixed spice, mulled wine sugar, mulled wine spice sachets, cinnamon sugar standard jar and sage & onion stuffing 150g. Steenbergs.co.uk .
Lakeland Knife Set
Cased in this stunning, clear, lightweight acrylic block, this exclusive-to-Lakeland knife set (£49.99) is the perfect gift for wannabe chefs this Christmas. It includes utility, slicing and chef's knives, perfect for whatever style of cuisine you want to prepare, and great for slicing turkey on the big day. This design looks so good, you'll feel proud to leave it out on the kitchen worktop when not in use. Lakeland.co.uk .
Edinburgh Preserves Gift Hamper
Handsomely presented, as we’ve come to expect from Edinburgh Preserves, inside the stag-adorned box are their award-winning Rosemary Biscuits (150g) paired with a meaty Venison Pâté (180g) – just the thing for those with a discerning palate (£9.99). Lakeland.co.uk
Chococo Cocoa Pod Cracker
For delicious Christmas chocolate gifts, look no further than award-winning chocolatier Chococo, The Purbeck Chocolate Co. All freshly handmade from cocoa originating in the Caribbean, Madagascar and Venezuela, Chococo uses local produce, including fresh Dorset cream, to make its mouth-watering creations. This year its festive artisan range features some inventive new fun stocking fillers, including the perfect-to-share Chococo Cocoa Pod Cracker (£21.95/350g), packed full of festive chocolates. It comes beautifully wrapped in cellophane and carefully hand-tied at each end with colourful Chococo ribbon to make it look like a Christmas cracker. Chococo.co.uk
Teddington Cheese
Christmas dinner may be all about the turkey, but supper is all about cheese and biscuits. Delight your guests with Teddington Cheese’s New British Cheese Board over the festive season. With two Greater London outlets, Teddington is renowned for fantastic quality, and delicious tasting produce. Inside the Christmas selection box, you’ll find chunks of melt-in-the-mouth Oxford Isis; Capria Cornish Blue Berkswell and Vintage Lincolnshire Poacher – 1.35kg of cheese. It would also make an ideal gift for foodies (£35+pp). Last date for ordering for UK Christmas delivery is Wednesday 19 December 2012 at 6pm. TeddingtonCheese.co.uk .
Sea Island Coffee
This is the coffee for coffee lovers. Based in Knightsbridge, London, Sea Island Coffee imports coffees from some of the finest and exclusive regions in the world. In time for Christmas, it's launching some exciting and rare products, including Jamaica Blue Mountain (£14.99) boasting full body and a sweet aftertaste. And the unique Civet Cat "Kopi Luwak" (£15.99), with its rich caramel body, very sweet-toned aroma with hints of fruit, aromatic wood, earth and dark chocolate. SeaIslandCoffee.com.
