Whether giving as a festive gift or just enjoying during your own yuletide celebrations, these whiskies – and whiskeys – will bring the warmth

• I tried 60 low- and no-alcohol drinks: here are my favourite beers, wines and spirits

Searching for a whisky this Christmas? From Speysides to single malts, Japanese whiskies and special edition bottlings, the sheer choice can be overwhelming.

If you’re looking for a delicious dram to enjoy with your mince pie, a versatile bottle to have on standby this party season or the perfect gift, there’s a whisky out there with your name on it. It needn’t cost the earth either: I’ve found sustainable B Corp whiskies and pocket-friendly blends along with higher-end options to suit everyone’s budget.

From sustainable and low-alcohol tipples to Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre’s surprisingly sippable bottle, these are the gins worth your time – and tonic – this Christmas

• The best whisky, from scotch and single malt to bourbon

It’s party season; better make sure the bar cart is fully stocked before friends and family descend. Gin forms the basis of many well-known cocktails, including the negroni, French 75, bramble, gimlet and – 2025’s favourite – the martini. Selecting a decent bottle – or two – will give your usual G&T an upgrade and ensure your Christmas drinks party will be one to remember.

But what is gin? Essentially, it’s a distilled alcohol made from a neutral spirit (usually derived from grain), flavoured with juniper berries and bottled at 37.5% ABV minimum. So, distillers have relative freedom to play around with ingredients, infusions and distillation methods – creating a huge range of gin styles but making it tricky to pick out the right bottle for you.

From festive gin sets and cult tequila to beautifully boxed fizz, these Christmas-ready bottles make ideal presents for even the trickiest people on your list

• The best whisky, tested

For the person who has everything – or insists they don’t want a gift – a bottle of something fabulous is often the safest idea. With many brands going the extra mile to make their drinks more desirable at Christmas, it is possible to pick out something special.

Whether you’re looking for a hostess gift to impress, are shopping for hard-to-buy-for dads, or you’ve drawn the short straw in the work secret santa, a well-chosen bottle is a solid choice. From festive gin and cult-classic tequila to painstakingly curated wines and English fizz, there’s a bottle for every taste and budget.