Ron Zacapa CentenarioThe iconic Britto’s restaurant in Goa calls it ‘the best rum in the wold’. That’s a tall claim and yet, the Ron Zacapa is quite deserving of the title, being ranked first by the prestigious Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago. It’s made using “virgin sugar cane honey”, the company claims, and matured anywhere between 6 to 23 years. Yamazaki 18-Year-Old WhiskyDispel the notion that great single malts must be crafted in Scottish glens with this award-winning Japanese single malt. The sherry, oak and citrus notes keep you coming back for more. Dalmore King Alexander III WhiskyThe imposing pewter stag should be enough to make you buy this bottle. If not, buy it for the rich, fruity Highland single malt that’s matured in wine, Madeira, sherry, marsala, Kentucky bourbon and port casks. Old Monk The LegendThis sweet, vatted 7-year old rum might be too commonplace to make a memorable gift, unless you can get your hands on the Old Monk The Legend bottle.

Rumour has it that the bottle is shaped like the head of H.G. Meakin, the company’s founder. With the brand continuing to be clouded by uncertainty, these bottles are only going to become that much harder to find. Paul John Whisky BrillianceAmrut isn’t the only Indian contribution to the world of single malts. The Paul John distillery from Goa is a relatively newer entrant on the scene yet their single malts have been ranked higher than Laphroaig and Glenmorangie by Jim Murray, publisher of the annual Whisky Bible. Brilliance is an unpeated blend with notes of vanilla, honey, coconut and black pepper and ginger to finish. Charosa Reserve Cabernet SauvignonThis may be a budget buy but Charosa Wines are serving up strong competition to the market leader Sula. Try the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from their cellar, it’s a full-bodied red with rich aromas of ripe fruits like plums and raspberries. Royal Salute Festive Pack Chivas produces more sophisticated whisky today, but the Royal Salute 21 years was the Scotch that started it all for the Chivas Brothers.

A blended Scotch which includes no whisky younger than 21 years, the deep amber spirit surprisingly has a Champagne smooth silky finish with notes of vanilla, toffee and old oak. Available now in a spanking new limited edition festive gift box designed by British designer Tom Lane, just in time for booziest festival of the year. Rs 14,900 (Delhi) and Rs. 20,000 (Mumbai) The Ardmore Legacy Launched this month in India, Beam Suntory’s The Ardmore is the hottest new single malt in town. A slightly peated, sweet dram, The Legacy captures both the floral notes of Speyside and the lightly peated notes that are more common to the coastal Highlanders. Keeping things uniquely traditional, it is made with 80% peat and 20% unpeated malt, unlike other heavily peated options in the market — perfect if ash isn’t a thing your friend wants lingering on his/her tongue. Rs 4,100 (Delhi) and Rs 3,200 (Haryana) Image: Wake n Bake Cocktail cupcakes For that friend who likes a sweet treat but still wants to keep it boozy at your Diwali taash party.

Try these signature cocktail cupcakes by Delhi’s Wake and Bake; available in chocolate whisky toffee, Kahlua Tiramisu, and Chocolate and Bailey’s, and more. The cherry here is the 10 ml alcohol shooter that’s stabbed into each alcohol-soaked treat. Wall-mounted liquor dispenserFor that friend who doesn’t ever need a reason to throw a party, this little contraption will take his/her next shindig to a whole other level of epic. best wine kit brandThe dispenser holds four bottles, neatly measuring out 1.5 oz (approximately 45ml) shots each time. the best wine cheesesAll you need to do is prep the lemon and salt.best selling wine brands in usaSo I happen to be in the USA as I write this and, before you brandish the baton of boastfulness in my direction, allow me to share how I am missing out on the Dussehra festivities.best wine tasting places in the world

It is the time of giving (for others) and for graciously receiving (for yours truly) and I think nothing could better define nor maintain the balance of nature than this exchange. And inasmuch as it makes me curl up and die somewhere inside each time I am gifted a bottle of some awful plonk, I hold composure. wine for sale franceAnd then I relegate the giver to some dark corner of my social circle while simultaneously making a mental note of whom to palm said insipid insult on to in an eternal game of passing the parcel.best wine with dessert But you don’t have to be at the giving nor receiving end of this game. best white wine australia 2014Between now and Dussehra and en suite Diwali, there will be many a soirée and if you don’t want the invites to die down after the first party you turn up at with a bottle of Chateau Supermarket written all over it, here are a few pointers on the art of gifting.buy olive garden wine online

1 There is nothing taboo about gifting alcohol; turning up without anything at all (not even flowers) is. But wine is better; it too has a bouquet and a lot more beyond that. As long as the bottle is sealed, and the recipient is somebody who will actually break said seal and go on to imbibe the stuff inside, it is a perfectly acceptable gift.best way to take wine labels off 2 It isn’t wrong to buy a cheap bottle. It is however inexplicably rude to pick up just any bottle for the sake of not turning up empty-handed. Wines, or spirits for that matter, are like perfume; everyone has a personal taste. Only two forms of gifting are thus acceptable: giving a bottle that you know your acquaintance already knows and loves, or, gifting a product that is close to your heart and you wish to share this joy by way of extending to your friend a chance to try it. 3 Always try and include a personal note about why you bought it, perhaps where and most importantly what made you think it would be a good gift for the person.

You can leave out the ‘how much’ bit. Unless it was into five digits: in which case, don’t just leave the price tag on, send the credit card receipt along as well. 4 Champagnes are always welcome, no matter the brand. However, in the absence of an unlimited fund to dip into, convey your generosity in the form of other sparkling wines. Notches down in price but not in quality are our local variants like Chandon, Zampa Soirée and Fratelli. 5 When gifting spirits, be more prudent as to which are safe to play. If the person is into single malt but you wish to surprise him, Tequila Blanco may not cut it; aim for an Anejo. 6 If you must gift single malt, try and research a bit into what the person likes and then try finding something else that is stylistically similar. Don’t gift Islay to a Lowland lover, if you get the jargon. 7 Vodka lovers are perhaps the easiest to please, just get something that comes in an odd-shaped bottle and claims to be distilled a gazillion times.

8 For Cognac lovers, Armagnac can be a good sidestep. That said, prized brandy from any famous winery, (or Grappa from Italy) can also be worthy choices. 9 If beer be the beverage of choice, the options on our shelves are reasonably extensive. ‘‘Don’t gift local brands” seems to be the only caveat, unless you are sponsoring an entire evening’s worth. Amongst foreign brands now being made in India, Peroni, Heineken, and Tuborg stand out. 10 Lastly, don’t gift-wrap bottles unnecessarily: multinational brands didn’t spend a significant chunk of their budgets on label design to have it wrapped up in some shiny paper with your grubby paws. Just put a delicate ribbon around the neck, possibly with a neck tag. So now, you can be sure to be invited for all the events. But before you strain your arm from patting yourself in the back too much, there could be another reason apart from your refined taste in the bottles you gift why everyone wants you over: maybe because you are horrible at cards.