The best gifts for whisky lovers

If you are looking for a different whisky to give as a gift, then something that's been distilled in England is certainly it. This Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt Whisky has been taste tested by ShortList and is a great-tasting spirit. There's a real smoothness to the taste, with honey and vanilla notes. This is truly a product of its region, using locally sourced water and barley from the Cotswolds.

Now, we would just recommend the Dewar’s 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky for taste alone. Neat if offers a rich butterscotch taste, with a smoky peach finish. But, this is also an essential whisky for a Christmas cocktail treat. Recently, to celebrate the launch of the bottle, Ollie Sagerstrom Blom, bartender at Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green, created a cocktail for the whisky.

Called The Ancestor, it's a spin on an Highball and a joy of a drink, and this is how you make the simplified version of it:

Ingredients

• 40 ml DEWAR’S 12-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky
• 10 ml pear liqueur
• 15 ml Stones Ginger Wine®
• 15 ml maple syrup
• 5 ml lemon juice
• Soda water (to top)
• Orange twist (for garnish)

Directions

• Build all ingredients in a Highball glass and fill with ice
• Add soda water and gently stir to combine
• Garnish with an orange twist

This superb gift set offers five 3cl samples of some of the world's best whiskies. You'll get drams from France, Sweden, India, Australia and Denmark in the set which is a fantastic way to widen any whisky fan's palate - especially if they usually stick to Scottish, Irish and American varieties.

Well, if this doesn't scream Christmas then we don't know what does. Bourbon Bourbon - Candy Cane is one for those with a sweet tooth. Now, it's not named Bourbon twice because of a mistake, it's because it has been made from whiskey and bourbon biscuits. Kentucky bourbon to be precise, as well as dark chocolate, vanilla, and peppermint, actual bourbon biscuits and real candy canes.

There's a buttery taste on the finish, coupled with hints of peppermint leaf.

Nope, we wouldn't usually put seaweed into our Christmas tipple either but it really works in this whisky. What is on the bottle is what you get: Seaweed & Maple Syrup & Butterscotch & Christmas Cake Whisky is a mixture of all these flavours, culminating in a taste that mixes Scottish tablet, booze-soaked raisins and subtle smoke. Incredible stuff.

We are big fans of Smokehead, a modern twist on Islay whiskies. There's now quite the Smokehead range but our pick is the punchy Unfiltered. Dark chocolate, black smoke and ash-flecked almonds all mix to create a smooth and smokey assault on the senses. This one is perfect for those who crave a peaty dram.

You can't go wrong with getting the whisky lover in you life the official 'whiskey of the year' as chosen by judges at The Whiskey Exchange. This 18 year old has a lovely balance of salt, smoke and fruit - offering a light peatiness that never overshadows the complex taste mix. Lovely stuff.

This collaboration ticks EVERY box for us. Ballantine's x Flying Goose is a hot sauce that's been created in collaboration with Rza from the Wu-tang Clan. The rapper brought the whiskey distiller and original sriracha chilli sauce maker together to "break the mould of what incredible flavour should taste like". We've tasted it and it's a delicious spicy treat that has nods to Ballantine's ripe pear and creamy caramel notes, mixed up with a whole lot of heat.

Wolfie's Whisky is a dram that's been created by singer Rod Stewart, in collaboration with whisky legend Duncan Frew. They met at a Celtic game, naturally, and Wolfie's was born. It's a blended whisky with lots of rock'n'roll charm, offering up vanilla and apple notes. This new Christmas Edition is a perfect present for any whisky - and music - fan.

There's no better time to become a member of the The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Not only do you get exclusive access to whisky events, tastings and members-only bar access at venues across the UK, the club membership offers monthly Outturns of around 20 new single cask, single malt bottlings — as well as a bottle tailored to the taste of the person signing up for membership.