Top 10 Christmas spirits launches

As Christmas approaches, spirits brands are tapping into consumers’ thirst for both novelty and luxury packaging, as our top 10 Christmas spirits launches show.

Our pick of the top 10 Christmas spirits launches includes everything from crystal Martini kits, to custom-made whisky labels

During the festive period, consumers the world over are increasing their gifting spend in order to please the ones they love – prompting spirits producers to up their games in terms of packaging, exclusivity and gimmickry.

In particular, as recent research conducted by Pernod Ricard discovered, this Christmas will see a surge in consumer demand for larger, more expensive and luxurious spirits gift packs.

The drinks company found that premium spirits accounted for 40% of all spirits sales over the Christmas period, meaning the battle of the spirits brands has intensified over recent years, with mainstream and premium spirits each striving to turn heads.

While premium and super-premium brands attempt to attract shoppers with increasingly more luxurious and ostentatious offerings, mainstream brands look to gimmicks to compensate for a lack of prestige.

Our list therefore includes everything from crystal Martini kits and diamond embossed hip flasks, to custom-made whisky labels and woolly hat cups.

Click through the following pages to see our pick of the top 10 Christmas spirits launches.

Think we’ve missed an essential choice? Let us know by leaving a comment below.  

Glenfiddich

William Grant’s Glenfiddich Scotch whisky has launched a series of three gift tins wrapped in faux leather in a bid to attract Christmas shoppers.

The collection, available until the end of January, consists of a 15 Year Old, 12 Year Old and Rich Oak expression which retail for £38.59, £34.59, and £36.99 respectively.

Senior brand manager for Glenfiddich Sarah Harding said: “These tins provide a real element of added value to the consumer and we hope to entice them with premium packaging.”

Courvoisier Here’s to Now

As part of its Here’s to Now marketing campaign, Beam has given its Courvoisier Cognac a luxury gift re-packaging in the run up to Christmas.

In an attempt to attract a younger market and “challenge conventions in the Cognac category”, Courvoisier’s new premium boxes, which are accompanied by a free “modernised” Cognac glass, are described as more “eye-catching” and “bold” than previous packaging.

Chris Anderson, marketing controller for luxury brands at Courvoisier’s distributor Maxxium, said: “Timed perfectly to coincide with the festive season, the striking packs provide an ideal gifting opportunity that will benefit Courvoisier while supporting our customers at a time when impulse purchases are instrumental.”

Berkeley Square London Dry Gin and Bloom Gin

Produced by Quintessential Brands, both the Berkeley Square London Dry Gin and Bloom Gin gift packs provide customers with extra gifts.

The Berkeley gift pack, which carries an RRP of £55, includes one 70cl bottle of gin and two Art Deco inspired glasses from Royal Doulton.

The Bloom gift set, which carries an RRP of £49.50, also includes one bottle of gin plus a scented candle inspired by the botanicals found in Bloom Gin.

Hendrick’s

Hendrick’s has released a limited edition hip flask made by fine jewellery designer Hannah Martin as part of its gift set made exclusively available to luxury London retailer Harrods.

The diamond-embossed glass hip flask is accompanied by a handmade leather travelling bag and bespoke silk and cashmere scarf made by Scottish tailors Walker Slater.

Targeted towards high-end spenders, only 50 gift sets are available at an RRP of £795.

Southern Comfort

As part of its “Whatever’s Comfortable” campaign to increase on-trade sales over the Christmas holiday, Southern Comfort has launched a limited edition woolly hat drinking vessel.

Designed to encourage drinkers to trade up from standard drinks choices, it is hoped consumers will enjoy Southern Comfort’s signature serves in the woolly hat glass wear.

Chosen outlets will also be offered branded bar tool kits to create the signature serves which include bar mats, optics, cocktail shakers, serving trays and ice buckets.

Grey Goose Martini kit

In partnership with French crystal-makers Baccarat, Grey Goose has created just 25 luxury Martini kits to entice big spenders over the holiday season.

The classic Martini set contains a branded aluminum case, two Baccarat Vega branded martini glasses, two Grey Goose olive picks, one Cocktail Kingdom Hoffman Bar Spoon, one Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Jigger, one Cocktail Kingdom AH Hawthorne strainer and one stainless steel mixing cup.

The kits were available for just one week in December at an RRP of US$475 from US luxury lifestyle retailer Gilt City.

Kilchoman Machir Bay

Independent Islay whisky Kilchoman has launched a Christmas gift pack targeted towards whisky enthusiasts and novices alike.

The pack contains one bottle of award-winning 46%abv Kilchoman Machir Bay whisky and two tasting glasses presented in a blue gift box.

The Machir Bay gift set carries an RRP of £48 and is directly available from the Kilchoman distillery.

Grey Goose

Offering a second set of luxury gift packs on our list is Grey Goose vodka, which targets holiday jet setters with two travel retail exclusives.

Described as bottles which “raise the bar on the quality of gifting in the category”, both editions attempt to catch the consumer’s eye with unusual and bold designs.

The Grey Goose Night Vision decanter (pictured left), which lights up with LED lights and is accompanied by a bottled of Grey Goose vodka, retails for US$160, while the Grey Goose Chiller (pictured right), which is designed to keep bottles of Grey Goose “wonderfully cold”, retails for US$95.

The Famous Grouse

The Famous Grouse has launched a new campaign and design service which allows consumers to personalise their gifts.

Making use of the novelty factor, as opposed to luxury designs, the blended whisky has created a system by which consumers can create a unique bottle for their loved ones at Christmas.

After purchasing a bottle of 70cl The Famous Grouse Finest, consumers can log on to www.makesomeonefamous.com to create a personal label.

Ballantine’s

 

Ballantine’s has asserted its dominance over the festive whisky market with not one, but three separate Christmas launches.

The first is the brand’s annual festive launch – the Ballantine’s 2013 Christmas Reserve Limited Edition, which carries an RRP of £30.

The second is a gift pack for Ballantine’s 12 Year Old which is designed to look like a collection of antique books and is available in 28 markets around the world.

Finally, Ballantine’s has also unveiled a contemporary zip pack gift set which aims to appeal to a younger whisky market