Top spirits launches from December 2025
December saw spirits brands take full advantage of the holidays with Christmas and Chinese New Year-themed releases, while Midleton Distillery celebrated its 200th anniversary accordingly.
As January trudges on, December feels a bit like a distant memory now.
However, we haven’t forgotten the month’s latest drop of new spirits.
From a canned Irish Coffee to a gin made for a rugby team, the debut of a luxury vodka and a Christmas whisky, there was plenty of newness for drinks fans to get stuck into.
For a full list of new spirits that hit the market in December, read on below.
After more new spirits? See what arrived on shelves in October and November.
Cygnet swans into alcohol-free space
Welsh gin brand Cygnet launched Infinity, a botanical ‘spirit’ made with Manuka honey, lion’s mane, Siberian ginseng, and schisandra.
Cygnet Infinity marks the brand’s move into the non-alcoholic category. It is intended to be a unique alcohol-free alternative rather than an imitation of traditional gins. It was produced through a distillation process that uses the same 22 botanicals that are found in Cygnet’s signature recipe.
Katherine Jenkins OBE, founder of Cygnet Gin, said: “With Cygnet Infinity, we wanted to create more than just an alternative – a spirit that carries the same elegance, depth, and authenticity as Cygnet 22, but crafted with innovative botanicals like lion’s mane, Siberian ginseng, and schisandra.”
Cygnet Infinity is available for £32 (US$43).
Hennessy saddles up for Year of the Horse
LVMH-owned Hennessy Cognac unveiled a collection of limited edition designs to mark the arrival of the Year of the Horse.
Hennessy’s VSOP, James Hennessy, Hennessy XO, and Hennessy Paradis expressions feature a limited edition design, with each bottle adorned with a ‘dynamic interpretation’ of the horse, the 2026 Chinese zodiac animal.
Vincent Montalescot, chief marketing officer at Hennessy, said the Year of the Horse “symbolises freedom, new perspectives, and forward momentum – values that speak deeply to our own story. Through this collection, we honour over 160 years of shared history with China, and celebrate the cultural energy that continues to inspire us.”
Midleton wraps up its 200th anniversary with new release
Irish Distillers-owned Midleton Distillery released a limited edition 28-year-old single pot still whiskey to round off its 200th- anniversary celebrations.
Midleton Very Rare 200th Anniversary Edition is limited to 636 bottles and has an ABV of 54.7%. It draws from five select casks, including the use of mizunara oak for the first time in a Midleton Very Rare whiskey. The Japanese oak brings notes of sandalwood and fresh wood spices to the whiskey’s profile.
The Old Midleton Distillery was founded in 1825 in County Cork, Ireland. The distillery-exclusive 200th anniversary whiskey is priced at RRP €1,500 (US$1,760).
Paul John celebrates festive period with Christmas whisky
Indian single malt brand Paul John launched the eighth edition of its annual Christmas whisky, which was also the oldest liquid its Goa distillery has released to date.
The 2025 Christmas Edition was aged for a total of eight years – first for five years in exBourbon casks, followed by two in Sherry cream casks that featured a blend of oloroso and PX, before the two finishes were vatted together for one final year. The whisky’s notes included festive flavours of stone fruits and butterscotch, and a long finish reminiscent of Christmas cake.
The brand released 6,526 bottles of the 2025 Christmas Edition globally. It is 48% ABV and retails for £65 (US$85).
Witchmark crafts gin for Bath Rugby
Wiltshire distillery Witchmark developed a limited edition gin for the Bath Rugby team.
The distillery has a multi-year partnership with the rugby union club, and is located just 30 miles from the Recreation Ground where the club plays. Jon Carson, co-founder and commercial director of Witchmark Distillery, said: “This is our first collaboration, and it’s a special one. This is a meaningful partnership with a club that shares our values of excellence and local pride, especially with our distillery just down the road from The Rec.”
The gin is made from a blend of botanicals including juniper, orange zest, cinnamon, cubeb, bay leaf and coriander. It has an ABV of 40% and is available for £43 (US$57) from Bath Rugby’s retail channels. “This gin is a classic example of a London Dry,” added Carson.
Zarova makes flashy debut
A luxury vodka brand called Zarova made its debut with three inaugural expressions.
The brand is aimed at the high-end market, and is available in elite private clubs, luxury hotels, and on high-end digital platforms. Its debut offering features three vodkas made with different ingredients. Black Bottle is made from American corn, Blue Bottle is crafted from 100% Blue agave from Jalisco, and White Bottle is distilled from ‘Champagne grapes’ from France.
Each expression has an RRP of US$99, with availability in limited quantities.
Evergreen keeps Cotswolds and Highgrove partnership fresh
England’s Cotswolds Distillery has launched Highgrove Evergreen, a single malt whisky created using Plumage Archer barley from King Charles III’s Highgrove Estate.
The whisky is now part of the distillery’s permanent range. It is matured in Bourbon casks and STR (shaved, toasted, recharred) red wine casks, and bottled at 64% ABV. Highgrove Evergreen’s notes include orchard fruit, honeyed malt, and warm spices.
It is presented in a gift box illustrated with a reproduction of a watercolour painted by King Charles III, titled A View from the Wildflower Meadow. It is priced at £100 (US$131).
Mekong Dangerous is one to watch out for
Wild East Liquor has launched Mekong Dangerous, an absinthe-based coffee spirit.
The spirit is distilled with absinthe then cold-brewed with Robusta coffee from the Vietnamese highlands for several days. It also features additional spices from the Mekong region in Southeast Asia, with a profile described as “wild and intensely spiced”. Absinthe’s history in Southeast Asia dates back to when the French introduced it to Indochina during their colonial rule, after which Wild East Liquor noted Vietnamese distillers then perfected the recipe.
Mekong Dangerous is bottled at 35% ABV, and has an RRP between €19 and €25 (US$22-US$29) per 700ml jerrycan. It is available in 700ml jerrycans, 20-litre jerrycans, and 200-litre barrels. Its distribution roll out includes Vietnam, Cambodia, Germany, Switzerland, the Baltics and Uganda.
Desolas Mezcal stands out with single barrel añejo series
Mezcal brand Desolas has launched a single-barrel añejo series.
The series features mezcal made from Salmiana agave sourced from San Luis Potos and aged for 31 months in two ex-Bourbon barrels. The first release has yielded two bottlings, one from a barrel named Golden Horizon placed at the top of the ageing facility, and the other from a barrel called Ember Sol that was placed at the bottom of the warehouse. Golden Horizon yielded 230 bottles, while Ember Sol yielded 206 bottles.
Desolas Single Barrel Añejo is presented in a black and white ceramic bottle, and retails for US$199.99. Each bottle is hand-numbered, and indicates which barrel the bottle is from.
Cobblestone Brands brews up canned RTD Irish Coffee
Dublin-based Cobblestone Brands has released a canned cold-brewed Irish Coffee, called Irished Up.
Billed as the ‘world’s first’ cold brew Irish Coffee in a can, Irish Up is made from Colombian coffee beans that have been roasted, coldbrewed, and slowly married with small batch Irish single malt whiskey. It has also been infused with nitrogen to give the cocktail its classic creamy head when poured into a glass.
Cobblestone Brands CEO Brian Fagan said: “Irished Up gives us a product with real authenticity and a story that people instantly connect with. We’re bringing together craft coffee, real Irish single malt whiskey, and a modern, convenient format.”
Irished Up cans are presented in a 200ml format with an ABV of 12.5%.
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