At long last, Ireland seems to be slowly waking up from it’s long and cold winter slumber. This lovely little patch of sunshine we’ve been enjoying will hopefully (please?!) turn into a savage summer for us all…fingers crossed anyway! The grand stretches in the evenings mean we can get back into some summery habits; who’s up for that first BBQ of the season for example? It also means we’re heading into the busiest season for weddings, which can be both an exciting and a daunting prospect if you have a lot of them to attend and a lot of gifts to buy!
We’ve all been there; some friends or family are tying the knot and you want to get them something special. They’re more than likely going to be well covered with new towel sets and microwaves, so what do you get? Well we have some gift ideas for those couples who enjoy a tipple!
Boozy hampers are becoming all the rage and can be the perfect gift for some newlyweds; once all the festivities have died down they can enjoy a toast together! We have a few suggestions below, from the gin lovers to the wine enthusiasts…
Gins
Nothing shouts summer drinks like a fresh gin & tonic! If you’re a regular reader here you’ll remember our blog on the Irish Gin Revolution where we touched on one of our favs, the Blackwater No. 5. This exquisite craft gin, distilled in Waterford, “balances the confident juniper notes of a traditional London Dry with bright coriander, warm cinnamon and zesty lemon.” Yum!
Another gin that we’re very partial to is the delightfully named Monkey 47. Originating from the Black Forest in Germany, 47 unique botanicals are used in the distilling process which is eventually bottled at 47%, hence the name! The gin features a gentle citrus taste with fine sweet and slightly peppery notes.
Also try: Thin Gin and Bathtub Gin.
Whiskeys
Are your soon-to-be-married friends more into their whiskey? We have some great ideas for them too! Our first recommendation is the recently released Teelings ‘The Revival’, a 15 year old Single Malt. Produced to celebrate the opening of their new distillery in Dublin, the whiskey is “matured exclusively in ex-Rum casks and bottled at 46% with no chill filtration creating a truly unique Irish whiskey taste experience.” Limited to only 10,000 bottles, this is the perfect way to mark a special day.
Unique to Ireland and one of the few single pot still Irish whiskeys produced today, the ever popular Green Spot is another great recommendation. To the nose it brings “fresh aromatic oils and spices with orchard fruits and barley on a background of toasted wood” and to the tongue, “a hint of cloves along with the fruity sweetness of green apples, rounded off with toasted oak.” Mitchell & Son also re-introduced the Yellow Spot in 2012, another single pot still whiskey which had last been bottled in the 1960s, which features “aromas of mown hay, cracked black pepper, nutmeg, clove oil and green tea.” Sure to please any whiskey fans!
Also try: the Midleton Range, including the Dair Ghaelach.
Wines
It’s probably fair to say your friends will have more than a couple of glasses of vino on their big day, but if they’re big wine fans they’ll always want to sample some more! And what’s more perfect than a personalised wine case from you? If you don’t already know what they like you may have to do some digging to discover their favourite flavours, but here’s a couple of popular wines from our range.
The Caballo Loco No. 16 is a charming Cabernet Sauvignon from the Curicó Valley in Chile. Each edition is unique and carries a release number, containing 50% of the previous edition and 50% of the current vintage. One of Ireland’s leading wine writers Raymond Blake describes the wine as such; “Dense blackcurrant nose with a green edge, soft texture and sweet fruit wrapped around a firm tannic core.” And trust us, he knows what he’s talking about!
Of course it wouldn’t be a complete wine case without a chardonnay, and we adore the Chablis 1er Cru Montmains. The Chablis Premier Cru wines are stylish and criminally underrated, with the better examples outclassing many a good village white Burgundy. The chardonnay features an “attractive pale gold colour and a highly complex nose with mineral notes and citrus aromas.” We guarantee the recipients of your wine case will be desperate to get back from the honeymoon to give these a swirl in the glass!
Also try: Ayni by Chakana, Two Tails Sauvignon Blanc. If you’re after some bubbles then the Sensi 18k Gold Prosecco and the Champagne Boizel Joyau de France 2000 Vintage are sure to please!
Hopefully that’s planted a few seeds in your mind to help you create a special present! Remember, you could easily couple these with some scrumptious foods to make it even better! These are just a few suggestions, so please do let us know if you plan on making your own beverage-filled hamper as we’d love to chat and exchange ideas. You can get in touch at info@jckenny.ie, on the phone at 091 794308 or through Facebook and Twitter!
Are you planning you own wedding and thinking about the wine for your big day? Then be sure to check out our page giving you a helpful tips on choosing your wine here.