Peter Morrell sips his way through the exquisite Manchester Gin Tasting Box

There may be a three weeks to go yet, but the countdown to Christmas is most definitely on! Whether you’re a super organised Christmas shopper or a last-minute shop dasher, here is some gift inspiration to suit even the most difficult to buy for friends and family.

Specialist liquor store and independent retailer Tipples of Manchester have announced their unique Christmas range, the perfect presents for drink enthusiasts and proud Mancunians.

A real hidden gem within the city, Tipples of Manchester is a haven filled with an eclectic mix of delicious drinks, from gin and vodka to whiskey and wine, which is proudly selected with expert knowledge and a great deal of care and attention. Not only do Tipples offer a ‘sip before you spend’ service to ensure you love what you’re buying, but the team even taste every single bottle themselves to ensure the best quality. Their gifts are sustainable too, everything is recyclable, so you know you can rest easy whilst enjoying your tipple.

Indie owners, Manchester lads, Greg Adams and Thomas Pedley opened the store on Lloyd Street in summer 2019, and have, since then been introducing the city to a wonderful range of specialist drinks and cocktail ingredients. Now, they’ve put together a unique range of gifting boxes for customers.

Certain to get you in the festive ‘spirit’, these gifts have been carefully curated to suit a range of tastes. Whether you’re buying for a Gin lover or an all-round spirit enthusiast, there is something for everyone.

I recently sampled the Tipples Tasting Selection of Manchester Gins, which sells for a very affordable £21. The line-up is exclusive to Tipples, and the gin-lovers dream, features five different flavours of award-winning Manchester Gin.

The Tasting Box arrives in an attractive sleeve, and is ready to tuck into a Christmas stocking or under the tree. Inside the box is a useful fact sheet, and tasting notes. The box contains five carefully packaged 3cl bottles of Manchester Gins – Signature, Hacienda, Raspberry, Blackberry, and Wild Spirit.

All the Manchester Gins feature locally hand foraged dandelion and burdock root, to reflect the heritage of the drink. To these botanicals others are added. I liked the Hacienda very much, with its refreshing twist of lemon and lime. The Wild Spirit gin will take you on a walk through the woods, with it’s fresh eucalyptus and herbal aromas. The Raspberry and Blackberry give you a wealth of fruity tones. Finally, the very deserved multi award winning Signature Gin is complex and powerful and offers orange, lemon, liquorice and ground almond, with a good dose of aromatic juniper. This is a real treat for a gin lover.

Other stand-out gifts for Christmas this year include:

The Tipples Tasting Selection Rockstar Rums, £21

Exclusive to Tipples. Accompanied by tasting notes, enjoy five stunning spiced Rockstar rums, as seen on a variety of well-known TV shows, including Dragons Den.

There are over 25 core tasting kits to choose from as well as an ever-changing selection of limited-edition gifts for the more discerning drinker. Each box includes five 30ml bottles of your chosen spirit, accompanied by tasting notes to enjoy with your tipple. All packaged in store with the option to add a personalised message.

A Christmas Tipple, £33

Introducing the return of Tipples’ own branded gin. This wintertime gin has been perfected over the years, created with cinnamon, ginger and bitter orange – it’s not to be ignored! An excellent gift for those partial to a gin & tonic or two. Suggested serve with ginger ale, as a cocktail, or enjoy it hot.

These delightful gifts can be purchased both in-store (on Lloyd Street, Manchester) and online, with next working day delivery available.

Visit www.tipplesmcr.co.uk to see their full product selection.

About Tipples of Manchester

Tipples of Manchester, pride themselves on their extensive gin selection (there’s over 100 to choose from!) They stock a wide range of all spirits, liqueurs, syrups and bitters, and they continually add new products to the selection.

Pop in and have a chat with Greg or Thomas, they’re always happy to guide you through their liquid library towards your perfect drink, you may even get a cheeky sample or two along the way!

Products can be purchased both online or instore.

Head over to www.tipplesmcr.co.uk