Holiday Gift Guide for the Wine and Spirits Lover
Clockwise from top left: ceramic flask at Oliver Men's shop, mason jar shaker at Roberta Oaks, Kō Hana rum, Rebecca Beach wine totes
Looking for gifts that make the holidays especially merry and bright? We rounded up some of the best wine- and spirit-related gifts on the island.
A Stylish Flask
For your adventurous imbiber, Oliver Men’s Shop stocks a gorgeous ceramic flask ($92) from Misc. Goods Co., which comes with leather accents and artful embossing.
Available at Oliver Men’s Shop, 49 Kihapai Street, Kailua, 261-6587, oliverhawaii.com
Sparkling Wine
A bottle of sparkling wine is always welcome. Go beyond the familiar big labels with a grower Champagne (sparkling wine made by the vineyard owner), such as Aubry Champagne Brut NV ($50) or a Paul Bara Champagne Brut Réserve Grand Cru ($70).
Available at HASR Wine Co., 31 N. Pauahi St., 535-9463, hasrwineco.com
An Educational Class
Madre Chocolate’s roster of events includes a regular whiskey-and-chocolate pairing class ($40) that’s both fun and educational.
Madre Chocolate, 20 Kainehe St., Kailua, madrechocolate.com
A Statement Shaker
Roberta Oaks may be more well-known for stylish slim fit aloha wear and bright retro prints, but the cute Chinatown shop also carries a small selection of barware, including flasks, vintage cocktail books and make-your-own gin kits. The mason jar shaker ($33), from Brooklyn’s W & P Designs, has both function and of-the-moment form.
Available at Roberta Oaks Hawai‘i, 19 N. Pauahi St., 526-1111, robertaoaks.com
Local Rum
Manulele Distillers produces high-quality agricole-style rum from single varieties of native sugar cane ($33 for 375 ml) and also white rum for mixing ($30). Schedule a tour of the Kunia distillery and pick up bottles for all the rum-lovers on your list.
Kohanarum.com, bottles available at the distillery
A Cute Wine Tote
It’s rare, for sure, but sometimes the wrapping for a present is more important than what’s inside. Case in point: reusuable “Aloha” wine totes made from recycled sailcloth ($45), found at Rebecca Beach.
Rebecca Beach, multiple locations, 739 8862, rebeccabeach.com
A Recipe for Fun
Instead of splurging on one high-end bottle of liquor, consider wrapping up all the ingredients for one cocktail. Write the recipe on the gift card and see if you can’t keep the holiday celebration going after the wrapping paper comes off. Don’t have one in mind? Try the Boulevardier (1 1/2 ounces rye or bourbon, 1 ounce Campari, 1 ounce sweet vermouth; stir with ice in a mixing glass, strain into a coupe, garnish with a lemon twist), a lesser-known cousin to the trendy Negroni. The Liquor Collection at Ward stocks Sazerac Rye ($45), Campari ($38) and Vya Sweet Vermouth ($28) for a one-stop shopping trip.
Liquor Collection, 1050 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 1200, 524-8808, liquorcollection.com
Striking Glassware
True story: a good glass can elevate almost any drink. Fishcake’s rotating pop-up shop inventory occasionally includes vintage glassware, but the design shop also carries a selection of cocktail-worthy glasses from Sugahara, a renowned Japanese producer. We like the subtle distinctiveness of the hopnail tumblers ($38).
Available at Fishcake, 307c Kamani St., fishcake.us
