When it comes to gift giving alcohol is often seen one of the best options – but with so many different varieties out there it is easy to miss the mark with your chosen drop.
Now experts have revealed the little-known rules around spoiling friends and loved ones with alcohol – including how much you should spend and when only something ‘limited edition’ or terribly expensive will do.
Jeremy Allan the Brand Director of Bevmart has revealed the dizzying range of alcohol available on the market makes it easy to make mistakes when it comes to choosing a drop for your boss, friends or loved ones.
When it comes to gift giving alcohol is often seen as the best and easiest choice – but with so many options out there it is easy to miss the mark with your chosen drop
The expert says there are some rules of thumb he always likes to follow when buying alcohol, whether it be to thank a generous dinner party host or to help a friend celebrate an important milestone.
Knowing your recipient is important, Jeremy explained, and buying for your boss is completely different to buying something for a friend.
Research is also important, according to the booze expert, because buying a bottle of something you know nothing about is the easiest way to accidentally end up with a low-quality gift.
‘Some tipples are harder to assess than others and can be deceptive i.e. fancy bottle does not equal nice taste.’
Jeremy said nice labels and alcohol with glassware are a nice touch.
The expert also went into detail about buying alcohol as gifts for birthdays, dinner parties, your boss and celebrations like Christmas.
Dinner Parties
‘When you go to anyone’s house for dinner, don’t take a bottle that you expect to drink that night, take them something they can tuck away and enjoy on their own time,’ Jeremy said.
‘It shouldn’t be lavish or ostentatious, a nice bottle of red wine or pre-batched bottled cocktails are always good options.’
He explained that most people enjoy a glass of pinot or an espresso martini, making the versatile drinks easy go-to gifts.
‘When you go to anyone’s house for dinner, don’t take a bottle that you expect to drink that night, take them something they can tuck away and enjoy on their own time,’ Jeremy said
Your Boss
‘Buying a gift for your boss comes down to tact: can you choose something that doesn’t feel like a**-kissery, but is still kind of a**-kissery? It’s a fine line to walk between outright bribe and thoughtful present,’ he said.
Jeremy warned against buying something cheap and sending a negative message but said spending too much money would also raise red flags.
‘Opt for an elegant bottle of wine or a premium spirit, added points if it comes with glassware,’ he said.
Birthday Presents
Friends can be notoriously difficult to shop for. There’s the friend who’s already bought themselves everything. The friend with mercurial tastes. The friend who insists that ‘believe me, I’m happy with nothing at all’, as if that’s a viable option,’ Jeremy said.
‘So – the first step is to obviously assess what the birthday celebrant likes, then look for a new, interesting, or limited-edition version to make it special.’
Adding something extra can make your gift more memorable, Jeremy said a nice set of monogrammed glasses is guaranteed to win the recipient over.
‘It’s additional work, but will earn you brownie points, which you may or may not cash in later.’
He also explained that ‘matching’ what the recipient might spend on you is a good rule of thumb
Weddings & Anniversaries
Jeremy explained these events can be the most difficult because ‘no one wants to put a price on love’.
‘There’s only so much a person can reasonably tender. It’s a sliding scale based on what you can give and how close you are to the couple, you should also consider what the couple have spent on you and try to match them,’ he said.
He offered vintage sparkling wine and champagne as the gold standard of gifting alcohol for weddings and anniversaries.
‘If you want to impress the recipient, find a bottle that matches the year significant to their celebration,’ he said.
Christmas Time
‘It’s a nightmare of parties, events and of course, the obligatory presents. Yes, the festive season is about giving not receiving,’ he said.
Jeremy said ‘seasonal’ alcohol is best for Christmas time and food pairings should always be considered.
‘Christmas in Australia is best celebrated with lighter, more refreshing choices. Fortunately, you need not break the bank here – mid-priced and value are still fine but avoid buying run-of-the-mill and common brands,’ he said.