From coloured Italian glass and painted ceramic to embossed patterns, drinks brands go the extra mile to help their precious spirits stand out on an increasingly crowded booze aisle.
When you can’t try before you buy bottles of gin, rum, whisky, vodka, tequila and more, the bottles help to convey their story and flavour, so it’s essential to get them just right.
Like flacons of fragrance, the bottles that house celebrated spirits are becoming coveted additions in home bars everywhere. Some are so beautifully crafted that it seems a shame to bin the bottles once the last drops have been sipped.
Here are some ways to give your empties new life:
- Liquid soap and lotion dispensers: Wash the bottle thoroughly (these brushes from Amazon are great for all sizes) before decanting your favourite washing-up liquid/hand soap/body lotion or moisturiser into it. Add a pump dispenser, and you’re good to go!
- Tapered candle holder: Simply wedge a tapered candle into the top of a clean bottle, et voila! Ambient lighting for next to nothing.
- Centrepieces: Never again be embarrassed by the clink-clank of your bottles when taking out the bins. Simply wash, remove labels, and top with candles or small bunches of your favourite flowers and cluster them the next time you host a party.
- Garden lighting: Thread through a strand of battery-operated fairy lights and secure the battery pack with duct tape for a chic garden or camping lamp.
- Flower vases: Invest in a glass bottle cutter kit to carefully slice off the neck of the bottle (remember safety first folks), opening up and sanding down the neck so you can display fresh or faux blooms safely.
- Food storage: Tip rice, spaghetti or pasta into clean glass bottles with wider spouts, ready to use for your next meal.
- Sustainable water bottle: after washing screw-top bottles thoroughly, peel away labels and fill them from the tap to sit on your bedside table, reading nook or on a living room side table to top up your daily recommended allowance. With the right fixture, they could house oil and vinegar too.
But, as you should never judge a book by its cover, it’s also unwise to pick a bottle of booze solely on aesthetics alone.
So, we’ve rounded up some of the best-looking bottles which encase some of the most drinkable gins around to ensure you’re getting the best of both.
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Clase Azul Reposado tequila 700ml
Long gone are the days of tequila with a worm at the bottom of the bottle or a cap shaped like a sombrero.
Modern iterations of the Mexican spirit are designed to be sipped and savoured, not chased with a wedge of lime. With tequila reigning supreme as the current darling of the drinks world, use this as your excuse to try something really special.
From artisan producer Clase Azul comes this white and blue ceramic decanter, its beauty rivalled only by the liquid within. Smooth and full-bodied, the spirit, made from pure weber blue agave, slips easily down the throat, imparting undertones of vanilla and toffee caramel along the way.
We had no idea that tequila could be this good. A triumph.
Buy now £250.00, Harvey Nichols
Rey Sol Tequila
Tequila producers tend to have far more fun with their bottles than makers of other spirits. From decorated decanters to sculptural vessels, there’s plenty to love long after the last drops have gone.
Rey Sol offers its añejo in a sun-themed bottle that is bound to be the star of your next drinks or dinner party. The design comes dressed for special occasions with a moustache and bow tie.
Inside, you’ll find a silky offering made from agave that’s at least 7 years old before being harvested. The smooth pour, humming with almond and caramel notes, gives way to sweet and spiced flavours for a memorable pour that you will relish with every sip.
Buy now £194.82, Master of Malt
Komos Extra Anejo 700ml
Made from agave plants harvested in Jalisco, Mexico, this elegant ceramic bottle makes an impression from the off. It takes inspiration from across the Atlantic to the Med, with an ageing process that involves a three-year stint in French oak white wine casks as well as American oak whisky barrels. Both leave their mark on the mature anejo serve; expect vanilla and caramel flavours lifted with refreshing orange peel. Delightful.
Buy now £550.00, Selfridges
Bombay Sapphire
Any self-respecting gin aficionado has sipped a G&T mixed with the iconic Bombay Sapphire. Named after an actual ‘Star of Bombay’ gemstone mined in Sri Lanka, it's instantly distinguishable in any bar thanks to the striking blue glass bottle which, when the light hits it just right, makes it seem like the gin within is glowing.
Inside, the spirit is made using the same 1761 recipe that made it world-famous. Expect notes of lively citrus, juniper and a slightly peppery finish. It will shine in a gin martini, a gin cocktail or simply mixed with tonic and a wedge of fresh-cut lemon over ice.
Carefully cut and sanded, it would make an elegant home for your next bouquet.
Buy now £17.10, Amazon
Ukiyo Japanese Blossom Gin
Blended from carefully sourced sakura blossom and native botanicals, Ukiyo is a floral and flavoursome gin distilled with a traditional Japanese rice spirit. It is full of gentle, elegant flavour and as a bonus, the bottle looks pretty amazing on shelves and drinks trolleys too. Stir into a tonic or soda with ice and a slice.
There is also a yuzu, juniper and coriander version available.
Buy now £31.00, Amazon
Tiempo Tequila
Now here’s a bottle to behold. Tiempo has launched its first small batch of Reposado Cristalino Tequila in the UK, and it’s serious cause for celebration. Each of the 1,320 limited edition bottles holds 2,555 days of work and patience.
It’s made from mature blue weber agave, grown and harvested in the Altos and Valley regions of Jalisco, the birthplace of tequila before being aged in American white oak whisky barrels for a year. Master Distiller Augustin Sanchez Rodriguez helped craft additive-free spirits with no chemicals used in the making process - expect notes of vanilla and caramel balanced by citrus and pepper, all with that white oak in the background.
Buy now £49.94, Master of Malt
Roku Japanese Gin
If there's one shape that's underused in décor, it's a hexagon. However, the chic shape has been recruited by Japanese brand Suntory to house its Roku Gin.
Meaning ‘the number six’ in Japanese, Roku is infused with native botanicals for fresh and clean aromas with flavours of floral cherry blossom and earthy green tea.
Once you remove the label and bottle cap, you'll see the transparent glass is patterned with the six Japanese botanicals that go into making the liquid, such as sakura and yuzu.
Buy now £30.50, Amazon
Mermaid Gin
Encased in blue-tinted Venetian glass, the Isle of Wight distillery’s Mermaid Gin always goes down well for special occasions.
It’s a versatile spirit, working just as well in a classic G&T as it will in a Gingerbread Martini, in tune with the season. As well as the classic, there’s a pink Mermaid Gin (£38) that’s flavoured with juicy IoW strawberries and Mermaid Zest (£38), infused with locally foraged coastal rosemary.
Buy now £38.00, John Lewis
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Made from hand-picked elderflowers – 1,000 inside every bottle, incidentally – St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is a staple at any spritz station with notes of tropical fruits, citrus, honeysuckle and pear. Its Art Deco-style bottle is truly iconic behind any bar. Try it with sparkling wine and soda for the best results.
Buy now £28.00, Amazon
Absolut Elyx Single Estate Copper Crafted Luxury Vodka
Here’s another luxury vodka to have and to hold. Hailing from Sweden, Absolut Elyx is distilled in a vintage copper still and bottled in fetching rose gold packaging that’s bound to turn heads on any drinks trolley. The award-winning spirit tastes sublime with creamy notes of macadamia, white chocolate and freshly baked bread.
Buy now £34.89, Amazon
Manchester Raspberry Infused Gin 50cl
Infused with notes of juicy raspberry, this gin is as delightful as the vessel it comes in. If you’re adept with a glass cutter, slice off the top to make cool glasses or hurricane lanterns to show off on social media.
Buy now £32.99, Amazon
The Lakes Classic English Gin, 70cl
Offering a deliciously Bridgerton aesthetic, this stunning bottle of gin made in the Lake District is the definition of elegance. The classic gin is 46 per cent ABV and features notes of juniper, cracked black pepper and orange peel - try a citrus garnish to set this off beautifully.
Sweet-favouring palates might enjoy the blush-coloured Grapefruit version instead.
Buy now £36.50, John Lewis
Maestro Dobel Diamante 40 Percent Tequila, 70cl
Infused with notes of grapefruit and pomegranate, this elegant tequila is made from blue agave that grows in the shadow of Tequila Volcano in Jalisco. The leaves are plucked after a minimum of eight years so it really is a labour of love. The result is worth it - a tasty spirit that’s perfect served neat or in a cocktail.
As for the bottle, the tall design is perfect for reusing as a water bottle once you’re finished with the hard stuff. Alternatively, thread fairy lights into the empty bottle and allow the illumination to glint through the glass for mood lighting that won’t cost the earth.
Buy now £58.64, Amazon
BLOOM Jasmine and Rose Pink Gin
This delicate pink gin is delivered in an equally lovely bottle decorated with the same botanical and floral extracts that you'll taste in the spirit. It’s quite a tall bottle, so will work well supporting tapered candles as well as a few delicate flower stems.
Buy now £24.88, Amazon
X Muse Scottish Barley Vodka 700ml
In the same longitudinal neck of the woods as our Scandi friends, Scotland is well-placed to produce knockout vodka. In X Muse, it has.
Made from heritage barley, the vodka is crafted using Scotland’s well-established spirit-making techniques adding pure water to create a deeply delicious tipple with a luscious mouthfeel. There’s a dessert-like flavour here too with cooked apples taking centre stage.
Buy now £59.95, Amazon
Tanqueray No. TEN Gin
From famous gin brand Tanqueray comes this award-winning No. TEN expression, thrumming with the vibrancy of a citrus heart. The 4x distilled spirit is suitably housed in a pale green bottle with a pretty rose gold twist lid with enough style points to live on long after the final drops have left it. A delight to have and hold.
Buy now £27.00, Amazon
Renais gin
Star power: Emma Watson
She may be best known for playing the super-smart witch from Hogwarts, but it turns out actress Emma Watson can spin gin-based alchemy in the muggle world too. Along with her brother Alex, the duo have crafted the latest celebrity gin on the block, and it’s called Renais gin.
Made from grape skin waste from the family's vineyard, Domaine Watson, in Chablis, France, the luxurious serve is brimming with clean mineral and citrus notes as well as botanicals and juniper. Admire the bottle on your drinks trolley and crack it out for end-of-week martinis or sloshed in a celebration cocktail.
Buy now £43.99, House of Malt
Desi Daru No.2 Mango Vodka
Using the Hindi word for booze (daru), this fun vodka has been made with a blend of English and Indian ingredients, making it fitting for celebrating both nations.
It's spiked with Indian Alphonso mangoes, widely considered the best variety, for a delicious spirit that's very hard to resist.
The attractive orange-yellow ombre glass and tall shape make a striking impression - one you’ll want to keep around long after the final drops have been eked out.
Buy now £39.00, Amazon
KAH Tequila Reposado, 70cl
Now, we haven’t slung this into our list solely due to the packaging - but it doesn’t hurt. Stunning inside and out, KAH Tequila Reposado goes through an 11-month ageing process once distilled. Time, patience and care results in a smooth 40 per cent ABV spirit with notes of chocolate, caramel, oak and spices. When it tastes this good, why on earth would you put it in a shot glass?
Buy now £47.75, The Whisky Exchange
Crystal Head vodka
From Ghostbusters writer and actor Dan Aykroyd, this distinctive bottle of vodka came to market in 2008. Intended to represent life, it’s one of the most premium vodkas around, with different bottle colours - including a rainbow-splattered one for Pride - making them collector’s items. The latest launch is presented in an incandescent bone-coloured skull, making them perfect for grown-up Halloween bashes.
The spirit is among the purest you’ll find, going through a quadruple distillation process and seven times filtration and made with Newfoundland water.
Buy now £57.50, Fortnums
