Christmas is a day of feasting with its own logic and timing which means it’s quite OK if the first drink arrives a little earlier than usual.
Given what’s to come, it’s probably best if it’s not the strongest of the festive season. An excellent candidate for the pre-lunch aperitif is one of a new wave of gins made with hyper-concentrated flavour. Designed for mixing in lower quantities with tonic, giving the resulting G&T a lower ABV, Adnams Smidgin (£26.99. 20cl, Adnams) comes with its own copper spoon for measuring out the perfect tiny measure.
Smidgin works with a negroni, too, whether your choice of red bitter is classic Italian Campari or new alternatives from England (Doppelgänger Aperitivo; £19.94, masterofmalt.com) or America (Dr Hostetter’s American Bitter Liqueur; £28.75, thewhiskyexhange.com). Other experiments in distilling that might add something different to Christmas lunch are so-called “table spirits”, created specifically for dining. Audemus’s small production run Fractal is intriguing: in one of its iterations, it combines geranium eau de vie with cold-infused coffee. More readily available, Sollasa (£27.59, masterofmalt.com) is an aperitivo blend of orange zest, lime, lychee, mint, basil, coriander seeds, cardamom and salt devised to suit Indian food. Its exuberant floral spice and orange citrus aromas actually have something of Christmas about them, although I’d match it with spiced-up leftovers rather than the classic big day roast.
Spirits are responsible for at least one unequivocally delicious food pairing for the dining table. Is there a better partner for the richness of Christmas pudding than a dusky, smooth rum filled with dried fruit and nut flavours? Perhaps only cognac or armagnac have the same like with like matching potential. All three spirits are a better fit than almost any wine with the possible exception of the exceptionally sweet, raisiny syrup that is PX sherry.
Aged “brown” spirits are also among the best drinks to sip with the cheese course. Among my favourites are the Normandy apple brandy, calvados, perfect alongside a ripe camembert, a smoky Islay whisky with stilton, and a fruity, mellow cognac with hard cow’s cheeses that have a bit of age but retain some youthful fruitiness, such as 12-month-old comté, cantal, gruyere or vintage cheddar.
When the cheeseboard is gone there’s time for one more hedonistic delight: a small glass of smoky mezcal to accompany the milk chocolate of your choice as the day of feasting drifts into evening.
Six of the best spirits for Christmas Day
Aldi Chevalier Cognac VS
France (£16.99, Aldi)
A value-for-money standout in the Aldi wine and spirits range. Their VS cognac has a fruity charm, with cinnamon apple and apricot, dried fruit notes, vanilla oak plus a degree of smoothness you don’t always find in dark spirits at this price. Great with hard cheese and dark chocolate.
The Co-op Irresistible London Dry Gin
England (£17.95, The Co-op)
A versatile, all-round classic London dry gin at a great price, ideal for festive G&Ts or negronis. The Co-op’s Irresistible distillate lives up to its name thanks to a gentle but more-ish spiciness from botanicals including black pepper and cardamom.
Haymans Small Gin
England (from £18, 20cl, masterofmalt.com; Waitrose; ocado.com)
One of the new wave of intensely flavoured gins designed for mixing in smaller amounts (5ml, from the thimble that comes with it) while maintaining a full flavour. Haymans packs a fragrant punch thanks to its mix of botanicals including juniper, liquorice and angelica.
Henry de Querville Calvados
France (from £33.44, masterofmalt.com; thewhiskyexchange.com; talkingwines.co.uk; buttlers-winecellar.co.uk)
Aged for two years in barrel, this is a wonderfully refreshing and fruit-driven style of Calvados ideal for the cheese course. It’s also really good with a mince pie. Expect plenty of tangy, fresh and baked apple with a touch of almond nuttiness and an engagingly soft feel.
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum
Venezuela (from £37.75, thewhiskyexchange.com; Waitrose)
There’s something profoundly indulgent and luxuriously rich and decadent about the best old rums. This Venezuelan blend, aged for 12 years, offers one of the best ratios of pleasure per pound around: smooth and deep in its zesty-orange chocolate and treacly dark fruit flavour.
Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
Mexico (from £40.84, masterofmalt.com; thewhiskyexchange.com)
A wonderful introduction to the range of one of the pioneers of artisan mezcal. Twice distilled from organic agave, it has a lovely fresh citrus-and-stone-fruit flavour shot through with distinctive mezcal smokiness. Great for sipping, mixing or pairing with milk chocolate.
