Mangrove gets you ready for the Christmas Spirit!

What springs to mind when you think of Christmas? Good times with friends, family, delicious feasts and plenty of merriment?

To aid the merriment – a well selected tipple or two always helps to get the festivities off to a good start.

Spirits that are somewhat uncommon or unique make for excellent Christmas gifts and UK Spirits Distributor of the Year, Mangrove UK, has a stunning range that's destined to satisfy even the most particular and discerning palette.

We all have a modern man to buy for; someone who's unlikely to jump for joy when unwrapping your present! For the discerning recipient, we say gift them a sizeable dose of Christmas spirit! Black Cow Vodka Christmas Spirit has all the ingredients of Christmas pudding, macerated in velvety smooth Black Cow vodka.

The recipe for Christmas Spirit was created at the Black Cow kitchen table using an assortment of winter fruits and spices. This can be drunk topped with champagne for a sparkling Christmas champagne cocktail, garnished with a twist of orange zest.  Or for something to warm his heart serve Christmas Spirit with warmed, cloudy apple juice.

Ocado £25 (37.5% ABV)

Indulgence and luxury are good qualities to look for in a gift, particularly when it's for someone as special as your Mum.

Esprit de Figues, the world's first true fig liqueur is a sweet liqueur, crafted and bottled in the 150 year old family distillery in Burgundy. Rich handpicked Violette de Bordeaux Figs are carefully infused for three months, to release their delicious taste and essence.

The artisan distillers are using the finest techniques to create this exquisite liqueur which captures the true essence of fresh fig, raspberry jam with a subtle hint of peach and honey. An elegant addition to cocktails or just drink it on its own for an indulgent after dinner drink.

Master of Malt £24.94 (18% ABV)

Quite often the shot of choice on a night out with friends or colleagues is tequila (and an excellent choice of Aperitivo on Christmas Day). So why not give the gift of a good time with Tequila-based liqueur - VIVIR Café VS?

Made with award-winning VIVIR Tequila Blanco and flavoured with Mexican coffee beans, this exquisite liqueur has a little sweetness from the Piloncillo, a natural Mexican cane sugar, as well as an authentic rich coffee flavour with a subtle Agave finish.

Delicious savoured by itself and superb in classic coffee cocktails, including the Espresso Martini. It's a winner for anyone who loves a little cocktail.

Master of Malt £32. (40% ABV).

Sometimes there's nothing sweeter than a little nostalgia at Christmas, especially for those of a certain age.

The English Whisky Company from Norfolk have created Norfolk Nog, a wonderful whisky cream. Made with English Single Malt Whisky and lots of cream, the resulting Nog is both light and delicate. Best served on ice, but equally at home poured over ice cream, this is a drink to be shared with the family.

The English Whisky Company £22.50 (ABV 19%).

Christmas is a time to be thankful. And there's no better way to thank someone than by giving a carefully selected and well-suited spirit to sip over the festive period. Sloeberry & Blackcurrant from Portobello Road Distillery fits the bill.

Made by distilling a botanically intense version of their London Dry Gin which is then blended with sloe berries foraged from the wilds of Burgundy, a French blackcurrant liqueur, an Italian cherry liqueur, and a little sugar. Everything is rested in ex-whiskey barrels at their home on London's iconic Portobello Road. The result is intensely and re-assuringly “ginny” but also possessing a multifaceted stone fruit character, a welcome syrupy sweetness, and a subtle wood influence from the barrel. Delicious over ice, in your favourite cocktail, or if you're like us, straight from your hip flask.

Ocado £27 (ABV 28%)

So, skip the socks, say "no!" to the gift card, and pick the perfect Christmas spirit. After all, there's no better time than the festive period, to eat, drink, and be merry!

Mangrove UK can be found at www.mangroveuk.com

Mangrove UK was established by John Coe and Nick Gillett back in 2014 and now employs over 30 specialist spirits professionals, mixologists, sales and brand experts with extensive experience in both the On and Off trade UK spirits market.