HTSI drinks writer Alice Lascelles
HTSI drinks writer Alice Lascelles © Sandra Mickiewicz
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle – Iteration 25, £198

Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle – Iteration 25, £198
An absolutely stellar edition of Laurent-Perrier’s prestige cuvée, blended from three vintages including the acclaimed 2008. This iteration features a higher-than-average proportion of grand cru Chardonnay, which gives it a luminescent freshness. Long lees ageing adds a luxurious touch of crumbly butter pastry. The bubbles are fine, the fruit is pure, the finish is zesty and precise. If you’re buying, I’ll take a case. thefinestbubble.com

Hop, Burns & Black mixed-case craft-beer subscription, £141 for three months

Hop, Burns & Black mixed-case craft-beer subscription, £141 for three months
If I want to know what’s hot, and what’s not, in craft beer, I call Jen Ferguson at Hop, Burns & Black in south London – her tips are always on the money. A monthly delivery of her beers of the moment would make me very happy – and would delight my husband, too. hopburnsblack.co.uk

José gourmet tinned fish, from £4.99

José gourmet tinned fish, from £4.99
Tinned fish – and especially sardines – seems to be the bar snack of choice this year. These colourful specimens from Portugal’s José particularly caught my eye. Almost too pretty to open. provisionslondon.co.uk

Dr Hostetter’s American Bitter Liqueur, £28.75

Dr Hostetter’s American Bitter Liqueur, £28.75
I’ll never tire of Campari, but if I were ringing the changes I’d do it with this liqueur, which is a reformulation of a tonic bitters that was dispensed to soldiers in the American civil war. The updated formula is a little spicier and less citrussy than Campari – but still has that bittersweet bite. Great in a Negroni or a Boulevardier. thewhiskyexchange.com

Lofoten in Norway, the setting for Kitchen on the Edge of the World
Lofoten in Norway, the setting for Kitchen on the Edge of the World © Christian Banfield

Kitchen on the Edge of the World, from £4,700 excluding travel
Top chefs, great drinks and wide and woolly Norwegian wilderness – this four-night gastronomic adventure in Lofoten, a dramatic archipelago above the Arctic Circle, sounds like heaven to me. Chefs for 2023 include Fuchsia Dunlop, Rick Stein, Nuno Mendes, Masaki Sugisaki and Nieves Barragan. holmenlofoten.no

Pelegrims Hyaluronic Plump Facial Oil, £49 for 30ml

Pelegrims Hyaluronic Plump Facial Oil, £49 for 30ml
I love this English skincare range, which is made with grape extracts from Westwell Wines in Kent – everything in it smells divine. pelegrims.com

The Vampire’s Wife ruffled silk-chiffon Spellbinder dress, £1,195

The Vampire’s Wife ruffled silk-chiffon Spellbinder dress, £1,195
There’s something a bit Abigail’s Party about this ’70s twist on the Spellbinder dress by The Vampire’s Wife. Guaranteed to make you feel like the hostess with the mostest. matchesfashion.com

Simone Crestani Alchemica Old Fashioned glass, £90

Simone Crestani Alchemica Old Fashioned glass, £90
Not, perhaps, the most practical glass for an Old Fashioned (where would you put the ice?) – but this playful design from Venetian glassmith Simone Crestani would bring some wit to a dram of whisky or a glass of water. artemest.com

Postcard Teas Rich Assam, £3.95 for 20g

Postcard Teas Rich Assam, £3.95 for 20g
My perfect Christmas Day would start with a cup of something nice from Postcard Teas – often described as the tea merchant for fine-wine lovers. Specialities include osmanthus long jing from China, and Vietnamese green tea scented with lotus, but my first cup would be this malty-sweet assam, which comes from a single seven-acre estate in Sonitpur, India. postcardteas.com

Hibiki limited edition Blossom Harmony 2022, £175

Hibiki limited edition Blossom Harmony 2022, £175
Japanese blended whisky doesn’t get much better than Hibiki. This limited edition is finished, most unusually, in sakura, or Japanese cherry-blossom wood casks, which impart subtle floral and spice notes to the blend. thewhiskyexchange.com

Bacanha Brut Lime Syrup, €10.95

Bacanha Brut Lime Syrup, €10.95
Lime and soda wouldn’t seem half so dreary if I could make it with this organic syrup from French artisans Bacanha. The range of syrups runs to more than 30 flavours including almond, basil, jasmine and grenadine – good for teetotal drinks and cocktails, too. bacanha.com

Asics Gel Trabuco 10 trail shoes, £135

Asics Gel Trabuco 10 trail shoes, £135
All that eating and drinking must be offset somehow, and the way I do it is trail running. My current pair of Asics are knackered – this is the pair I’m eyeing next. asics.com

Joel Black gyuto and kogatana combo handmade Apex Ultra knife, £645

Joel Black gyuto and kogatana combo handmade Apex Ultra knife, £645
I’ve never owned a really good knife and I think it’s high time for an upgrade. The FT’s Tim Hayward – who, quite literally, wrote the book on knives – tells me Herefordshire chef-turned-blacksmith Joel Black makes “the perfect blade”. joelblackknives.com

La Fromagerie cheese voucher, from £10

La Fromagerie cheese voucher, from £10
A present of cheese – literally any cheese – from La Fromagerie would be nice, but a voucher would be even better, as then I’d have an excuse to visit its Bloomsbury café and shop for a proper peruse. lafromagerie.co.uk

An illustration from the Atlas of Perfumed Botany by Jean-Claude Ellena, £25
An illustration from the Atlas of Perfumed Botany by Jean-Claude Ellena, £25 © Karin Doering-Froger

Atlas of Perfumed Botany by Jean-Claude Ellena, £25
Perfumers have taught me just as much about smell (and taste) as any sommelier. I long to get my nose into this new work by Jean-Claude Ellena, writer and former head perfumer at Hermès. waterstones.com

Yuzu tree, £59

Yuzu tree, £59
I am crazy about yuzu fruit in all its forms – the ultimate luxury would be to grow my own. Then I could garnish my Martini with a fresh yuzu twist every night of the week. thewasabicompany.co.uk

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