Unwrapped: Last-Minute Gifts From The Liquor Store

For all the procrastinators and liquor lovers out there

by Irina Grechko

’Tis officially the season for gift-giving. For us, it’s 31 days of gift giving; for a month, we’ll be providing gift ideas for everyone on your list—from your hard-to-please parents to your ’90s-loving BFF and even your spoiled pet. Filled with creative picks that got our pulses racing, our Unwrapped holiday gift guides will make Christmas shopping a breeze this holiday season.

You did it again: waited until crunch time to get gifts for everyone on your list. We would judge except... same. While we have spent this month brainstorming the best gifts for every family, friend, and significant for our Unwrapped series, we neglected to actually purchase them. And while the shipping ship has mostly sailed for all you online shoppers, and you couldn't pay us to go to the physical stores at this time of the year, none of us need to worry. There is still time to get all our holiday shopping done—and not stray much farther than your local liquor store.

As we count down the last few days before Christmas, we've got the best 18 bottles of booze that you can leave underneath the tree. Whether it's a quality bottle of Champagne for the hostess or a top-shelf bottle of rum for your SO's dad, we promise that these picks will come off as thoughtful as a premeditated gift. Procrastinators, this one is for you.

Photograph courtesy of Chandon.

Chandon x Rebecca Minkoff, Limited-Edition Holiday Bottle in White, $24, available at Chandon.

Chandon and Rebecca Minkoff collaborated on this chic bottle, plus one in black, made for the fashion-forward hostess who loves a little edge on her bubbles.

Photograph courtesy of Gem & Bolt.

Gem & Bolt, Mezcal with Damiana, from $20, more information at Gem & Bolt.

Not only are the female founders of this stylish brand artists but they also created the first tequila of its kind, featuring a unique ingredient called damiana. A traditional Mexican herb that grows in the same region as agave, it's known for its healing properties and is an alleged aphrodisiac. As if we needed more reasons to love this tequila. Also, it's practically made for all the cool kids on our list.

Photograph courtesy of Hangar 1.

Hangar 1, Distiller's Exclusive Vodka in Pink Peppercorn, $34.99, available at Hangar 1.

Notes of pink peppercorn infuse this limited-edition vodka, made from seasonal ingredients sourced from local Bay Area farms, and because of that life will never be the same for vodka drinkers. It's good.

Photograph courtesy of Mulholland Distilling.

Mulholland Distilling, American Whiskey, price varies, more information at Mulholland Distilling.

Firstly, all bottles from L.A.'s Mulholland Distilling boast quirky designs that we're seriously obsessed with. Secondly, this is some good whiskey that, chances are, your recipient hasn't tried yet (the brand just launched this November). Expect them to tell everyone next year that they discovered the brand first when Mulholland Distilling is what everyone's talking about.

Photograph courtesy of Moët & Chandon.

Moët & Chandon, Bursting Bubbles Limited Edition, $41, more information at Moët & Chandon.

A classic that always makes for a perfect gift, Moët Imperial Brut got a seasonal upgrade in a limited-edition Bursting Bubbles bottle that will add a festive pop to any end-of-year or 2017 celebration.

Photograph courtesy of Milagro.

Milagro, Tequila Reposado Select Barrel Reserve Reposado, price varies, more information at Milagro.

There is good tequila, and then there is good tequila. Milagro is the good kind of tequila that boasts the perfect balance of agave and oak and a dash of cinnamon spice. This is meant to be enjoyed on its own. The bottle makes for perfect decor piece too.

Photograph courtesy of White Girl Wine.

White Girl Wine, Family Time Is Hard Pinot Grigio, $19.99, available at White Girl Wine.

Whether you dislike The Fat Jew Instagram account or LOL over its posts, there is probably at least one person in your life who is of the latter camp and will appreciate this bottle. Plus the sentiment rings true for all: Family time is hard.

Photograph courtesy of Flor de Cana.

Flor de Caña, 12-Year rum, price varies, more information at Flor de Caña.

Any rum lover will be excited by this classic 12-year bottle from Flor de Caña. Semi-sweet with traces of nougat, almond butter, and molasses, this is perfect for the on-the-rock drinkers.

Photograph courtesy of Far North Spirits.

Far North Spirits, Solveig Gin, price varies, more information at Far North Spirits.

We would just buy this bottle for the design aesthetic, but the gin is actually really good too.

Photograph courtesy of Sexy Wines.

Sexy Wines, Red Wine, price varies, more information at Sexy Wines.

It's sexy, okayyy? It's for that kind of gift recipient.

Photograph courtesy of Hoxie Spritzer.

Hoxie Spritzer, The Dry Wine Spritzer in Lemon and Ginger, $28 for 8, available at Hoxie Spritzer.

If your grandmother loves wine spritzers, you can at least rest assured that she will now be caught drinking it out of an Insta-worthy can. Plus, it's lemon and ginger flavored. We'd dig into one too.

Photograph courtesy of Lillet.

Lillet Rose, French Aperitif Wine, price varies, more information at Lillet.

Cocktail connoisseurs will appreciate this aperitif wine, now available in rosé.

Photograph courtesy of Winc.

Matt Bellassai x Winc, To Be Honest Red Blend, $13, available at Winc.

Wine-loving funny guy and former BuzzFeed writer, Matt Bellassai is known for cracking jokes while drinking an entire bottle of wine. You too can do that now with this red blend "easy enough to drink an entire bottle of." This might be necessary for the recipients anticipating some heavy politics talk.

Photograph courtesy of Jose Cuervo.

Jose Cuervo, Especial Rolling Stones Edition, $26, available at ReserveBar.

For the Rolling Stones fans (which is most of us), this is it. Plus this merch from the band's first exhibition, "Exhibitionism" in NYC.

Photograph courtesy of Fonseca.

Fonseca, Bin 27 Port, price varies, more information at Fonseca.

You probably have an aunt who likes port. This one's for her.

Photograph courtesy of Lolea Sangria.

Lolea Sangria, No. 2, price varies, more information at Lolea Sangria.

If even making something as simple as sangria is intimidating to your host, these adorable concoctions, available in several flavors, are for them.

Photograph courtesy of Veuve Clicquot.

Veuve Clicquot, Arrow, $49, more information at Veuve Clicquot.

Gift an ever appropriate bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label in a chic Clicquot Arrow case, featuring 29 different destinations, to the jet setters in your life. Added bonus: if their name happens to be Paris or Sydney.

Photograph courtesy of Silver Oak.

Silver Oak, Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $99, available at Silver Oak.

A Napa Valley mainstay, this delicious bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon was given the holiday treatment this year.