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The Hinton Christmas Playbook: Feast, Fizz and Everything Delicious

  • Writer: Hinton Magazine
    Hinton Magazine
  • 5 hours ago
  • 6 min read

This is it, the main event of the year. The season where calories don’t count, and restraint is something you politely ignore. From that first pop of prosecco to the final spoonful of pudding, Christmas is about pleasure unapologetic, unfiltered, and preferably shared with good company.


Welcome to The Hinton Christmas Playbook: Feast, Fizz and Everything Delicious, our definitive guide to festive food and drink worth celebrating. Inside, you’ll find the flavours that define the season rich, comforting, a little extravagant, and always worth the extra plate.


We’ve searched high and low for the standout bottles, irresistible hampers, and conversation-starting nibbles that’ll turn any gathering into something memorable. Whether you’re the one hosting or simply showing up with something impressive in hand, this is your cheat sheet to mastering Christmas indulgence.


Because when it comes to the holidays, moderation can wait until January.

Jo Vodka “101 – The Purist”

(70 cl, 40 % ABV) £49.99

When you’re raising a glass this season and want something that whispers elegance (not shouts bells and tinsel), this is your bottle. The Purist is crafted from 100% British wheat, distilled to a silky smooth finish with subtle floral hints and that hallmark crispness on the end.


Pour it neat, over a single large cube, or garnish with a twist of lemon peel and a sprig of mint – the kind of serve that says you’ve thought ahead. It’s the kind of bottle that fits the grown-up festive moment: refined, confident, and effortlessly stylish.

Raphia Santa’s Favours

£15.00 (150 g)


When you’re laying out the holiday table and want something that whispers “tasteful indulgence” rather than screams “mass-market”, this is your go-to box. Crafted by Raphia, the selection wraps a curated mix of their best chocolates and bon-bons — elegant, precise, and perfect as those final accents before dinner starts.


Drop it at each place setting as a ready-to-unwrap treat, or use it as a subtle gift when you’re playing the gracious host. The flavour profile carries soft caramel, refined nuts and dark chocolate richness — not over-the-top, but unmistakably premium.

Audemus Spirits Pink Pepper Gin

€49.95 (700 ml / 44% ABV)


This is no ordinary gin—it’s the hero for your Christmas bar cart. Bold and aromatic, the Pink Pepper Gin opens with a crisp burst of pink peppercorns, juniper and cardamom, then gently evolves into richer patisserie-inspired notes of vanilla, tonka bean and honey. Audemus Spirits


Serve it neat over a single large ice cube, or use it to elevate your festive cocktail with its layered complexity. It’s the bottle that says: you're taking Christmas seriously, but with flair.

Jo Vodka 102 – The Bohemian

£49.99 (70 cl, 40% ABV)

Holiday nights don’t always need a fire roaring sometimes the glow of good company and a bottle worthy of the moment do the job. That’s exactly where this one steps in. Distilled from 100% British wheat, The Bohemian isn’t just vodka it’s summer in a glass, even if the frost’s hitting your windows.


Expect a crisp burst of sun-drenched citrus bergamot, pomelo, yuzu softened by bay leaf and that warm-holiday clarity you want after dinner when someone suggests “just one more martini.”


Serve it chilled neat, or with premium tonic and a twist of grapefruit rind. This is the kind of bottle that says: you’ve thought ahead, you’ve got taste, and your Christmas isn’t just good it’s deliberately stylish.

Lyre’s Alcohol Free American Malt

£22.00 (70 cl)

Purchase link: https://www.ocado.com


Looking to raise your Christmas toast without the morning regret? This is the bottle for it. Lyre’s American Malt channels the warm comfort of a holiday night—smoky oak, soft vanilla, a hint of caramel—all refined into zero-alcohol form. Pour it neat, or mix it into a rich non-alcoholic Old Fashioned and you’ll look like you’ve planned this moment down to the last detail.


Raise a glass, make that golden memory, and let everyone else wake up wondering how you pulled it off so elegantly.

Arctic Blue Gin (Finland)

ree

£45 (50 cl, 46.2% ABV)


When you’re going to make a splash this Christmas, let this bottle do the talking. Arctic Blue Gin comes straight from the wild forests of Finland, where juniper meets wild bilberries and spruce-tips in one elegant swirl.


Pour it over a tall glass of tonic, drop in a few frozen berries, and you’ll serve the season in one glass. Whether as a gift or the star of your own stocking-fill, it delivers winter-chic with minimal effort—refined, bold, and unmistakably festive.

Raphia Classic Truffles

£14.00

When the tree is lit, the vinyl’s spinning, and you’re settling into that cosy Christmas groove, these truffles arrive like luxury in bite-form. Raphia’s signature dark chocolate ganache centres, dusted with the finest cocoa, deliver velvet-smooth indulgence — the kind of treat that makes you pause mid-conversation and say, yes.


Place them at the end of your festive dinner, pair with a rich red or a warming espresso, and watch the room tilt into its most relaxed, elegant mode. This isn’t just chocolate — it’s a statement: you’ve got taste, you’ve read the room, and you’re here for the moment.

Jo Vodka 103 – The Artist

(70 cl, 40% ABV) — £49.99

If Christmas had an alter ego with a splash of velvet, this would be it. The Artist isn’t just vodka it’s a statement piece. A fusion of rose, neroli, pink peppercorn and sencha, it delivers a floral lift with a smooth, sophisticated edge that feels at home beside candlelight and conversation.


Serve it chilled in a coupe with a petal garnish, or shake it into a cocktail that looks as good as it tastes. This is the bottle for those who treat Christmas not as a routine, but as an art form.

East London Threads: Blended Whisky

£42 - 42% ABV


If you’re looking for the perfect dram to slip into a Christmas-evening fireside moment, this is your ticket. East London Threads blends the daring, creative vibe of East London with smooth Scotch-whisky chops — think urban edge meets warming richness.


The flavour profile struts in wearing chocolate-dipped strawberries, cherry blossom and smoke on the nose; then settles into rum-and-raisin, white peach and dried banana on the palate.


In other words: pour it neat, drop a large ice cube, lean back and let it wrap up a festive evening like only a whisky with attitude can.

No.3 Gin Organic London Dry Gin

£39.50 - 46% ABV

Purchase link: https://www.bbr.com


When it’s time to dial up the festive sophistication, this is the gin you pull out. The organic botanicals bring precision, from the classic juniper backbone to crisp lemon and orange zest, with a subtle spice that rounds off the finish. Serve it with a premium tonic, a wheel of grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary, instant holiday elegance. Accept nothing less.

Raphia Salted Caramel Almond

Raphia Salted Caramel Almond

£13.00


When sweet meets salty in perfect harmony, Christmas snacking finds its new obsession. Raphia’s Salted Caramel Almonds are a masterclass in balance — each premium almond wrapped in silky milk chocolate, coated with salted caramel for that addictive crunch.


They’re the kind of indulgence that disappears faster than you meant them to, ideal for pairing with an after-dinner espresso or slipping into a gift box for someone with impeccable taste. One bite and you’ll understand — this is festive luxury done the Raphia way.

Lyre’s Alcohol Free Classico Grande

£8.00 (75 cl)

Purchase link: https://www.ocado.com


This is the bottle you bring when you want the festive flavour without the hangover morning. It opens bright with green apple tartness, swirls into soft pear, peach and red-apple tones — crisp, clean, and surprisingly sophisticated.


Pour it over ice with a twist of lemon-zest, or serve it in a flute for a non-alcoholic toast that still feels premium. It’s the kind of drink that says: “I’m here for the fun, but I’ve got form.”

Lyre’s Alcohol Free Amaretti

£22.00 for 70 cl


Think of this as the stylish after-dinner encore of the season. A rich almond hit meets warm vanilla and soft candied-nut spice, channeling the comfort of marzipan with the sophistication of a premium liqueur — without the alcohol.


Serve it neat over a large ice cube, or pour into a mocktail with a splash of chilled espresso and a twist of orange peel for that festive “affogato-meets-celebration” vibe. It’s the bottle you pull out when you want something indulgent, confident and unmistakably in tune with the holiday spirit.



 
 
 

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