We all have that one person in our lives; the one that prides themselves on sharing a new song they swear will be a hit, finding the next cool restaurant before it gets cool, and scoping out vacation spots before they get too trendy. While we know they’ll appreciate whatever we get them, we wrack our brains trying to find something that they either have yet to uncover or something that fits their personality.

Spirits can act as a great gift throughout the holiday season, whether for something fun like a white elephant, a host thank you or wrapped up under the tree. Yes, you could just pick up a favorite bottle for that cutting-edge friend, or you can take it a step further—find something new to the market. Not only will this impress your best, but it will give them a chance to discover something new—and share it with others. A gift that truly keeps on giving.

Here are a few new spirits launched in 2024 that will have your favorite tastemaker buzzing:

Acrónimo Gin

“For someone with a more adventurous palate, I’d recommend gifting them our new Acrónimo gin, the world’s first gin finished with sotol—an 800-year-old spirit that is seeing a resurgence as Mexican Spirits gain popularity around the world,” says Alessandra Camino-Creel, co-founder of Acrónimo Spirits.

Acrónimo Gin is crafted in a traditional Sotol copper pot still with ten locally sourced botanicals, including juniper from the nearby Sierra Tarahumara mountainous region. It’s steeped for 14 days post-maceration and then finished with 17 percent Sotol Blanco as a nod to its Chihuahuan heritage. Unexpected and playful, the gin opens with citrus notes, complemented with a hint of spice from cardamom. This is followed by a subtle smokiness, adding a layer of depth. This flavor combination lends itself nicely to cocktails outside of a gin and tonic, like a Paloma, fruit-based cocktails or even an Espresso Martini.

Bearface

While Bearface isn’t technically a new name to the market, this whisky recently relaunched, redesigned its packaging and has earned a spot on the list. Bearface Triple Oak is a single-grain Canadian whisky that has been matured in American oak for seven years; then aged French oak red wine casks before being air-dried in Hungarian oak. This produces layers of flavor you won’t find in more traditional whiskies. This a must-have for the bourbon lover in your looking for something a bit more unique. Complex on the palate, but smooth and with a long finish, it’s perfect for sipping solo or cocktailing.

Char & Stave

Looking for a coffee-infused vodka that is also unique? Look no further than Char & Stave. This brand is—quite literally—the perfect infusion of coffee and spirits. Helmed by Jared Adkins, the founder and master distiller of Bluebird Distilling, Char & Stave is a coffee/cocktail house hybrid that is pumping out their own quality spirits. Talk about a sipper with a story. The coffee for the Classic Coffee coffee liqueur comes from small farmers throughout the world and are roasted in the distillery. What makes this spirit different is that the brand uses a cold brew technique to ensure a smooth finish on the palate. Bottled at 60 proof, this sipper brings the smell of coffee on the nose, opening up to soft vanilla and chocolate on the palate.

Dano’s Dangerous Tequila

The newly-launched brand of tequila has all the staples—Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. But, with coffee cocktails remaining popular, gifting Dano’s new Coffee Reposado will be a game changer for your trendy recipient. The brand notes that the coffee beans used are cultivated in Mexico’s “bean belt,” which is full of volcanic soil. They’re then roasted, infused and aged in American white oak barrels. This produces aromas of caramel, vanilla, walnut, coffee and wood, combined with a playful sweet and salty palate. A plus here is the label design, as it’s bright and fun—a definite conversation starter.

Ron Barceló

New to the market is the Ron Barceló Imperial Porto Cask, part of the brand’s rare blends line. Aged in Tawny 10 port wine casks, this rum has an unexpected complexity, bringing a sense of discovery to the table. Sippers can expect aromas of fig cream, wild fruit jams, and English butterscotch, with hints of dried cherries and subtle oak. Just like one would expect with a port, ideal pairings for this rum are after-dinner cheese plates and dark chocolate desserts. This rum is served best neat at room temperature alongside a cup of water to help open the aromas and flavors; or slightly chilled in a short glass.

Santa Teresa 1796

A limited-edition rum, Santa Teresa 1796 Arabica Coffee Cask Finish will be a bar cart highlight for your coffee loving giftee. Crafted with quality Arabica coffee beans that are organically grown, medium roasted, and coarsely ground, the brand’s flagship Venezuelan Solera rum undergoes a unique aging process, spending three months in American white oak casks previously used to age a rum-based cold brew coffee. A palate of coffee, brown sugar, cocoa nibs, tobacco, and dried fruit makes this lovely neat, with a cube, or in a cocktail.

Staple Gin

Staple Gin has only been on the market a short time, but is already being lauded as a fan favorite. A recipe-driven spirit from culinary icon Rachael Ray in collaboration with Roscoe, New York-based Do Good Spirits, Staple Gin is distilled with juniper, coriander, orris root, Castelvetrano olives, dried bergamot peel, tarragon and extra virgin olive oil. It may give London Dry on the nose, but the palate is where everything gets complex. It is designed to bring a unique, textured mouthfeel, different from other gins one has sipped in the past. If your tastmaker friend is also a food lover, this is a gift worth giving, as it was developed to not only pair well with food, but to use in recipes as well.

Tamworth Distilling

Tamworth is always creating something interesting, including its House of Tamworth Crab Trapper and Deerslayer Venison Whiskey. But, its Tamworth Garden Cranberry Cordial is a little more seasonal and a little less polarizing. Made from fresh cranberry juice, cranberry concentrate, natural cranberry essence, sage, lemon thyme, sugar, and juniper berry, it can be sipped own over ice, in a spritz, or in a Cosmopolitan—but can also be drizzled over ice cream or a warm slice of pie. This cordial is a treat on the palate, as it gives both sweet and tangy tones. Additionally, Tamworth Garden Cranberry Cordial is completely absent of artificial flavors and additives, as its distillers are focused on garden-fresh product.

WhistlePig

WhistlePig has been no stranger to new launches this year. However, the newest of the bunch, PiggyBank Gold, will definitely make a unique gift. WhistlePig’s 2024 Gold Limited Edition PiggyBank Rye is aged 10 years and bottled at 110 proof in a one-liter Pig decanter that proudly pours from the rear. While the rye has tasting notes of vanilla, butterscotch and is perfect for sipping solo or cocktailing, the bottle itself is a conversation piece that is begging to be shown off.