No wine? Just fine

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Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times (TRIBUNE MEDIA MCT)

It pains me to say this, but it's true - not everybody likes wine. Some people have legit excuses - allergies, sulfite sensitivity, etc. -- while others simply don't have the refined palate to appreciate the magnificence of the fermented grape juice the rest of us have come to love.

I kid, I kid -- but in reality, a bottle of wine might not be the right holiday gift for everyone. Sure, beer can be a fun gift, but if you had planned on spending $30 or so on someone, you either have to get them a 24-pack of cheap swill or a mountain of specialty beer.

And so it was that I set out to try some specialty liqueurs as alternatives to giving wine and beer over the holidays. My goal was to focus on spiced drinks -- rum- and whiskey-based liqueurs that are infused with honey, herbs and spices. Because I don't drink liqueurs very often, I had no expectations and really didn't expect to be impressed. To this end, I came away from this exercise pleasantly surprised.

As you'll see the products I tried featured a variety of infused flavours, sweetness levels and more. I tried each neat -- no ice, mix or otherwise -- and while I wouldn't go so far as to pair these products with food per se, they do make for some nice sipping on their own as you cosy up near the fire (either real or via the fireplace channel) on a cold winter night. You could try most of them with holiday baking, especially those treats whose spice profile match well with the spices in the liqueur.

In terms of how to serve these drinks, my suggestion is to try them on their own first, then season or mix accordingly. Most of these spiced-type liqueurs are great for making cocktails as well -- if you'd like a few recipes, send me an email and I'll pass some on that I tracked down. You can also track some down online, especially via the producers' respective websites.

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Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum

(St. Croix/U.S.A. -- $25.99, Liquor Marts)

Spice-wise, this one packs allspice, vanilla, pepper, ginger, mace, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and juniper berry (as the name of the rum suggests, nine spices) into the mix. There's loads of vanilla on the nose, but it's an artificial vanilla note that wasn't my favourite. I expected the Cruzan 9 to be quite sweet, but it brought just a hint of sweetness on the palate. Instead, the pepper and ginger come through fairly prominently -- accentuated by the 40 per cent alcohol level -- with more subtle vanilla undertones. While a little harsh on its own, this is a definite candidate for some sort of cocktail.

Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum

(U.S.A. -- $25.49, Liquor Marts)

Vanilla, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg have all been added to the Oakheart, and it's the honey that dominates on the nose -- especially when compared to the Cruzan 9. There's definitely less peppery spice to this spiced rum than the Cruzan 9 (and less alcohol -- the Oakheart is 35 per cent by volume), relying instead on the cinnamon and nutmeg infusion to provide a homey, comfort-inducing drink. Settle in by the fire and enjoy.

Jack Daniel's Original Recipe Tennessee Honey

(Tennessee, U.S.A. -- $29.99, Liquor Marts)

A blend of the infamous Tennessee whiskey and a proprietary honey liqueur, this drink shows great pure honey notes on the nose, as well as light vanilla and spice from time in barrels. While this liqueur is 35 per cent alcohol by volume, it's easily the smoothest/most drinkable of the bunch on its own -- the viscosity of the honey liqueur provides incredible texture, and the honey takes the edge off the whiskey without getting ridiculously sweet. Here's an idea -- if you're feeling a little under the weather try some of this in some tea.

Glayva Scotch Liqueur

(Scotland - $36.99 -- Liquor Marts)

The recipe for Glayva is a "closely guarded secret" according to their website, but it does note "Mediterranean tangerines, cinnamon, almonds and honey" as being in the mix. A quick check of Wikipedia adds anise and cloves to that mix. It has a Jagermeister-ish anise note that's fairly distinctive on the nose and that carries through on the palate. The Glayva is the sweetest of this bunch and while it's quite tasty, its self-proclaimed claim of being the "best liqueur in the world" might be a bit of a stretch. (Aside: Those with nut allergies will want to avoid the Glayva.)

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 26, 2011 E4