A well stocked bar cart or drinks tray is an on-trend feature in any home these days. So whether you are buying for a chap who inhabits a modern-day man cave, one with Don Draper aspirations or a family guy with a penchant for mixing home style with cocktails, there are plenty of gifts ideas to whet your appetite.
From ice buckets to statement straws, here’s our list of the best bar accessories and accoutrements…bar none!
The plastic straw is dead! Long live the sustainable eco straw! From pasta tubes to sterling silver, the statement straw is where it’s at. Our favourite is this stylish offering from Stephen Webster, the rock ‘n’ roll jeweller to the stars no less. Beautifully handcrafted in sterling silver, the Last Straw is even comes hand engraved with its new owner’s name.
A really neat gift for whiskey lovers. Chilled in the freezer, these ingenious little cubes will chill a tumbler of whiskey without watering it down, like ice does when it melts. Made from 100% soapstone, they look very sophisticated and can be reused time and time again, just wash and freeze again in their little pouch.
No self-respecting bar cart or drinks tray is complete without an ice bucket. They are not only practical, but also a real statement piece. We had a tough time deciding, because there are so many gorgeous ice buckets around. For a classy, understated vessel it’s hard to beat the quality and design of LSA’s elegant, sturdy-based GIN Ice Bucket. But this gold-glazed ceramic Pineapple Ice Bucket certainly adds a splash of glitz and glam for the man who wants to put on a bit of a show.
The name Tom Dixon is synonymous with style and design, so any piece from its iconic Plum barware collection will elevate even the humblest bar cart or drinks tray, shining out like a beacon of urbanity. We have plumped for this set of two achingly elegant Martini glasses. Crafted from highly polished, copper plated stainless-steel, they are totally off the suave scale. Who’s honestly going to care whether their Martini is shaken or stirred when it looks this delectable.
Novelty ice cubes are definitely a cool gift idea and the choices are endless, from skull moulds to Easter Island heads; Scottie dogs to AK bullet trays. Look long enough and you are bound to find the perfect match to raise a smile and fill a glass.
Matte black and gilded brass…it doesn’t get much more luxe than that when it comes to a cocktail shaker. This seductive bit of kit from Danish design master Stelton will turn mixing drinks into an incredibly tactile pleasure. It also comes with a reversible brass measure with two capacities and is equipped with a filter screen, to stop lemon pips, ginger slices, ice cubes, etc slipping into your glass. If you are buying a gift for someone who is new to the art of cocktail making, you could also opt for a shaker that has a menu of popular drink recipes printed around the outside. The Kikkerland Master Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker is available from Amazon Prime for £17.66 and lists all the ingredients and precise measures to rustle up a perfect Mojito, Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, White Russian, Sex on the Beach and Kamikaze.
Probably the most distinguished, sensual bottle stopper ever made, the Good Turn is crafted in walnut and nickel by Linley, the masters of bespoke furniture, luxury gifts and accessories. This is a top notch gift for the discerning wine buff with impeccable taste.
