Max says: Whenever I’m invited to a party, I always struggle to find the perfect gift to bring along for the host. Should it be a freshly killed mouse, a basket of catnip potpourri or a gift box of gourmet kibble (caviar and cranberry included)? I’ve tried everything over the years and it’s rarely been successful––especially that time I hawked up a festive furball for the lady of the house at that swish Point Grey mansion. I thought it was a funny way to satirize the whole idea of host gifts, but I had to spend the entire evening cleaning her William Morris rug with what soon became a very dry tongue.

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Strangely, I haven’t been invited to many parties since that night. But if any invitations come my way during this year’s holiday season (yes, that’s a hint), I’ve recently discovered the perfect pressie to show my appreciation. In my younger days, I drank cheap gin by the saucerful. But as my tastes have matured, I’ve found myself seeking out the finest of craft libations. And if I’m going to give a gift, I want it to reflect these elevated connoisseur tastes.

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Vancouver Island’s Sheringham Distillery has been at the forefront of B.C.’s surging craft booze movement for nearly five years. And in that time, their Seaside Gin has already won the World’s Best Contemporary Gin accolade at the prestigious World Gin Awards. You can try that magical elixir for yourself in their charming new three-bottle selection box. Called The Aromatics, it’s a great gift that any recipient would roll over for and (almost) let you rub their belly.

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But what are the other two bottles, I hear you ask? If I owned a distillery, I would infuse my gins with unique flavours such as roast chicken, damp fur or Friskies Cheezy Craze Party Mix. But I guess if you’ve won an award, you probably know a thing or two about what people might actually like. Which is why Sheringham has included its Kazuki Gin (a velvet-smooth tipple with citrus and cherry blossom petal notes) and its new, pink-hued Rhubarb Gin (with its lovely, lightly-sweetened tartness) in this three-bottle gift box.

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My only quibble? The box itself is way too small. As the keeper of the cardboard in my household, I claim every package as soon as it arrives by determinedly wedging myself into it. I could barely get a front leg, a few whiskers and half an ear into this one. And then it took me an hour to get out of it. But after consoling myself with a delicious glass of Seaside Gin (hot Christmas tip: add a sliver of dark turkey meat on a cocktail stick), I felt much better.

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