The Most Baller Bespoke Bottle $110 Will Buy

As a drinks editor, this is the time of year I get asked quite frequently about what makes a good gift. In some ways it’s a tricky task given the amount of vectors that go in to the decision. Do they like clear spirits or brown? Bourbon or Scotch? Peated or no?

In some ways vodka drinkers are the most difficult to buy for because in my experience, $50 is the magical number that beyond which the quality simply doesn’t approve. I’ve had some of the ultra-premium offerings from Beluga and they’re fine, but not much more. There are definitely some craft vodkas out there but it’s still the Wild West in terms of quality and style. So where do you go? To 39th and Cambie this Saturday (Dec. 5) and next (Dec. 12).

That’s when the good folks at Belvedere will be customizing—for free—their 1.75 litre of their legendary potato vodka. I came across this listing of the BC Liquor store website a while back and had to make several follow up emails to make sure I was getting this right. Yes the new silver 1.75 was $110. Yes you can customize within the the limits of decorum. No, you don’t have to pay extra. And yes it sorta looks like a stainless steel rocket.

So there you go. You have a vodka drinker in the family and you’re solved like Sherlock. Whisky drinkers? Well that’s a longer conversation.