Best Christmas drinks guide 2026

Best Christmas gin

Treat guests to a G&T with a festive twist. Our 16 Acres gins are expertly distilled in small batches, exclusively for M&S. Look out for our bold and warming new 16 Acres Spiced Gin and zesty 16 Acres Lemon Gin, ideal for those who love their G&Ts with a bit of extra zing. For a classic serve, try our smooth and warming Collection Old Tom Gin, crafted in collaboration with Warner's Distillery and distilled with 11 hand-selected botanicals, including farm-grown lavender.

Best Christmas whisky

Expertly crafted exclusively for us, our 10-year-old Collection Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is made by fifth-generation, family-run Glenfarclas Distillery. Twice distilled in traditional copper pot stills, then aged in specially selected oak casks for a minimum of 10 years, this whisky has a rich, full-bodied flavour. Serve with your Christmas cheeseboard.

Best Christmas vodka

Made with oversized Jersey Royal potatoes from the summer harvest, our Collection Jersey Royal Potato Vodka is made exclusively for us in small batches by Royal Mash. Distilled in copper pot stills for an incredibly smooth finish, this is just the match for our Jersey Royal potato Martini cocktail recipe alongside perfect party nibbles.

Best mulled wines

Nothing says Christmas quite like a warm mug of mulled wine on the sofa, or while wrapped up admiring the local lights.

Our classic Red Mulled Wine and popular Rosé Mulled Wine are both back, and this year they’re joined by a new Alcohol Free Rosé Mulled Wine with subtle flavours of orange, vanilla and mulling spices.

Simply heat and serve with an orange slice or cinnamon stick for a glass of festive magic.

Best festive liqueurs

From bright citrus flavours to indulgent cream liqueurs, these bottles are made for festive sipping. New for this year, our Collection Clemencello Liqueur is crafted with Italian clementine extract for a fresh, zesty twist on Limoncello. For something richer, try our Collection Chocolate and Clementine Irish Cream Liqueur, made with fresh Irish cream from the Arrabawn Creamery and blended with chocolate and citrus notes. It's joined by our smooth Espresso Flavour Irish Cream Liqueur and Vegan Chocolate and Coconut Spirit Blend, offering a dairy-free take on a festive favourite.

Best Christmas beers

Looking for the perfect beer to pair with your mince pies? Our Winter Ale, brewed with Adnams on the scenic Suffolk coast, offers rich notes of fruit cake, prunes and dark malty grains.

For the first time you can also pick up an Alcohol Free Winter Ale – full of the same seasonal character, but with none of the alcohol.

Best Christmas hot drinks

Nothing says Christmas like a steaming, spiced Hot Toddy. Try this Hot Toddy recipe, spiked with our Distilled 8 Years Aged Blended Scotch Whisky and cinnamon. Or recreate the feel of a Christmas market, with these warming winter drinks recipes – our boozy tiramisu hot chocolate, made with Irish Cream Liqueur.

Best pre-mixed festive cocktails

From beautifully crafted cut-glass bottles to tiny tinnies that pack a serious punch, our The Marksologist recipes deliver the same exceptional quality you’d expect from a top-end cocktail bar.

Our three new expertly stirred classics – a Negroni, Vodka Martini and an Old Fashioned made with Twin Stallions Bourbon – are designed to be savoured in your fanciest glassware.

While our new The Marksologist Gin and Ginger Mule and first-to-market Decaf Espresso Martini single-serve cans are ideal for spontaneous cocktail catch-ups.

Best cocktail recipes

Ready to shake it till you make it? Here are some of our favourite cocktail recipes for Christmas 2026:

• Our zesty new clementine liqueur is the star of the show in this Christmassy Clemencello Margarita recipe.

• Love an Espresso Martini? This festive special with mince pie-infused vodka is an absolute must-try.

• Grab that retro punch bowl, this tart and tangy Christmas punch is a real party crowd-pleaser.

• This morello cherry-infused vodka makes a thoughtful gift or brilliant addition to festive Cosmos and can be kept in the fridge for a month.