We all have that friend - 10 cool gifts for cocktail lovers

It’s always easy to find a gift for a cocktail lover – just buy them a nice bottle of their favourite liquor and wrap it up with a bow.

But what if you want to get them something a little out of the ordinary? Something that tingles their taste buds and inspires cocktail-induced ecstasy, without having to go shopping at the liquor store.

There are so many gift ideas out there for cocktails lovers – everything from specialty glasses to themed experiences. We’ve only collected 10 of them, but it should give you a good start in finding the perfect cocktail-inspired gift.

Ice-free stainless steel martini glass

Price: $24.95

Don’t ever let your friends drink watered-down martinis again. This stainless steel martini glass is designed to live in the freezer, so it cools down the martini while you sip it. The glass holds seven ounces and should stay in the freezer for four hours before use.

Himalayan salt tequila glasses

Price: $39.46

Friends don’t let friends do tequila shots without salt – and now your friends can do their tequila shots out of salty glasses. These shot glasses are made of solid Himalayan sea salt and add a nuanced salty flavour to your drink. The salt is antibacterial so you don’t need to worry about cleaning the glasses, and the minerals will keep the glasses going strong during your many shots.

Ultimate cocktail bar tool

Price: $56.36

Got a friend who’s always mixing drinks? Then get them a compact cocktail making toolkit. This Swiss-army knife style cocktail tool has all the features of a full cocktail bar, but packed into a tiny wooden case. It has ten different tools inside, including a zester, muddler, knife, reamer, jigger, stirrer, strainer, corkscrew, and bottle opener.

Cocktail travel bar

Price: $253.68

This travel case is perfect for those cocktail loving friends who are always on the go. Target’s portable cocktail bar includes two martini glasses, a shaker, a strainer, a vermouth mister, a double-sided jigger, ice tongs, napkins, and olive picks all nestled inside an insulated leather case. There’s also an insulated compartment to carry two bottles of liquid courage.

Cocktail-inspired truffles

Price: $15

Just because they love cocktails doesn’t mean you need to get them alcohol. This cocktail truffles box features all the flavours of our favourite cocktails without any of the alcohol content. Each box contains six chocolates reminiscent of Mojitos, Chocolatinis, Peach Bellinis, and Strawberry Banana Daquiris.

David’s Tea cocktail collection

Price: $8.98 per 50 grams

David’s Tea calls these herbal teas “steeped, not stirred” and the Bond reference is just too cute. The Cocktail Collection features three different herbal tea flavours: sangria, pineapple mimosa, and raspberry mojito. Each is delicious on its own, and can be used to create a tea cocktails based on the flavour.

The Drunken Botanist

Price: $19.95

If you’ve got a bookworm on your list, then this book by Amy Stewart will hit all their reading and drinking desires. The Drunken Botanist explores all the different herbs, flowers, trees, fruit, and fungi we’ve made into alcohol over human history. It’s a fun look at where our cocktails really come from, and how each plant contributed to history.

Cocktail grow kit

Price: $16.91

Speaking of plants, why not grow your own? This cocktail grow kit gives you everything you need to start growing your own herbs to add to your favourite cocktails. The kit comes with seed packets for thyme, lavender, Thai basil, mint, lemon balm, and blue borage, as well as starter soil, plant stakes, and a carton to grow it all in.

Lab cocktail set

Price: $63.42

Mixing cocktails is a science, and everyone will know it when you give someone this chemical cocktail set. The set comes with nine test tube shot glasses, for accurate measuring, three beakers, for when you need to measure out more than a shot, and a mixing flask so they can combine their creations together.

The Science of Cocktails

Price: $159

Be the ultimate gift giver and offer your friend a cocktail experience instead of a present. Science World’s Science of Cocktails event is going on February 9, and it’s something no cocktail lover will want to miss. More than 20 award-winning bartenders will be at the event creating unusual and delicious cocktails, which your friend can drink for free. There will also be cocktail science activities, hands-on-demonstrations, and 12 different food stations to satiate your stomach. Plus, ticket proceeds go to support Science World class field trips for under served schools in Vancouver.

Tickets are available online. You can stay in the know about Science World via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Science World’s Science of Cocktails

When: February 9, 8 pm to midnight

Where: Telus World of Science, 1455 Quebec Street

Price: $159. Buy tickets online