2016 Holiday Gift Guide—Food & Spirits

ready-ritas-bags-group-shotReady Ritas

A new gameday concept in make-your-own margaritas is sure to score some extra-points with the sports crowd. Plus, the story behind the cool cocktail is as interesting as the brightly colored beverages are tasty. Ready Ritas are lime-flavored margarita mixes that are available in a multitude of colors, and in a unique, easy-to-carry pouch. Founded by Kathy Doyle Thomas of Dallas, Texas, Ready Ritas have quickly become a hit with friends after Thomas started making purple margaritas for tailgate parties at Texas Christian University football games. Rival but friendly tailgating fans from other colleges soon wanted their own team margaritas, and Thomas began mixing colors to make the perfect match: Maroonaritas, Greenritas, Purpleritas, Scarletritas, Crimsonritas, Redritas, Blueritas and many more custom colors.

Each color has been critiqued by diehard fans from around the country to make sure it’s just right. Thomas says that Ready Ritas aren’t just for sports games. “Serving Redritas and Blueritas make any patriotic holiday or occasion—for instance, the Fourth of July and Olympics-watching parties—even more special. And our Greenritas are ready to give green beer a run for the money on St. Patrick’s Day!”

Ready Ritas come in a specially designed plastic container with a handle and closeable spout that make them easy to freeze, carry and take along to any tailgate party or event. Each pouch holds 64 ounces of mix, which when the liquor is added, makes 14 six-ounce margaritas. The wide, two-inch spout makes it simple to add the liquor to the mix. After shaking the bag, it’s ready to pour over ice and drink immediately. For a frozen Rita, add the liquor and place the bag in the freezer for about eight hours. Then, just put the frozen bags in an ice chest and head to the tailgate, beach, lake or pool.

Currently, Ready Ritas are available online at ReadyRitas.com.


Pearl Vodka

This holiday season, forget ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ and gift the ‘12 Days of Pearl’ instead! The simple yet flavorful Pearl Party Pack makes for a perfect stocking stuffer that allows the recipient to indulge in 12 different flavored vodkas, from crisp and refreshing Pomegranate to subtly sweet Vanilla Bean, for a festive treat sure to please any palette. Who knows, after the ‘12 Days of Pearl’ are up, you just might have a new favorite flavored vodka!

The Pearl Party Pack is available nationwide at a suggested retail price of $9.99.


Mount Gay Rum

Mount Gay Rum, the oldest continuously running rum distillery in the world with 300+ years of experience and world class products, is launching two new premium rums this holiday season that will be sure to delight rum connoisseurs and those looking to up their holiday drinks this year:

  • Origin Series: Volume Two, The Copper Stills Collection: The latest addition to the exclusive, limited-edition Origin Series, is a distinctive pair of tasting rums that are identical in ingredients, fermentation and maturity, but differentiated by distillation. For the first-time ever, Mount Gay has created one rum that is 100% distilled in a copper pot still and one that is 100% distilled in a copper column still. Our Master Blender, Allen Smith, created the unique pair to give rum drinkers the opportunity to taste the pure essence of each distillation method and learn how each part of the process can chance the flavor profile of rum entirely. The collection is available in 375ml sizes starting in November at premium liquor and spirits stores across the U.S. The SRP is $95. Additional details here.
  • XO Cask Strength: A limited-edition release (only 3,000 bottles will be available worldwide!) of Mount Gay’s award-winning spirit XO to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Barbadian Independence. XO Cask Strength embodies the essence of Barbados with an aroma that personifies the island’s bold, but humble personality. The rum has an ABV of 63% and will be available in 375ml sizes at premium liquor and spirits stores across the U.S. The SRP is $185.