We’re coming into that time of year when gift giving is at the top of our “to do” list with many of us looking for that special yet affordable wine or spirit as a show of appreciation.  Searching for a tasteful and affordable spirit as a holiday gift can be quite a daunting task, with so many styles and price levels to choose from.  To help us out, we asked Aaron Defeo, Beverage Director of the Hotel Congress and Maynard’s Market & Kitchen to take his best shot and share with us his top picks.

Milagro Tequila, 42 Below lead the pack as Aaron DeFeo, Beverage Director of the Hotel Congress and Maynards Market & Kitchen,  rounds up 2010’s Best Spirit Values under $30

For many adults, holiday giving has slowly evolved into a series of exchanges of liquor and wine bottles at holiday parties—a trend that excites me, to say the least.  There’s nothing better than unwrapping a great bottle of scotch during the holidays and sharing a glass with dear friends.  But giving liquor can be a costly guessing game proposition.  Here are some suggestions to help you satisfy even the most discerning palates without sinking your budget.

Top Pick – Milagro Blanco, 750 ml. $20

Most people define great tequila as being “smooth”; this is not an easy characteristic to quantify, even for spirit professionals.  With most spirits, “smoothness” is generally a product of the number of distillations and the filtration process used.  In the case of tequila, it is the residual alcohol burn in direct correlation to the expression of the agave flavor that can leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.  Milgaro Blanco is Highland tequila unique for its triple-distillation (most tequila is distilled only twice).  Still, Milagro manages to salvage—and in fact accentuate—the raw flavor of fresh agave.  This tequila is floral, sweet, and peppery, and a ridiculous steal at around $20-25 retail.  Milgaro just might be the hottest and best tequila you’ve never purchased; mixologists across America are discovering this quickly, as bars search for good premium tequilas to include in their house cocktails without busting the bank.  This spirit can be substituted in virtually any cocktail in which you would add gin or vodka for a nice, complex twist.  Not to mention that one of America’s top mixologists, Gaston Martinez of Las Vegas, is the National Brand Ambassador for Milagro.  If they can make him a believer, then it’s a sure bet that Milagro’s on my shelf.

Top Pick – 42 Below Vodka, 750 ml.  $15

Vodka has been a much-maligned spirit in the last few years, thanks to the growing ranks of young mixologists touting classic cocktails—many of which are sans vodka.  Vodka, however, remains the best-selling spirit in the United States for its versatility and approachability.  Among vodkas, the only discernable differences to the layman are blend-friendliness and affordable price—and 42 Below from New Zealand delivers both.  Great vodka can be achieved through the number of distillations and filtering methods, but water quality and the base material for distillation are also crucial to the final product.  42 Below is made from high quality wheat and the finest water from New Zealand, lending a softness and rich, sweet quality to the vodka—which is nice, because 42 Below comes in at 84 proof, a strength that eclipses most other vodkas on the market.  This also makes 42 Below ideal for fresh fruit or herb infusions, as it is able to better capture the essential oils and flavors from the raw material.  At home, it stands up to mixers such as cranberry juice cocktail and Dr. Pepper.  For the price, 42 Below is every bit as elegant and versatile—and perhaps more so—as Absolut, Stoli, and even some of the top-shelf ultra premium offerings.

Other great spirit values

New Amsterdam American Gin, 750 ml.  $15

A light, approachable gin that actually hails from Modesto, CA.  New Amsterdam doesn’t have an overwhelming juniper component—much like Bombay Sapphire—so it’s great for folks who have an aversion to the piney spirit.  In fact, New Amsterdam plays more off of the citrus elements of its bouquet.  Versatile, fragrant, and inexpensive, this playful spirit took home gold medals at both the 2007 and 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Zaya 12 year Trinidad Rum, 750 ml.  $28

Rum as you’ve never experienced it before.  Rich, complex, and haunting like a fine wine, Zaya is aged for no less than 12 years in small oak barrels.  The result is rum that showcases rich toffee, raisin, caramel, and vanilla notes, and pairs excellently with both food and cigars.  Its character is a perfect replacement for a fine cognac in many instances, and makes for killer holiday cocktails.  The recipient of the 2007 Double-Gold award from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Dewar’s 12 Year Special Reserve, 750 ml. $29

Many connoisseurs will tell you to skip blended whiskey and steer you straight towards single malts.  Dewar’s 12 Year Special Reserve, however, makes a pretty strong case to give blends a chance.  There’s a lot of wood character in this one; and peat, which no doubt comes from the inclusion of Laphroaig in the blend.  These are characteristics not usually found in such rich concentrations in single malt blends.  Still, this is not an overwhelming whiskey; rather, the subtle honey and heather notes help balance it perfectly, and make it a superb sipping whiskey for your household.  Any time you can get a great scotch value at around $30, it’s best to take advantage.

Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 750 ml.  $27

Hands-down the single-best Irish whiskey for the money.  Unlike many of its competitors, it is a true single malt—meaning it’s made from 100% malted barley and water, period—and  comes in around the same price.  The experience of drinking Tyrconnell is not unlike sipping a Scotch that has been made without peat—the most objectionable quality of Scotch to most non-Scotch drinkers.  It retains many of the heavenly fruit and honey notes obtained through the wood aging, but since it doesn’t lie in the barrel too long, it remains a feisty spirit without many of the used-cask characteristics of its cousins.  This is a perfect whiskey for spirit drinkers unaccustomed to the world of whiskey.

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 750 ml.  $20

The flagship whiskey from the famed Buffalo Trace Distillery represents its moniker well; the decision to leave wheat entirely out of the production of Buffalo Trace—and instead include more barley—is a good one: the resulting spirit has a pleasant sweetness without an overbearing residual sugar note from the wheat.  The decent amount of rye content lends a spice character accentuated by the wood aging, and the nose lends an almost herbal bouquet.  Buffalo Trace is a complex whiskey that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a nice hot toddy.

Francois de Lyon VSOP Cognac, 750 ml.  $27

A relatively unknown cognac house, but as with most spirits, name recognition is simply marketing, and not a representation of the product itself.  A strong, rich expression of cognac, with baking spice, fruit, and creamy butterscotch notes.  This is an excellent cognac for any cocktail calling for brandy.  It also makes one hell of a snifter, too.

Aaron DeFeo is the Beverage Director at Hotel Congress and Maynards Market & Kitchen.  His column, “The Bar Trender” is featured monthly in The Downtown Tucsonan.  Visit his blog at www.hotelcongress.com/club/boozeblog

Tags: Hotel Congress, liquor, Maynards Market & Kitchen, mixology