About a month left to the holidays – and you’ve still not gotten gifts?!
Well, lucky for you, Pursuit will save you valuable time in deciding what to get. A few key suggestions for kickass Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwaanza) gifts:
DRINK
Grab the gift pack featuring the sparkling Jackson-Triggs Entourage Brut, paired with the new Inniskillin Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine. The icewine features aromas of cherry and raspberry, that complement the rich flavours of rhubarb, strawberry and heavy cream. Available at Inniskillin Estate Winery and GreatEstatesNiagara.com – $124.95
The Brut is a Canadian sparkling made of grapes first picked the fruit of the season. Tasting notes include delicate floral notes, toast, brioche bread and citrus zest. This pairs with just about anything on your menu. Available at Wine Rack, LCBO, Jackson-Triggs Winery and GreatEstatesNiagara.com – $29.95
The limited-edition holiday gift pack is available at GreatEstatesNiagara.com – $165 (including shipping)
Glenfiddich – the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky – has just released Fire and Cane, part of the brand’s Experimental Series. It is aged for three months in sweet rum casks, providing toffee notes and a campfire smoky finish. Other notes include baked apple, toasted marshmallow and green fruit. An all ‘round brand new Scotch experience.
It retails for $79.99 and available at LCBO.
Amarula is a premium spirit with an exotic natural taste, made from the fruit of the Marula tree, that grows wild and uncultivated in subequatorial Africa.
The Marula fruits are handpicked by locals, before being naturally fermented and distilled in copper pot stills. The spirit is then matured for 2 years in aged oak barrels, which imparts the wood spice characteristics of vanilla and caramel.
These distinctive flavours are naturally enhanced by the addition of cream, to create a rich smooth taste, with hints of vanilla and caramel. The 750ml gift pack is $29.95 at LCBO and includes two glasses.
For the discerning cognac lover, grab the Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre (created in honour of Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle in 1977, inspired by a ritual that he was fond of – adding an extra drop of cognac to his glass of Grand Marnier liqueur to give it a more intense taste.)
Its colour has hues of amber, tints of copper and orange, while its aroma is reminiscent of candied orange, with notes of citrus zests and bergamot. Similarly, its flavour has notes of orange, citrus, pine and Early Grey tea.
It retails for $79.95 at LCBO.
TECH
The STIHL Dynamic BT Bluetooth ear muffs not only protect the wearer from highly damaging noise produced by power tools, it also allows them to sync to their smartphone and play music while they work. They’ll also never miss another important call.
They retail for $129.95, and can be found at STIHL dealers across Canada
Swannies’ blue light blocking glasses are stylish, and help improve the quality and duration of sleep, by filtering out light before bedtime. This includes blue light emitted by electronic devices – from smartphones and tablets to television and computer screens – that are known to affect the body’s natural release of melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. Frames are available in a variety of colors and styles for adults and kids.
Swannies retail from $69 to $89, depending on the model, with prescription lenses starting at $179. For more information, visit www.swanwicksleep.com.
This is the piece of machinery for anyone who rocks the kitchen: The Elemental 13-cup food processor and dicing kit from Cuisinart tackles food prep tasks large and small. The 13-cup work bowl easily handles larger quantities of ingredients, making it perfect for mega meals and entertaining – the bonus 4.5 cup bowl is ideal for smaller amounts. Two stainless steel blades and two discs make quick work of chopping nuts, pureeing soup, slicing tomatoes, shredding cheese and more. An accessory case is included for easy storage. It retails for about $200.
GROOMING
MANUAL SHAVING
Gillette has just released its limited edition fusion ProShield gift pack. The razor features ProShield’s FLexBall technology on a premium matte black razor handle with matching stand. Pair this gift pack with a 1-year subscription of Gillette Fusion5 blades through Gillette On Demand to keep the dude looking sharp all year long.
It retails for $29.99, and the On Demand is $90, available at OnDemand.Gillette.ca.
ELECTRIC SHAVING
Whether you’re looking to buzz the bear off, or keep the beard game strong, the Conair Man Rechargeable Hair Clipper might be your thang. Its wow factor is that it allows you to trim up close, all of the curves and edges, with a W-tech feature, for a 25 percent faster shave. It’s small and portable, so you can do touch-ups on the go. As well, double your shaving pleasure: if you want to trim ear and nose hairs, the Conair Man Battery Powered Ear/Nose Trimmer has a sleek design, and really owns the sharp diamond head technology.
LITERATURE
And finally, Everyday Hockey Heroes: Inspiring Stories On and Off The Ice is Jim Lang’s third book about the national pastime of the Great White North, co-written with Bob McKenzie.
The book blurb says it all: “An inspiring volume of stories about Canada’s most beloved sport—hockey—and the everyday heroes who embody the spirit of the game, and help shape its future, from the pros who compete in NHL arenas, to the dreamers and fans who play on backyard rinks.”
