Cheers!

The 5 can't-fail spirits to gift this holiday season

Always the perfect gift.

Photo courtesy of Twin Liquors

Some seasonal gifts are just that: seasonal. But anything you buy from Twin Liquors can be enjoyed during the merry months and year-round. Plus, there's even complimentary bag-and-bow gift wrapping at all locations to make gift-gifting easy.

From the hot new-must haves to bar-top classics, here are some favorite bottles to gift and share this holiday season.

Skrewball Peanut Butter Eggnog Whiskey
This creamy, indulgent, limited-edition drink combines the festive flavors of traditional eggnog — made with 100-percent real dairy cream — with the distinctive sweetness of peanut butter whiskey, making it a perfect treat for holiday gatherings. Serve chilled over ice and garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg or a cinnamon stick for an extra festive touch.

Bailey’s Cinnamon Churros Irish Cream
This limited-edition is a tantalizing blend of smooth Irish Cream, Irish whisky, savory cinnamon, and warm vanilla notes. Each sip brings to life the taste of a golden crispy churros pastry in the velvety texture of Baileys’ classic Irish Cream, making it an irresistible indulgence for any occasion.

Brugal 1888 Gran Reserva Rum Familiar
Double-distilled and double-aged (first in American oak barrels, followed by Spanish sherry casks), this Brugal projects a light sweetness and isn't overbearingly smoky or spicy. The aging process brings out the rum's full flavor without overly complicating the taste, making it an excellent sipping rum.

Balcones Lineage Texas Single Malt Whisky
As a pioneer in the American Single Malt category, Lineage celebrates the balance of Texas provenance and Old World tradition. It features Texas-grown and malted barley aged in refill oak alongside Scottish Golden Promise malted barley. Together, these elements are refined through maturation under the intense climate of Texas.

Esterlin Brut Eclat Champagne
Comprised of 30 percent Chardonnay, 10 percent Pinot Noir, and 60 percent Pinot Meunier, this well-balanced champagne is great for every occasion. The freshness of Brut Éclat enhances appetizers and its roundness adapts to a variety of entrees. Powerful, matured aromas of fruit compote and dry fruits pair with a full and rich mouthfeel.

Want something a bit more personalized? Give a custom gift basket. Twin Liquors makes it easy to either build in-store or create a basket online. Simply select a basket and then add any wine, spirits, beer, or accessories to complete your gift.

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Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.