What our resident ginsarian has to say:

This month we are heading to Wales for something properly special. Say hello to Toca Vida Smoked Berry Gin, created by Sam, a former Welsh Rugby International, and Elianna from across the pond. The name means "touch of life", and you can feel exactly that in every sip.

On the nose it is bright and fruity, with strawberry and American boysenberry leading the charge, but then a gentle ribbon of smoke rolls in thanks to the Szechuan pepper. At 40% it is smooth, layered and surprisingly cosy, like berries meeting a warming fireplace, perfect for our Christmas box 2025.

For me, this is one of those gins that feels unmistakably festive without trying too hard. It is vibrant, indulgent, a little smoky, and absolutely stunning in the glass with its red-and-gold bottle. Think of it as a Christmas yule log in gin form: comforting, a touch decadent, and impossible not to love. In a G&T it shines beautifully, but served neat over ice, it becomes something genuinely magical.