For Christmas 2026, our pick is DISPENSE British amaro at £31.95 for someone who enjoys bittersweet drinks. We reach for it for its 24 botanicals, roots in The London Dispensatory and three Great Taste 2026 stars. If they prefer something drier and more bitter, choose BRITANNICA London fernet at £38.95.
Bottles are not the only option. Our limited AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE offers two bottles for under £50, while a masterclass voucher gives them time tasting and learning with us. If you’re unsure about their taste or diary, a gift card lets them choose.
Quick Comparison
| Gift | Who we’d choose it for | Price | Awards, origin or dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISPENSE British Amaro | A bittersweet amaro drinker | £31.95 | Made in South London; 24 botanicals; three Great Taste 2026 stars |
| BRITANNICA London Fernet | Someone who likes dry, bitter fernet | £38.95 | Made in South London; one Great Taste 2026 star |
| AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE | Someone who’d enjoy comparing two bottles, or a couple | £47.12 | Limited set including DISPENSE; five Great Taste stars across the two bottles |
| Introduction to Amaro Masterclass Voucher | Someone who prefers an experience | £59.50 for one; £119 for two | At our SE26 space on 14 or 16 January 2027 |
| Asterley Bros Gift Cards | Someone whose preferences you don’t know | £10, £20, £30, £50 or £100 | They choose from our shop |
We make and blend in South London; we are not a distillery. Prices were checked on 8 October 2026. <u>Check live bundle availability and whether your recipient can attend the January classes before buying.</u>
1. DISPENSE British Amaro
Recipient fit
Choose DISPENSE for someone curious about British amaro and the history behind its botanicals.
Gift format
A single-bottle gift for one recipient.
Price
£31.95.
Awards and provenance
DISPENSE earned three Great Taste 2026 stars. It is made with 24 botanicals, drawing on 17th-century recipes in The London Dispensatory.[2]
sbb-itb-f74956d
2. BRITANNICA London Fernet
Recipient fit
Choose BRITANNICA for someone who likes their fernet dry and bitter, and wants a bottle made in London.
Gift format
A single-bottle gift.
Price
£38.95[1].
Awards and provenance
Made in South London by Asterley Bros, BRITANNICA received one Great Taste 2026 star[1].
For a limited two-bottle gift with more Great Taste stars between the bottles, move on to the Award Winners Bundle.
3. AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE
Recipient fit
The AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE suits an amaro drinker who’d enjoy comparing two bottles, or a couple sharing a Christmas gift.
Gift format
This limited two-bottle bundle includes DISPENSE. Check live availability at Asterley Bros before buying. If you’d prefer to give an experience, see the masterclass voucher below.
Price
At £47.12, the two-bottle gift comes within a £50 budget.
Awards and provenance
The two bottles, including DISPENSE, share five Great Taste stars between them.
4. Introduction to Amaro Masterclass Voucher
Recipient fit
This masterclass voucher suits someone who would rather enjoy an experience than add another bottle to the shelf.
Gift format
The Introduction to Amaro masterclass voucher gives them a tasting experience in January. Buy it through Asterley Bros.
Price
One place costs £59.50, while a two-place voucher costs £119. Choose one for an individual or two for a pair.
5. Asterley Bros Gift Cards
Recipient fit
An Asterley Bros gift card is a good choice if you’re unsure whether they prefer amaro or fernet, or if their home bar is already full.
Gift format
Let them choose their own bottle. Gift cards are available from the Asterley Bros online shop.
Price
Choose from £10, £20, £30, £50 or £100.
Next, compare recipients, prices and provenance to find the right gift for each drinker.
Compare Recipients and Gift Formats
Match the gift to what they like drinking, whether you’re choosing a bottle, a set or a hands-on session.
| Gift | Recipient fit | Gift format | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISPENSE British Amaro - Our pick | Someone interested in British amaro or botanical heritage | Single bottle | It helps to know their interests before choosing this bottle. |
| BRITANNICA London Fernet | Fernet enthusiasts | Single bottle | Best suited to someone who already enjoys fernet. |
| AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE | Someone who would enjoy two bottles | Two-bottle set | The selection is fixed and the bundle is limited. |
| Introduction to Amaro Masterclass Voucher | Someone who can attend in SE26 | Voucher for one or two places | They’ll need to attend in SE26. |
| Asterley Bros Gift Cards | Someone whose taste you don’t know | Gift card | They choose their own bottle. |
Compare Prices, Awards and Provenance
We checked prices on our live shop on 8 October 2026. We’re makers and blenders in South London, not a distillery.
Here’s how the gifts compare on price, awards and where they’re made or hosted.
| Gift | Verified price or voucher options | Great Taste recognition | Documented provenance or location |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISPENSE British Amaro | £31.95 | Great Taste 2026: 3 stars | South London; 24 botanicals; based on 17th-century recipes in The London Dispensatory |
| BRITANNICA London Fernet | £38.95 | Great Taste 2026: 1 star | South London |
| AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE | £47.12 | 5 Great Taste stars across two bottles, including DISPENSE’s 3 stars | South London |
| Introduction to Amaro Masterclass Voucher | £59.50 for one place; £119 for two | - | Our space in South London (SE26) |
| Asterley Bros Gift Cards | £10, £20, £30, £50 or £100 | - | South London |
The bundle’s five stars are the combined total for two bottles, not an award for one product.
Choose by Preference, Budget and Availability
Use the comparison above to find a gift that suits their taste: DISPENSE for an amaro drinker, or BRITANNICA for someone who prefers fernet. Let flavour, rather than price, guide your choice.
For two bottles under £50, go for the AWARD WINNERS BUNDLE. It’s limited, so check live availability before buying.
If they’d prefer an experience, choose an Introduction to Amaro masterclass voucher for January - but only if they can attend in SE26 on 14 or 16 January 2027.
If the bottles or voucher don’t fit, or you’re unsure about their taste or diary, choose an Asterley Bros gift card.
FAQs
How does amaro differ from fernet?
Fernet is an intensely bitter, aromatic type of amaro with a stern, medicinal character. Both are complex herbal digestif liqueurs, but fernet sits at the most bitter end of the spectrum.
Classic fernet styles often have a sharp, menthol-led bite and very little sugar. Our BRITANNICA London fernet takes a warmer, rounder approach, with chocolate malt and London Porter.
How should I serve DISPENSE or BRITANNICA?
Serve DISPENSE neat as a digestif or pour it over ice with a citrus twist. For a longer drink, add ginger ale or soda. It also brings bitterness to a Black Manhattan or our house South London Negroni.
BRITANNICA works neat or lightly chilled as a digestif. Try 50 ml with 150–200 ml of cola or soda over ice, or add 5–10 ml to a Toronto or Hanky Panky for extra depth.
Is the amaro masterclass suitable for beginners?
The Introduction to Amaro masterclass is suitable for beginners. In this two-hour, hands-on guided tasting, you’ll learn how botanicals, bitterness and sweetness work together and prepare amaro cocktails.
We host the sessions at our production space in South London, with guidance that helps newcomers get started and gives more experienced guests plenty to enjoy.