9 best hampers for luxury gifting this Christmas

Chatsworth is a stately home in the Derbyshire countryside with 500 years of history. The team uses food and drink from local producers to create some of the best festive hampers on the market.

Think pigs in blankets flavoured salty umami nuts, traditional mulled wine, a caddy filled with tea and a Christmas cake that will go down very well on the dessert table. A sparkling durello spumante brut adds a jubilant touch to this hamper.

Cured ham specialists DukesHill has a range of Christmas hampers centred around its delicious hams. The ruby celebration hamper contains 1.2kg boneless York ham that’s salty and savoury, perfect for festive sandwiches or as the main course in a spread.

Other savoury bits include venison rillettes and a flavourful aged cheddar. The hamper includes plenty of sweet treats too, such as mince pies with a perfectly spiced mincemeat filling. The blanc de blancs wine was the sparkling star of the show for me: light bubbles and a lovely, smooth finish.

For the ultimate Christmas cheese board, Snowdonia Cheese Company’s hamper has its classic range of cheeses, preserved in colourful wax. But this hamper includes delicious cheese fondue bakes. Just pop into the oven, and the tangy stringy cheese can be dipped into with crackers, potatoes or crusty bread.

The mini chutneys are the perfect size for dolloping on cheese-topped crackers, the hot honey being a real standout. The vintage port – a 2019 vintage – is bursting with dark fruits and pairs delectably with the cheeses.

For one of the chicest hampers on the list, look no further than luxury hotel Claridge’s. With a range of premium hampers, including the Brook hamper, which contains goodies highlighted with the Claridge’s green.

You have the option to include alcohol or not – naturally, I opted for the champagne, a bright and dry bottle of bubbles that paired surprisingly well with the soft fruit-studded pannetone smothered in strawberry jam. There are also keepsakes included – two mugs, a champagne stopper and the Claridge’s cookbook, so you’ll be living like a guest of the legendary hotel for years to come.

For a charcuterie board with a twist, this Black Mountains Smokery hamper was a real crowd-pleaser during testing. Made with wood shavings that are a by-product of a local furniture maker in Wales, the meat, fish and cheese all have a delicious smoked flavour.

Highlights include a smoked duck breast that was moist and deliciously different. A smoked duck breast was similarly tender, then cured pork included fennel salami, which was the favourite from the whole box, and honey-cured ham. The smoked cheese paired great with the lightly spiced apple cider jelly (of course, crusty bread was needed). This will be a hit at any time of year, but an autumnal charcuterie board laid with these will be the perfect seasonal treat.

Macknade is a farm shop nestled at the edge of the Kentish town of Faversham that stocks lots of Kent producers on its shelves, and also in its hampers.

There is a great variety in this hamper from the decadent chocolate and pistachio panettone (pro tip: use the pistachio cream that’s also included to spread on top) to pigs in blankets, flavoured nuts and a lemony salmon pâté that works spread on crackers or your morning toast.

For a Christmassy concoction, try mixing a glass of champagne with a dash of cherry wine made from Kent cherries.

Another luxury hotel with excellent hampers this year is The Dorchester. The Mayfair hotel overlooks Hyde Park and is known for its opulence and art deco interiors. You can now enjoy a piece of The Dorchester at home with its festive hamper – and it’s absolutely packed with indulgent Christmas treasures.

From traditional essentials like a Christmas pudding in a real earthenware pudding basin and a classic fruity Christmas cake in a tin, to Dorchester blend tea and coffee, and even a chocolate facade of the hotel, your wintertime will be filled with nibbles and tipples for a long time. The rioja red wine has a complex palate and warming dark fruit notes, and the fresh dry sauvignon blanc pairs nicely with the salty pistachios.

The most elegant Christmas tea break comes courtesy of Fortnum & Mason with the Piccadilly hamper. The centre is a festive house biscuit tin that plays an adorable rendition of Handel’s Water Music melody.

The biscuits are tasty with a tangy stem ginger and my favourite, the lemon curd biscuit. More biscuits (pistachio and clotted cream) and a box of chocolates go perfectly with F&M’s signature tea or coffee. I challenge you not to finish it all in one afternoon, though.

The Newt is a luxury hotel nestled in the Somerset countryside with rolling orchards, woodlands and farmyards. They make their own cider and other food and drink products which comprise this enticing hamper.

Lovely package design aside, the ciders were really the star of this hamper. There’s even one that passes for a delicious dry sparkling wine. The handmade treats such as zesty lemon infused olives, super cheese-y cheese straws and smooth coffee chocolate are all top notch.