Bittermilk
I look forward to Garden & Gun magazine's Made in the South Awards every year. They do a fantastic job of uncovering some of the best craftsmanship in the south. This year, they highlighted Charleston-based Bittermilk, a company founded by Gin Joint proprietors Joe and MariElena Raya that creates a line of three hand-crafted cocktail mixers: a smoked honey whiskey sour mix, Tom Collins with Elderflowers and hops and, my personal favorite, the mix for a bourbon barrel aged Old Fashioned. Just add the booze and you're in business. At $15, they're now my go-to, affordable hostess gift for drink lovers. Or, for a bigger gift, pair with these copper cocktail glasses, handmade in Austin, Texas by Sertodo Copper.
