Special Report
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Present perfect

These corporate gifts, most which can be delivered, will impress even your most difficult to please business partners

Sheridans’ ‘Wine & Cheese Selection’ hamper, €49.
Sheridans’ ‘Wine & Cheese Selection’ hamper, €49.

Roe & Co Irish Whiskey – 106 Package

The 106 Package from Roe & Co is a must for any collector of Irish whiskey. It includes an engraved bottle of premium blended Roe & Co whiskey – aged in bourbon casks. It is presented in a personalised wooden gift box, hand-crafted in Ireland, from the same barrels that the very first batch of Roe & Co matured in. Accompanied are three Roe & Co tasting glasses, and two entry tickets for the signature “Power House Tour” in the newly opened Roe & Co Distillery. The distillery is set in the iconic former Guinness Power Station in the Liberties, Dublin 8, and is fully operational. The tour is a great way to spend an hour with colleagues. This package is limited to 106 units and costs €135.

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James Fox Cigar and Whiskey Store offers a range of bespoke hampers, from €40.
James Fox Cigar and Whiskey Store offers a range of bespoke hampers, from €40.

James Fox Cigar and Whiskey Store has been a Dublin landmark for more than 135 years.

This year, the store is offering a bespoke range of corporate hampers, ranging from those containing whiskey, glassware and all the associated paraphernalia that the whiskey connoisseur would want, to the finest hand-rolled Cuban cigars, cutters, humidors and lighters.

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The team in James Fox will discuss any requirements with corporate customers to create a bespoke gift. Prices start at €40.

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Irish Gin and Tonic Gift Box from Hampers & Co, €139.97.
Irish Gin and Tonic Gift Box from Hampers & Co, €139.97.

There has been an explosion of Irish gins to the market in recent years and the Irish Gin and Tonic Gift Box from Hampers & Co includes the three best sellers.

Bonac 24 Gin is a high-quality gin and the first product from a new distillery established in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow; Dingle Gin has a classic London Dry Gin character while Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is a hand-crafted spirit made in the Shed Distillery, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim.

Hampers & Co has been creating corporate gift packages for more than 28 years, sourcing and delivering them to clients in the run-up to the festive season. Gin hamper costs €139.97.

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Escape Dublin is a fun, challenging live exit game based in Dublin city centre designed for teams of two to six people. With three games in operation, it can accommodate teams of up to 24, where participants are placed in a mysterious room, and given up to 60 minutes to get out.

To beat the live escape game, participants must find clues, solve logic puzzles, break the codes and find the key to freedom, using powers of observation and problem-solving. This is a fun gift to give to the high achievers in the office, or as a team-building exercise. The cost of each room depends on the number of players, but starts at €19 per person for five people.

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Perfect for anyone who likes eating and socialising in the capital are Dine in Dublin vouchers. These vouchers are accepted in more than 50 of the city's best restaurants, bars and cafes including Café en Seine; Fade Street Social; Pichet; San Lorenzo's; Sole Seafood & Grill; Blazing Salads and Camerino Bakery. They are available in denominations of €10, €20 and €50.

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Eirlooms Corporate Gift Box, €90.
Eirlooms Corporate Gift Box, €90.

Eirlooms Corporate Gift Box contains lots of Irish-made luxuries and they specialise in Irish craft and design, showcasing the work of many lesser-known as well as established makers. The €90 corporate gift box contains a beautifully hand-bound leather A5 journal, a yew wood and rose pen, a log fire and cinnamon candle as well as a box of Butler's chocolates.

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Hotels vouchers are a great all-round gift, as they can be used for overnight stays, restaurant, or the spa. Christmas is the probably the best time of year to enjoy one of Dublin's most iconic hotels, The Westbury.

From the Christmas tree at the top of the stairs to festive afternoon tea on The Gallery overlooking the twinkling lights of Grafton Street, it’s a great place to meet with friends or colleagues.

Gift cards can be used for everything from a mid-week stay to a luxurious weekend away, dinner to an indulgent afternoon tea.

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With a staggering 528,000 disposable cups thrown away every day in Ireland, it's no wonder that reusable cups are in high demand. Branded reusable cups are colourful, environmentally friendly, perfect for travel and best of all – personalised. They can be gifted to employees or clients and also act as a consistent and reinforced marketing tool for your brand. There are many different colour combinations but for maximum impact you can include your company's branding and logo – the creative possibilities are endless with this one. Branded Keepcups are available from AK Graphics, costing €9 each.

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Get a fresh bag of your favourite blend or single origin delivered to your client's door. Choose your favourite espresso or filter option, and Cloud Picker Coffee will send a fresh bag to the recipient at your chosen frequency. The coffee is packaged in a beautiful recyclable box with information about the beans and what flavours to expect, making it a great gift for the coffee lover. If buying as a gift, Cloud Picker will deliver the first box to you to wrap, then deliver the remaining instalments directly.

Prices range from €55 to €170 for a year’s subscription.

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Ireland's Blue Book is a collection of Irish country house hotels, manor houses, castles and restaurants, located throughout the island of Ireland. Blue Book vouchers are an ideal corporate gift, perfect for rewarding employees or client recognition. The collection includes the five-star Merrion Hotel, Dublin; Park Hotel, Kenmare, Co Kerry; Glenlo Abbey, Galway; Mount Juliet Estate, Co Kilkenny; and Hayfield Manor, Cork. Also included are Gregans Castle, Co Clare; Dunbrody House, Co Wexford; Ballymaloe House, Co Cork; and Dublin restaurants l'Ecrivain, Chapter One, and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Vouchers can be purchased for any amount over €100 and are presented in a gift wallet which includes a copy of the Blue Book brochure. Vouchers can be used for overnight stays, for meals or treatments in hotel spas. irelandsbluebook.com

Sheridans name has been synonymous with great cheeses for many years now, with queues forming outside its South Anne Street shop, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

It has two delicious packages available for Christmas 2019 – the new ‘Sparkling Apple & Cheese Selection’ hamper includes Karmine Sparkling Apple Juice, Coolea, Stilton, Baking Cooleeney, Sheridans Chutney for Cheese and Brown Bread Crackers, costing €55, while the ‘Wine & Cheese Selection’ contains Durrus Óg, Mature Cashel Blue, Comté ‘Le Fort’, Marcel Petite, Petit Camembert and Sheridans Rye and Linseed Crackers as well as a bottle of Ca’ del Roro, Sparkling White Wine. This costs €49.

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Brown Thomas wine and nibbles hampers cost from €45 to €350.
Brown Thomas wine and nibbles hampers cost from €45 to €350.

A Brown Thomas wine and nibbles hamper will certainly impress any colleague or client. These hampers are carefully created and boast a range of French and new world wines including Veuve Clicquot, Domaine de Jeanne and Findlaters classic Marlborough. There's also a collection of cheeses, preserves and extra special Irish confectionaries like Skelligs Irish sea salt caramels and pink Himalayan sea salt truffles. All of the goodies are packaged in Brown Thomas's specially crafted wicker hampers, and can be delivered directly to your client or customer's address, as long as you give three days' notice. They have a number of ranges available, starting at €45 and moving towards €350.

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For the busy traveller, the Montblanc Meisterstuck International Passport Holder made of black European full grain cowhide will be greatly appreciated. It has a pocket suitable for all international passports and an additional pocket for travel documents. It costs €180.

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