The 12 Bottles of Christmas

The homestretch of the holiday season means only one thing for shoppers looking for a simple, easy-to-wrap gift: It's time to head to the liquor store and buy a bottle.

But in an era of designer vodkas, single-barrel bourbons and liqueurs made from every exotic plant imaginable, the task is suddenly not so simple. You need a bottle that makes a statement and that matches a person's particular taste or style.

We've tried to take some of the guesswork out of the equation with our "12 Bottles of Christmas" -- that is, a dozen types of bottles (most in the standard 750 ml size) that cover not only the various spirits, but also the personality types they embody, be it money-is-no-object snobbishness or I'm-game-for-anything daringness.

Keep in mind that not all bottles may be available at your local liquor store, but they can usually be found at higher-end or specialty merchants or through online purveyors.

1.) The Green Bottle: 360 Vodka ($30)

We're not talking green-colored, green apple-flavored or any other such thing. We're talking "green" as an eco-friendly state of mind. And this vodka, made from all-natural ingredients, promises that it holds true to environmentally sensitive standards.

The maker notes that "every bushel of grain" is "fully utilized" in the quadruple-distilled processing. The bottle itself is made from 85% recycled glass. Even the labels use "100% post-consumer waste paper." But even if you're not so green-minded, the good news is that the taste is fairly smooth in the style of other upper-tier vodkas.

2.) The Red Bottle: PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur ($26)

Here, we're talking color -- since it's the season of red. But this pomegranate liqueur also packs the tart-sweet appeal of this fruit-of-the-moment (plus, it's a traditional holiday fruit). Another option: the classic French raspberry liqueur Chambord ($28 suggested retail), which always makes a regal statement thanks to its crown-topped bottle.

3.) The Gold Bottle: Gold Flakes Supreme vodka ($60)

There's gold in them thar vodka! Seriously, this French spirit is bottled with edible gold flakes. Perhaps that makes it more a novelty item than something for sipping, but it does look pretty on a shelf.

4.) The All-American Bottle: Four Roses Small Batch bourbon ($28 to $36)

Is there any spirit more American than bourbon? While we covered it recently in another story, we couldn't help but mention Four Roses, a Kentucky distillery whose roots go back to the 19th century, as a holiday option -- the small-batch version is among the more refined bourbons we've tasted of late. What makes it extra special is that this brand, once the top-selling one in the country, is now back on store shelves in this country for the first time in almost 50 years. (It's always been a big seller overseas.)

Another option: Bulleit Bourbon ($24) -- also an old-time name in bourbon, but we like it especially because of the design: The bottle, which comes packaged for the holidays with two glasses, has a smart frontier-gone-contemporary look.