Christmas: the most wonderful time of the year when it comes to eating, drinking and being merry. It is a key time to restock your tools, invest in some bartending solutions or even suggest to others to invest on your behalf.

We have asked some of our bartending experts to put together their recommendations for your Christmas list. Covering everything from glassware to slow cookers, this list contains all the latest industry must-haves for this year.

Bar owner Paul Mathew is one of the owners of The Hide, The Arbitrager and Demon, Wise & Partners in London. He shares his top buys for bartenders this Christmas.

GLASSWARE

While not a gadget as such, I don’t know a bartender who doesn’t get excited about a decent glass! I have a set of chunky old-fashioned glasses my father gave me for my 21st birthday that I love, but am always on the lookout for additions to the collection. These particularly caught my eye.

PUG MUDDLER

The Pug muddler has found its way into many a bartender’s kit bag. I have two. One is a heavy, dark hardwood that crushes anything and feels like an extension of my hand. The other is a lighter wood that lives in my traveling bar bag. It does the same job, but helps keep the weight down.

SOUS VIDE BATH AND SEALER

It may not look glamorous, but the more I prepare things by sous vide, the more I appreciate what the technique gives to prepared ingredients. Vibrantly flavored syrups, consistent infusions and stable batched ingredients = happy bartender.

RALPH LAUREN SKULL COCKTAIL PICKS

Impractical to clean, ridiculously expensive, but perfect for any Game of Thrones obsessed bartenders out there!

CHRISTMAS TREE COCKTAIL PICKS

This year even your cocktail picks can be festive. For those kitsch Christmas martinis these will make the perfect accompaniment.

Chris Strong is Bar Manager at Gordon Ramsey’s latest venture, Dubai’s Bread Street Kitchen at the infamous Atlantis Hotel. Prior to this Chris worked all across the world including London and New York. Here is his list of perfect stocking fillers.

BAR BAG

The Jim Meehan bar bag is a must for every traveling bartender; it’s been with me on some serious adventures. It holds all your tools, fits multiple spoons, jiggers, and a wide array of other bar tools, perfect for wherever your bartending journey may take you.

BOOKS

These two books are the must-haves for bartender shelves.

‘Setting the Table’ by Danny Meyer is inspirational and motivating reading from an industry godfather. Danny opened his first restaurant in 1985 at age 27; little did he know it would become one of New York City's most revered restaurants, Union Square Cafe. Little more than twenty years later, Danny is the CEO of one of the world's most dynamic restaurant organizations. It’s a really inspiring story for any bartender.

The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual is a must have for any budding bartender. The latest release from the World’s Best Bar Team, the drinks manual is an essential read. Written by the Dead Rabbit legends Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, it shares details of the journey to opening a bar in New York and a section featuring The Dead Rabbit’s legendary cocktails.

This list should have you suitably excited for Christmas with a varied range of ideas. Receiving some of these items should keep you well stocked for the New Year.

Up for Diageo Bar Academy's #ConqueringChristmas series we catch up with the Author of the "Detox Bible" Rob Hobson and find out more top tips on staying healthy and eating well during the busy holiday period. To read more click here.