Tommy Ho, general manager at Anvil Bar & Refuge(Houston)
“The magical bottle I’d want to find under the tree on a cold Christmas morning—after a food-coma-induced, lethargic, Christmas Eve hibernation, hopefully—is the Rochelt Wachau Apricot Eau de Vie,” says Ho. “It’s the purest, most unadulterated eau de vie or fruit brandy I’ve had.” Ho first tasted the storied apricot brandy, made with apricots grown near the Danube River, when rare spirits hunter Nicolas Palazzi brought some down for the Anvil crew to try. “They never sacrifice quality for any reason and will only put out what they feel is, for lack of words, perfection,” Ho says. For that perfection, you’ll pay upwards of $300 for a half-bottle.
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/best-spirits-drinks-holiday-gift-guide-bartenders