Gifting

Carried by the summer breeze

Scent carries our memories like music, a single note bringing waves of unexpected nostalgia. For some, remembrance can bring olfactory hallucination, the two notions having become intricately linked. A moment, a touch, a conversation, a friendship or a love…  waves of beautiful, visceral emotion. Here, summer is an anthology of stories, each told by scent. Taking a mind-clearing walk on the clifftops, the waves crash below, the birds kettle high above. You brush past clary sage, eucalyptus and lavender growing wild. The ocean air fills your lungs. You notice how sea-soaked branches grasp the rocks aside your path. As your mind wanders back to your day ahead, you replace a…

A gardener’s diary, the summer edit

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Now, whilst I might swap out ‘library’ for thoughtfully curated wine rack’, I do agree with the former. But, I am suddenly acutely aware as the summer has finally entered centre stage with a fanfare that my garden, once a luscious frequented space adorned with touches of soft furnishings and wildlife-enticing plants, is a far cry from being sundowner ready. My desk-based afternoon daydreams involve planning abundant herb-filled planters for the perfect capsule kitchen garden, filling every gap with the intricate blooms of David Austin roses and lining every wall for heady scent with ‘Gold Flame’ Honeysuckle…

Bentley Beyond, The Collection. For the journey.

Driving a car you love is so much more than the ‘a’ to ‘b’. It’s the feel of the steering wheel moving from under your palm, the resistance of the accelerator beneath your sole or the slick movement of the gearbox. Sometimes it’s the thrill you get when the mechanic tells you that against all odds, your pernickety classic car flew through its MOT. It’s the bond you feel and the memories you create together over the miles.

Portable Xmas Tree by D.S. & Durga

The stocking of desire

Somehow, once again, we’ve whipped through weeks and flown through the months, and that fateful day of festive excitement, adoration-showing and gift-sharing is once more upon us.

Goldfield & Banks, Ingenious Ginger

A gift for every moment

The perfect gift doesn’t need to be seasonal. The occasion might be a birthday, a win at the office, or maybe a moment of self-care. Whichever way, we are here for your inspiration.

In the Name of the Fathers

Father’s Day was never a big deal in my family. I always assumed that my dad was the kind of man, like many of his generation, who shied from the spotlight of attention and felt uncomfortable with any notion of having a day wherein he could sit back, relax and be showered with gifts.

What the heart wants

This year, let’s do away with the predictable and the kitsch, and leave the acres of saccharine and heart-hugging bears on the shelves. From the fascinating to the flavoursome, the flirtatious to the finessed, these gifts are sure to set hearts racing this February. 

Miller Harris, Rose Silence Eau De Parfum

The rules of The Stocking

In the Lake household, the Christmas Stocking is a sacred artefact. Everyone sleeping on the night of Santa’s rooftop landing meets the morning with a stocking; children, adults and guests alike. They are a festive staple and personally, my favourite part of the morning.

Edinburgh Skincare Gentlemens Gift Box

Naughty or Nice

Let’s elevate the art of gifting for Christmas 2022, and seek out items which encapsulate the essence of finesse for our nearest and dearest. We’re here to celebrate bespoke and small-batch producers. Let’s hear it for the independents, the pioneers, and those crafting the precious, the thoughtful, the unforgettable.

The Beautiful Gift

Is there one remaining gap under the tree? Are you running out of ideas for that last little beauty present?
Take a look at our quick guide to last-minute stocking fillers and small gifts. 

Dunhill Desire Black

Scents of Style

It’s the final adornment before an evening well-lived. Finding a signature scent amongst the abundance of musky, floral, citrus or even woodsy notes is a time-honoured tradition amongst the many perfume counters and white-glove perfumeries across Europe.

Secret Speyside

Longmorn, Caperdonich, Glen Keith, Braes of Glenlivet, four artisan producers from some of Speyside’s revered distilleries. Perhaps if the family had been sporting a measure from the Secret Speyside collection, I might have come into the fold a little sooner.

Chase’ing Christmas

Despite our best efforts, to be a locavore does not come without its challenges. Lucky enough for us, the Chase family decided to turn their 300 acres of potato fields into premium vodka and gin as early as 2008, founding the Chase Distillery.

Launer Lizard Skin Wallet

It’s said The Queen owns over 200 Launer bags. Indeed, the royal family’s relationship with Launer dates back to the 1950s, when the Queen Mother’s eye was caught by the company’s exquisite leather designs. It was she who introduced her daughter to the brand with the gift of a handbag – and the rest is history.

Patrón a good vintage

After a tumultuous 2020, we’re more than happy to change things up over the festive season. Instead of providing your dinner guests with wine pairings, why not opt for top-shelf tequila. Patrón is made with 100% Weber Blue Agave which has always put it a cut above.