Let the glass be your gift wrap

PROCRASTINATORS, rejoice. Tomorrow’s the big day, and more than a few of us will be making a mad dash to the wine shop at the eleventh hour (that is, ahem, today) to pick up something wonderful for the feast. We’re probably the same ones who will be at the farmers market this morning or at the supermarket tonight. Yes, we know who we are.

So why not perform a clever flip in the wine shop and start your holiday shopping even before Black Friday gets a chance to darken your mood? That’s because this season there are so many intriguing bottles in the higher-proof aisles -- the ones where you find the aperitifs and liqueurs. Just grab a bottle or five as you pick up the Thanksgiving cru Beaujolais, and you’ve got gift-giving practically wrapped up. Or at least off to a good start.

You may have noticed some of those less familiar bottles and wondered: What does a walnut liqueur from Austria taste like? Is that French orange liqueur any better than Grand Marnier? Or what’s behind the mysterious-looking Italian vermouth with the 18th century pedigree?

We tasted through a couple of dozen intriguing selections, and we’re sparing you the new absinthe-inspired liqueur from Provence (that almost knocked us off our feet with a single sip), the thick, super-sweet Alpine cream liqueur with the chunky texture and the stone-pine liqueur that tastes like you’ve just drunk the Christmas tree. Happily, we’ve turned up some pretty exciting stuff -- for every budget.

Take St-Germain, the new elderflower liqueur all the top mixologists are swooning over -- it comes in a gorgeous belle epoque bottle that seems made for perfume. What a fabulous $30 holiday gift! Or Cocchi Americano, a sophisticated Italian wine-based aperitivo you can pick up for $14. Need something special? We’ve tracked down the very special aged yellow Chartreuse certain sommeliers have been pouring as an after-dinner drink for their best customers.

The best part of all this? You can pretend to be turning a new leaf with the early shopping ruse. We know the truth: You’re a sucker for a gorgeous bottle.

All bottles are 750 milliliters unless noted otherwise.

Famille Adrien Camut Pommeau du Domaine de Semainville aperitif normand. Normandy, France, is home of the irresistible eau de vie Calvados, which is distilled from apples. But there’s also an aperitif made there that’s not as well known here: pommeau. Made by mixing fresh apple juice into the Calvados (much like Pineau des Charentes in the Cognac region), it’s terrific to sip chilled before dinner. Don’t let the words “dessert wine” on this bottle from Normandy’s Pays d’Auge district fool you; it’s a golden-hazelnut-colored aperitif. It’s not brilliantly clear, but vaguely cloudy, with lovely aromas of baked apple and honeysuckle. When you sip it, you get the flavor of the whole apple -- core and seeds and all -- delicious. The body’s light and silky, and it’s fresh and lively on the palate. Available at K&L; Wine Merchants in Hollywood, (323) 464-9463, www.klwines.com; Wally’s Wine & Spirits in Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606, www.wallywine .com; and the Wine House in West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, www .winehouse.com, about $39.

Carpano Antica Formula sweet red vermouth. This Italian sweet red vermouth, more dark-amber colored than red, is just catching on among cutting-edge mixologists (the bartenders at two trendy new bars in New York’s East Village, Death & Co. and PDT, both use it), but it has been made since before the French Revolution. No doubt it makes a mean Manhattan, but it’s superb to drink on its own as an aperitif, chilled or on the rocks, with an orange twist if you like. Wonderfully aromatic, it has a bouquet of soft leather and raisins, but not just any raisins; these would be the best ones you’ve ever smelled or tasted. On the palate, it’s much more complex than sweet red Cinzano, tasting of wild herbs and a touch of licorice root. A bargain for the quality, and every bottle is numbered. Available at Fine Wine House in Upland, (877) 981-6555, www.fine winehouse.com; Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463 or (800) 331-3005, www.hitimewine.net; Wally’s Wine and Spirits; and Wine House, about $27 for a one-liter bottle.

Chartreuse VEP (yellow) aged liqueur. Take it from a lifelong Chartreuse fan -- this is the stuff. Carthusian monks have been making green and yellow liqueur in the French Alps near Grenoble since 1737, and this bottling is long-aged in oak (VEP stands for vieillissement exceptionnellement prolonge). A couple of years ago, sommelier Peter Birmingham was offering it from his wonderful after-dinner-drink cart at the erstwhile Norman’s on Sunset; these days you can sip it at Osteria Mozza. It comes in both green and yellow; the yellow is less alcoholic (at 42%; the green is 54%) and a bit less sweet. Either way, it’s pretty spectacular, herbal and intriguing; it keeps bringing you back for another tiny sip. Though the recipe’s secret, the monks say it’s made from 130 different herbs; the bottle comes in a numbered wooden box. Available at Wine Expo in Santa Monica, (310) 828-4428; and Wally’s Wine and Spirits, about $130 for a 1.5 liter bottle; and at Hi-Time Wine Cellars, $113 for a one-liter bottle.

Cocchi Americano aperitivo. Fresh, a little fruity and slightly bitter, this Italian white wine-based aperitif made in Asti is a relative newbie, made only since 1891. Drink it on the rocks with a splash of soda and a twist of orange, or chilled, straight up in small glasses. Available at K&L; Wine Merchants; Wine House; and Wine Expo, about $15.

Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira liqueur. If you love the aroma of Disaronno Originale but find it a little too sweet, this almond liqueur is for you. It has a similar gorgeous sweet almond bouquet, but it’s more elegant; on the palate, it’s got some complexity. And the heavy, tapered bottle is a knockout. Available at Beverage Warehouse in Los Angeles; (310) 306-2822; www.beverage warehouse.com; Hi-Time Wine Cellars; and Wine House, about $23.

Nux Alpina walnut liqueur. This silky, sophisticated coffee-colored walnut liqueur from the Austrian Alps is fairly light in body, with enticing aromas of chocolate and coffee and caramel and walnuts and a deep flavor that’s almost woodsy and not very sweet. The lovely finish keeps you coming back; it’s reason enough to skip dessert. Available at Hi-Time Wine Cellars and Wine House, about $29 for a 375 milliliter bottle.

Pages Verveine du Velay Extra liqueur. Lemon verbena -- verveine in French -- is traditionally served in France as a tisane (an herbal tea) after dinner; the bright, herbal flavor is just the thing after a heavy meal. Who knew there’s been a verbena liqueur, produced in Le Puy en Velay, in the Auvergne region, for almost 150 years? Although Distillerie Pages makes simpler versions in both yellow and green, the one we found is the Extra bottling, which has a little more age. It’s a pretty golden color with a hint of green and a lovely herbal aroma that’s reminiscent of Chartreuse. The flavor’s sweetly herbal, but not cloying, with a faintly nutty finish. Available at K&L; Wine Merchants, $38.

Poli Mirtillo blueberry liqueur. From the Poli family, known for making grappa in Italy’s Veneto region, this crystal-clear and elegant after-dinner drink has pure blueberry aromas and flavor and a terrific, light texture -- more like a lightly sweet grappa than what you’d think of as a liqueur. Available at Hi-Time Wine Cellars and Wine House, about $40.

Prunier La Lieutenance Liqueur d’Orange. Not only does this make a great gift, but tasting it side by side with Grand Marnier and Cointreau makes it clear that it’s time to rethink one’s house orange liqueur. A beautiful burnished orange color, the Prunier La Lieutenance has candied orange peel scents and a deep flavor that’s a bit more sophisticated and less sweet than the big two. A natural for mixing in cocktails, it’s also terrific to sip on its own. Available at Beverages and More online, www.bevmo.com; K&L; Wine Merchants; Hi-Time Wine Cellars; and Wine Expo, about $21.

Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot fruit liqueur. Apricot is such an appealing flavor this time of year (OK, any time of year), and this liqueur is luscious, with a bright fruit note that keeps it from being cloying. It’s smooth and velvety, good for sipping long into a winter evening. Available at Wine House, $23.

St-Germain elderflower liqueur. The glamorous, cut-glass belle epoque bottle may look old, but St-Germain was only launched early this year. It didn’t take long for the liqueur to become the darling of mixologists on both coasts, often in cocktails involving gin. Made in the French Alps, based on elderflowers macerated in eau de vie, it has a pretty, assertive aroma of passion fruit and a grapefruit-peel finish. Available at many fine wine and liquor retailers, about $30.

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brenner@latimes.com