There is now an advent calendar to delight someone of almost every disposition - from Beauty Mavens, to chocolate fiends, Lego fans, and toy lovers.
Indeed, if it takes your fancy, there’s even an adult toy advent calendar you can purchase for a cool £120 - promising the best rumpy pumpy of your life.
For us, though, the elegance of an alcoholic advent calendar can’t be beat. Regardless of your poison - spirit, wine or beer - there is an iteration that promises a new, expertly curated tipple once an evening. enough of an indulgence, but not enough to leave you fearing excess. Or - indeed - you can share with the other adults in your household.
Let’s face it - December is a tricky month, as the darkness draws in earlier, and the rush towards Christmas tests our patience. Here, then, are the best boozy advent calendars on the market - to make the silly season a little more merry.
Premium Gin Advent Calendar
£84.95
Love a crisp G’nT of an evening? This Premium Gin Advent Calendar means everyone you enjoy in the run up to Christmas will be superlative.
24 30ml wax-sealed drams from the cream of the gin-producing world - Tanqueray, No.3, Hendrick’s, Bathtub Gin and Jaisalmer - you’ll be able to whittle down your favourite in time to stock up for New Year’s celebrations. Nary a bad drink in there. Buy now
That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar (2021 Edition)
£49.95
This partnership between That Boutique-y Gin Company and Drink by the Dram is a gin lover’s dream, offering the chance for even the most seasoned gin drinker to encounter a new iteration of their favourite spirit.
With 24 30ml wax-sealed tipples, all inventive, many festive. As the big day draws near the flavour profiles become delightfully exotic, including smoked rosemary, chocolate orange, and squeezed yuzu. Great fun.
Vodka Explorer Advent Calendar
£99.95
Vodka isn’t quite as fashionable a drop as some of it’s spirit stablemates, like gin or rum, but you should overlook it at your peril.
This selection of premium vodkas has a mixture of the world’s best traditional vodka, such as Ciroc and Crystal Head, and festieve options, such as Jaffa Cake, red berry, and rhubarb .
This makes the calendar a perfect jumping off point to make a host of classic cocktails. Espresso martinis, white Russians, bloody Marys: there’s a vodka to craft each.
That Boutique-y Whisky Company Advent Calendar
£124.95
Enjoy 24 different 30ml drams from distilleries around the world, one each day for the Christmas countdown. We’ve gifted this to our whisky-adoring other half in the past and it made for a very merry December.
With lesser known distilleries and heavy hitters like Jura, Tomatin, and Glen Elgin.
Old & Rare Whisky Advent Calendar (2021 Edition)
£999.95
Now, we would have loved to have purchase this for our other half - but a cool grand on an advent calendar is outside our means. If you can, though, why not?
It houses 24 wax-sealed 30ml sample drams of whisky, many of which have been maturing for years before they were bottled. Includes a drop of the Bunnahabhain 40 Year Old, among other fine, fine whiskies.
Beer Hawk's Beery Christmas Advent Calendar
£85.00
Featuring 25 beers brewed exclusively for the calendar - so you’ll be among the first in the world to taste bevvies from 14 countries - including New Zealand, France, Sweden, the US, the UK, Spain and Estonia.
There are IPAs, light blondes, well-hopped ambers and smooth dark beers, while brewers including Tiny Rebel and Vocation will help you count down the days until Christmas.
Pour & Sip Whisky (Sipmas) Advent Calendar
£119.95
Another superb whisky offering - and a traditionalist’s dream, offering nothing but great, established whiskies from noted distilleries.
With 24 waxed sealed 30ml drams - including delightful numbers from Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and Talisker.
BrewDog Lone Wolf 12 gins of Christmas
£29.95
BrewDog Distilling Co.’s 12 Gins of Christmas Advent Calendar is a limited edition calendar that includes a range of gins, all of which are bottled in 50ml servings.
Crafty Nectar Craft cider calendar
£82.50
Crafty Nectar have brought back their cider advent calendar, which includes 24 award-winning craft ciders.
The calendar includes ciders from award-winning producers including one of the world’s best cider makers, Tom Oliver.
The calendar is recyclable, and the team plant a tree with every cider advent calendar purchased to support UK orchards/biodiversity.
Wine Advent Calendar
£39.99
They may be a budget supermarket, but Aldi punches well above it’s wallet-friendly weight when it comes to curating their wine selection. Hence, a wine advent calendar that’s resaonably costed - but delicious.
A great selection of 15 187cl bottle and 9 20cl of international reds, whites, and rosé hidden behind each door. Perfect for unwinding each day.
Japanese Whisky Advent Calendar
£199.95
Whether you’re Scotch collector or a whisky neophyte, there is something to enjoy in the delightful Japanese whisky advent calendar from Drinks by the Dram.
With unusual and special edition spirits from some of Japanese most renowned distilleries, such as Suntory and Nikka.
Try them in cocktails or on the rocks.
Aldi 24 Bottle Sparkling Advent Calendar
£49.99
Looking to treat someone in your life who loves a glass of bubbly? (or yourself, of course!). This will make them giddy.
Aldi’s Sparkling Wine Advent Calendar features 8 mini bottles of Prosecco DOC, 8 sparkling Italian Rosé, and 8 sparkling Pinot Grigio to help you toast each day on the run up to Christmas.
Rum Advent Calendar (2021 Edition)
£149.95
Rum, to us, is sunshine in a tumbler - so what better way to bring a bit of light to a gloomy December than a new incarnation of the spirit each day?
With 24 30cl wax-sealed glasses, this advent calendar brings you rums from Guatemala, Indonesia and Mauritius. With boutique, unusual brands and heavy hitters rum aficionados will know, such as Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva and Chairman’s Reserve Legacy Rum.
The box also includes two tasting glasses and notes to guide you through each day of rum.
