The best alcoholic advent calendars for Christmas
Christmas is coming! Count down the days with one of these alcoholic advent calendars, putting a grownup spin on a festive childhood tradition.
WHISKY EXCHANGE SPIRITS ADVENT CALENDAR
The Whisky Exchange has assembled a veritable smorgasbord of spirits for the holiday season. Each day will bring a new surprise, with this diverse collection consisting of 15 spirits, four liqueurs, and six whiskies, including products from renowned distilleries such as Islay’s Laphroaig, Cognac’s Frapin, and Taiwan’s Kavalan. The presentation case is a thing of Dickensian beauty; deep green and embossed with copper. It also opens like a book. Perfect for the epicurean with broad, discerning tastes. £ £175, thewhiskyexchange.com
THE CRAFT GIN CLUB GIN ADVENT CALENDAR
The Craft Gin Club’s calendar includes 25 gins ranging from the traditional to the avant garde. The box has an appropriately Christmassy present-label motif, seasonal offerings include Tarquin’s Figgy Pudding, Micil Distillery’s Spice Orange, Batch Distillery’s Christmas Cookie, Burleighs’ Mulled, and The Orkney Distillery’s Kirkjuvagr Yuletide Special. With a double pour in every bottle, you’ll be sure to have a very merry Christmas. £ £89.95, club.craftginclub.co.uk
THE DRINKS BY THE DRAM RUM ADVENT CALENDAR
Drinks by the Dram have brought together a set of 24 rums from around the world, each in a wax-sealed bottle. The collection showcases the variety of rum, from the unaged to the extra old, and from rhum agricole (which is fermented from sugar cane juice), to spiced and flavoured options. This is a great opportunity to expand your rumpalate and develop a greater appreciation for the diversity of flavours available in this single category of spirit. £ £149.95, drinksbythedram.com
JOHNNIE WALKER 12 DAYS OF DISCOVERY ALCOHOLIC ADVENT CALENDAR
There are more extravagant whisky advent calendars such as The Whisky Exchange’s Single Malts of Scotland, which retails at £250, or Drinks by the Dram’s Old and Rare Whisky, which costs £999.95 and comes with a cut crystal Glencairn tasting glass, but if you’re looking for value for money, you can’t beat this offering from Johnnie Walker, the world’s most popular blended whisky. It includes expressions ranging from the entry-level Red Label all the way through to the prestigious Blue Label. With only 12 bottles, it may not look like a traditional advent calendar, but it’s certainly better than 12 pipers piping. £ £34.49, malts.com
JOHN LEWIS COCKTAIL ADVENT CALENDAR
Spirits are all well and good, but John Lewis is shaking things up this year with the introduction of an advent calendar packed with ready-to-drink cocktails. This collection runs the gamut from party drinks like porn star martinis and strawberry daiquiris to sophisticated options like a manuka honey whisky sour. With an assortment of still and sparkling cocktails, and seasonal treats like a winter spiced pear martini, you’re sure to have a fun runup to Christmas. And with the set weighing in at a hefty 10kg, you’ll certainly feel like you’re getting your
THE TINY REBEL EPIC BEER ALCOHOLIC ADVENT CALENDAR
Welsh brewers Tiny Rebel’s dedication to Christmas is almost frightening, driving them at one point to produce a honey-glazed ham-flavoured imperial stout. Their light-hearted and inventive approach to brewing means that this collection of 25 330ml cans of beer is certain to contain some surprises. There are IPAs, NEIPAs, stouts, sours, and things they don’t even know how to categorise, each in a collectable can, that will only be available with this year’s calendar. The chaotic box looks like the set of a children’s game show from the early ‘90s, and comes with a limited edition glass. They will also be releasing daily tasting videos for you to enjoy, as you drink your way towards the big day. £ £87.50, tinyrebel.co.uk
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