Food & Drink

8 boozy advent calendars to whet your whistle

Window shopping has never looked or tasted so good, says Sam Wylie-Harris.

Alcoholic miniatures are a great way to count down to Christmas
Craft Gin Club Craft Gin Advent Calendar 2024 Alcoholic miniatures are a great way to count down to Christmas

When it comes to spreading some Christmas cheer, mini bottles of beer, wine and spirits are the brightest way to count down to the big day.

With just the right boozy measure, these festive displays will not only top your table décor, but are a tasting adventure with a myriad of little treasures to gift a loved one, or yourself…

1. BrewDog Craft Beer Advent Calendar, £55, BrewDog

(Simon Trenerry)

A beer odyssey for hop heads, 24 colourful craft brews range from fruity, hoppy and citrus, such as the grapefruit-infused IPA Elvis Juice; to Black Heart draft stout, to the sharp and zesty Speed Bird OG IPA. With the added bonus of a BrewDog glass to enhance the flavours.

2. Black Sheep Brewery Christmas Beer Advent Calendar, £65, Black Sheep Brewery

Yorkshire brewery Black Sheep picked up 12 medals at the World Beer Awards 2024, including four golds for its best selling Milk Stout – so you can’t go wrong with their advent calendar. Featuring 24 award-winning beers, alongside a few limited edition surprises to drink in the Yorkshire Dales.

3. Fever-Tree The Ultimate Gin & Tonic Advent Calendar, £70, Waitrose

If Fever-Tree are your favourite mixers, look forward to discovering a range of flavours expertly paired with premium gins such as award-winning Masons of Yorkshire Pink Grapefruit & Cucumber Gin. Think gin-gle all the way.

4. Craft Gin Club Craft Gin Advent Calendar 2024, £89.99, Craft Gin Club

A well-stocked stable of craft gins, 25 double measures are waiting to be pulled and savoured. From classic dry gins with a bounty of botanicals, to citrus gins infused with tangy flavours; a Christmas Cake gin from Tarquin’s makes its festive debut to crown the day.

5. Virgin Wines Mixed Wine Advent Calendar 2024, £89.99, Virgin Wines

All the more reason to love Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer with an impressive line-up of 24 mini bottles of white, rose, red and fizz; plus a full-sized bottle of shiraz to share with Santa. A wonderful wine tour through some of our best-loved regions, it’s sure to be a big hit.

6. Laithwaites Wine Advent Calendar Mixed 2024, £99.99, Laithwaites

A snapshot of Laithwaites’ bestsellers and new discoveries, this vineyard tour offers plenty of variety with gems such as fruity Italian rosso, white Rioja, smooth, southern French grenache – and full-sized bottle of prosecco to pop the cork and celebrate in style.

7. Drinks By The Dram Peaty Whisky Advent Calendar 2024, £129.95, Drinks By The Dram

A golden ticket to the world of richly flavoured peated whisky, behind each door of deliciousness sits a wax-sealed sample from Scottish producers…with a few drams from producers around the world. Expect some big hitters with a full-bodied character and peaty smoke galore.

8. Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar, by the Spirit Co, £149.99, Not On The High Street

(ALISON MCKENNY PHOTOGRAPHY)

One for Irish whiskey lovers, 24 malts from the Emerald Isle feature in this countdown with aged expressions such as Bushmills 10 Year Old; Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak, flagship of their cask finish series; and Berry Bros & Rudd Classic Irish Single Malt. Sláinte!