The best drinks advent calendars (2024)

Advent calendars have become big business in recent years, so it felt natural for Club O to survey the market for the best alcohol advent calendars available to lovers of fine wine and spirits. From humble origins that saw nothing more than an illustration or a piece of chocolate behind each day’s window, there are now calendars to suit a range of tastes and interests, offering samples of beauty products, scented candles, cheese and myriad other product categories as the days tick down to Christmas. The drinks industry has not been left behind.

The calendars are a great opportunity for companies to let customers try products they may not otherwise buy, so it was inevitable that drinks companies would see value in participating in the trend. There are some impressive premium examples available, with the best alcohol advent calendars offering carefully selected, quality tasters that are as much about pleasure as they are promotion. We’ve selected five of the best drinks calendars below.

Five of the best alcohol advent calendars to buy in 2023

Whisky Advent Calendar: 25 Whiskies of the World

The Whisky Exchange’s 25 Whiskies of the World calendar features a 30ml bottle of whisky for every day of advent, with the samples selected from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Japan and the US, as well as some more unusual destinations, including Australia, Israel and Denmark. Contents include single malts ranging from 8-18 years in age, small batch bourbons, drams aged in sherry casks and more; there are plenty of famous names too: Kavalan, Jura, Caol Ila, Dingle and Port Charlotte all feature. Frenzied excitement at Club O HQ meant some of the doors proved too flimsy to survive the opening process but the bottles themselves have classy labels, and the purple case with gold etching is stylish, sturdy and tactile.

The Whisky Exchange, £145

The best drinks advent calendars (2)

The 67 Pall Mall Sommeliers’ Calendar

The buyers and sommeliers at 67 Pall Mall have put their heads together again in 2023 to select 24 special wines to feature in the 67 Pall Mall Sommeliers’ Calendar, which surely must be the best alcohol advent calendar for a lover of fine wine. The box, which is designed to resemble the façade of the private members’ club in Mayfair, contains a 75ml bottle for each day of advent. Once the contents have been poured into a suitable glass, a QR code printed on the label can be scanned, taking drinkers to a video presented by a member of the club’s team giving more background on the day’s wine. Unlike access to the club itself, you don’t need to be a member to buy the calendar. Bordeaux and Burgundy editions are also available, curated by Jane Anson and Jasper Morris MW respectively, for lovers of those prestigious regions.

67 Pall Mall, £475

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Fortnum & Mason Spirits & Liqueurs Advent Calendar

Fortnum and Mason’s spirits and liqueurs calendar is the best alcohol advent calendar for those drink lovers with broad tastes or an interest in trying something unusual each day of advent. The calendar comes in F&M’s signature house colour ‘Eau de Nil’ and features gold ornate decoration on the outside, with doors opening to reveal illustrated drawers that slide out for each day of the month. The drawers contain a range of drams in 50ml bottles, including vodkas, whiskies, rums, gins and liqueurs from Fortnum’s own collection. Naturally, we don’t want to ruin all the surprises but you can expect seasonal specialties such as a mince pie & marmalade liqueur and sloe gin, as well as Scotch from Speyside and Islay. The big day warrants a bumper 200ml serving and it’s good to know that the case for the calendar is so special that it’ll be difficult not to keep and repurpose it.

Fortnum & Mason, £225

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The Rum Advent Calendar Premium Edition

Drinks by the Dram releases a selection of advent calendars each year but the premium rum edition is our pick for 2023. The simple box features 24 windows containing wax-sealed, 30ml bottles containing rum from a variety of distilleries, from the big to the boutique. There’s also a range of styles from light to dark, including Diplomático Seleccion De Familia, the award-winning Flor de Caña 18 and the RumTing: Passionfruit, Mango & Elderflower. If sipping your way around the world via some special rums sounds like an appealing journey to Christmas Day, this is the one for you.

Drinks by the Dram, £124.95

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A Whisky Tour of Scotland II

Now in a second edition for 2023, The Whisky Tour of Scotland must be the best alcohol advent calendar for lovers of Scottish whisky and comes as a decorated wooden cabinet containing drawers for 50ml samples of 15 single malt, five single grain and four blended whiskies, plus two tasting glasses. As you’d expect given the name, there are drams from across the country, including Speyside, Islay, Highland, Lowland and Campbeltown, and the concept is that the expressions are old and rare, bottled straight from the cask. Even in the company of the other premium calendars on our list, the whisky cabinet packaging stands out and is something to keep long after the whiskies are finished.

Threshers, £175

The best drinks advent calendars (2024)

FAQs

Is there an alcohol advent calendar? ›

An alcohol Advent calendar is like a regular Advent calendar—but for the 21+ crowd. These boozy countdowns typically include 12 or 24 windows filled with different sips.

What's the best Advent calendar to get? ›

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  • Next's beauty advent calendar is here and it's brimming with treats.

Does Costco sell whiskey Advent calendars? ›

Those who have tried Costco's whisky Advent calendar generally have positive things to say about it. "I bought it last year and had no regrets, one customer shared on Reddit.

Is there a Whisky Advent calendar? ›

24-window advent calendar, each window containing a 30ml sample of whisky.

Is Jo Malone Advent calendar worth the money? ›

While a glitzy, festive calendar is undeniably fun, the real draw of Jo Malone London's offering is the year-round appeal – nothing here will feel out of place once January rolls around. In fact, you'll be stocked with enough sublime scents to see you through the whole of 2024...

How much is the Dior Advent calendar worth? ›

The Dior Beauty Advent Calendar costs £570, so it's certainly an investment. But an investment it is - consider spreading the joy and dishing out the myriad of gifts to your friends and family on Christmas Day. Or, you know, just keeping them for yourself.

Is the Vogue Advent calendar worth it? ›

The Vogue Festive Calendar for 2023 is not just an advent calendar, it's a luxurious lifestyle experience curated by the editors of Vogue. With a total value of over £1,500, it offers great value for money and features a range of high-end products from fine jewellery to premium skincare.

Is the Nespresso Advent calendar worth it? ›

Editor's Pick

Find the Nespresso Advent calendar on the brand's website where it goes for $55. Considering that pods go for $1.25 to $2 a pop, this holiday countdown offers a strong value since it comes with 24 pods (some of which are limited edition flavors) and a coffee accessory.

What is the most expensive Advent calendar ever made? ›

According to Billionaire's Luxury Portal, this one was custom made for a family in Switzerland by artist Debbie Wingham and it cost them a whopping $10.3 million (£8.1 million) to buy the whole thing.

When should you buy an Advent calendar? ›

But don't wait until December looms to buy your annual Advent calendar. They sell out fast, so make sure to get the one you want well ahead of the Yuletide season. We rounded up the best Advent calendars to buy right now — and we suggest you buy them now, before they sell out!

Does Trader Joe's have an Advent calendar? ›

Trader Joe's also has a 12-day advent calendar full of customer favorite beauty products, including lavender bath salts, a hair mask, a yuzu bath fizzer, body butter, and daily sunscreen.

Is the Body Shop Advent calendar worth it? ›

The verdict: The Body Shop advent calendars 2023

There's no doubt each pick from The Body Shop's advent calendar range offers an impressive line-up of popular products and joyful festive packaging. If you're looking for an affordable option with cult classics galore, we love the brand-new advent calendar of change.

Is the Liberty Beauty Advent calendar worth it? ›

The Liberty advent calendar value

Annual customers won't be surprised to learn that the 2023 Liberty calendar is a grand treat, filled with a remarkable selection of brands and products, collectively worth over £1,040. There's even a (gold plated!) jewellery piece included for the first time ever.

What are the rules for the beer advent calendar? ›

A beer advent calendar provides you one new beer a day starting December 1st, and through Christmas Eve. Each day, the holder of the “calendar” gets to unwrap and/or open a new beer. This goes on for 24 days. The beers included in the calendar can be of any style.

Is there a Bourbon advent calendar? ›

🥃 The Bourbon Advent Calendar features 12x mini-bottles of top-selling bourbon brands.

Is there a Rum advent calendar? ›

Behold the delights of sugar, spice, and everything nice in this calendar! For those with a penchant for tropical flavours, and perhaps a sweet tooth, these 24 drams showcase a variety of rums from around the world.

What is inside the YSL advent calendar? ›

Yves Saint Laurent 2023 Advent Calendar includes:

Rouge Volupté Shine, shade 121. Libre EDP 7.5ml. Mon Paris EDP 7.5ml. Black Opium EDP 7.5ml.

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