With the festive season upon us, the countdown to all things merry has begun. The daily surprise from behind each door on an Advent calendar is one the most exciting rituals in the build up to Christmas day. No longer the remit of chocolate and children only, Beer, spirits and wine Advent calendars are increasing in popularity and are now much-anticipated Christmas staples in their own rights (for adults, that is!).
Below, you will find our selection of the best beer, spirit and wine Advent calendars. They are fantastic gifts for loved ones, or simply to treat yourself this December!
Wine Advent Calendars:
Aldi Wine and Sparkling Christmas Advent Calendars
Aldi’s wine Advent calendar has become on the discounter’s most anticipated Christmas items, and in 2021 the range has expanded to include a sparkling-only calendar alongside the still wine version. The ‘Sparkling Chritsmas’ box includes an assortment of 20cl bottles of Prosecco and other Italian bubbles, including Aldi’s own Sparkling Pinot Grigio Extra Dry, Sparkling Rose Extra Dry and Sparkling Moscato.
£49.99 / £59.99 available from Aldi
John Lewis Wine and Prosecco & Bubbly Advent Calendars
John Lewis’ Advent calendars are always a sell-out, and this year will be no exception. You might already find it hard to get hold of either the Wine or Prosecco & Bubbly collections, priced at £80 and £130 respectively. With a combination of household names, everyday tipples and special treat mini-bottles for an inspiring Christmas countdown.
£80 / £130 available from John Lewis
Laithwaites Wine and Champagne & Truffle Advent Calendars
Laithwaites wine Advent calendar was a big hit in previous seasons and is now back by popular demand. This year, wine lovers have red-only, white-only and mixed versions available, all priced at £79.99 and inclusive (spoiler alert) of a half-bottle of Champagne tucked in the roof for a special treat on Christmas Eve.
For those wanting an added bit of glamour, the Champagne and Truffle Advent Calendar (£116) combines a selection of bubbles with Holdsworth premium chocolate truffles.
£79.99 / £116 available from Laithwaites
Freixenet 12 Day and 24 Day Advent Calendars
The sparkling producer unveiled two new fizz-filled Advent calendars for the 2021 festive season, each featuring a selection of Freixenet minis (20cl) presenting the brand’s ever-expanding range, including Prosecco, Sparkling Italian Rosé, Cordon Negro Cava and Cordon Rose Cava.
The 12-day version is priced at £75 (available from Slurp). The 24-day selection (£90) is a partnership with Fairtrade chocolate specialists Divine and alternates 12 Divine chocolate bars with Freixenet’s bubbles.
£75 / £90 available from Slurp
Spirits Advent Calendars:
Haysmith’s Gin Advent Calendar
Aldi’s premium botanical gin range is making its debut in Advent calendar form. A total of 24 miniature bottles of the six top Haysmith’s gin flavours lurk behind the doors of this beautiful cracker design.
£69.99 available from Aldi
That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar
That Boutique-y Gin Company and Drinks by the Dram have teamed up to create a lip-smacking Christmas countdown for gin enthusiasts. Inside are 24 different 30ml wax-sealed sample drams of inventive gin from the Boutique-y selection. Discover your new favourite gin this Advent, or if you know a gin fan in need of a brilliant gift, look no further.
£49.95 available from Master of Malt
Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar
A 12-day exploration of the Johnnie Walker range in this collection of 5cl bottles that includes Johnnie Walker’s Blue Label, Black Label, Gold Label Reserve, Double Black, Red Label and 18 Year Old whiskies.
£46.95 available from The Whisky Exchange
The Vodka Explorer Advent Calendar
Discover vodkas from around the world as you countdown to Christmas, one tipple at a time. Behind each door you’ll find a different vodka, from all-time classics to flavoured expressions. This is one of three calendars in the Drinks by the Dram Explorer collection, which also includes Gin and Whisky versions.
£99.95 available from Master of Malt
The Japanese Whisky Advent Calendar
Drinks by the Dram’s Christmas range has become iconic in itself, with an impressive number of different Advent calendars focused on even the most specific of spirits categories. Among them is this beautifully packaged Japanese Whisky collection, perfect to both lovers of Nipponic spirits or neophytes wanting to discover what the fuss is all about.
It’s also worth checking out some of the other calendars in the range for those who are seriously into their spirits. Highlights include the Rum collection (£149.95) or the The Old and Rare Whisky collection (a whpoping £999.95).
£199.95 available from Drinks by the Dram
Make your own
Another good, and sustainable, option is to make your own reusable and multi-purpose Advent calendar, filled with your own selection of favourite tipples. There are multiple tree-shaped structures available online which can be re-stocked next year.
