We love everything about the festive season here at Yours, and Advent calendars are without doubt the best way to look forward to Christmas. From chocolate Advent calendars for children, to enjoying more sophisticated offerings as adults - such as the best beauty Advent calendars - there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Advent calendars have come long way from the picture versions we had in childhood. Nowadays it seems pretty much anything can be used to countdown to Christmas, from stationery Advent calendars to Advent calendars for pets... and why not! But if jam, chocolate or even cheese isn't your thing, why not consider one of the best alcohol Advent calendars?
Best alcohol Advent calendars
Whether you like beer, wine, gin or whisky, the chances are there's an Advent calendar out there to whet your appetite. You might like to drink your Advent offering on the same day, or you might like to build a collection to enjoy at a later date. Either way, we've got you covered with a great selection that we've tested.
Best alcohol Advent calendars
This mixed wine Advent calendar from Virgin Wines makes a great gift. Also available as red or white, the mixed one we tested contains 24 mini bottles of wine, plus one full sized.
Reviewed by senior writer Becky Fuller: This wine Advent calendar was well packaged in a strong cardboard box, which is just as well as it's heavy! The calendar itself is also strong card, and stands well.
I was expecting just 24 mini bottles of wine, so I was delighted to find a full-sized bottle for Christmas Day, as well as a mini bottle of Prosecco for Christmas Eve!
I feel this calendar would make a really lovely gift for someone who loves exploring different wines. The variety is huge - from Merlot's to Pinot Grigio's and everything in between. There were some I knew but many I didn't, and it's been really interesting and enjoyable to try wines from regions I've never heard of.
If you go on the website you can see all the wines included, and learn more about them such as where they're from and when the wine will be at its best.
| What's included | 25 wines including: Black Pig Shiraz, Prosecco, Black Pig Merlot, Reserve Carmenere, Pinot Grigio, Josè Rose, Colombard Gros Manseng, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Torbillon Malbec, Vitalita Sangiovese, white zinfandel, Grenache blanc, Verdeo sauvignon, L'Artisan grenache, cabernet sauvignon, blanca alvarinho, sabio carignan, sauvignon blanc, vitalita famoso, shiraz, pino grigio, merlot |
If gin is your go-to drink, you'll find plenty of new and exciting flavours to try from the world's very best craft gin distilleries.
Reviewed by Yours Commercial Content Writer Arabella Horspool: Containing 25, 50ml bottles of gin from well-known brands such as Salcombe, Warner's, Manchester Gin, Tarquin's and Wabi Sabi Gin, this Craft Gin Advent Calendar is a treat for cocktail drinkers - just add your favourite mixer or tonic and you're good to go (the company have even created The Perfect Advent Pairings Bundle to compliment the drinks)!
Each bottle contains double-measures, and I love that there are 5 mystery gins to discover and plenty of festive flavours including Tarquin's Christmas Cake, Manchester Under The Tree Gin and Batch Distillery Orange and Cranberry Gin. Plus, all of the gins are from small, independent distilleries.
My only qualm is that the packaging isn't very secure, so all of the gins fell to the bottom of the box during delivery, however, they all remained intact, so the glass is very durable!
| What's included: | Tarquin's Christmas Cake Gin, Shetland Reel Wild Fire Gin, Forged Spirits Winter Gin, Four Feathers Sloe Gin, Brindle Distillery Cuckoo Cask Aged Spiced Gin, Salcombe Start Point The Azores Edition, Warner's Distillery Spiced Blackberry Gin, Distillery 3 Lacs Lemon Sunflower Gin, Roundwood Fireside Gin, Gin Provincia Andes Dry Gin, Manchester Under The Tree Gin, Ludlow Distillery Ludlow No. 3 Spiced Gin, North Uist Distillery Downpour Scottish Dry Gin, Wabi Sabi Gin Sakura Gin, Gin 1689 Dutch Pink Gin, Café del Mar Spirits Café del Mar Gin, Whatahoot Signature Dry Gin, York Gin Spiced Apple Gin, Batch Distillery Orange and Cranberry Gin, Sibling Distillery Festive Dry Gin and 5 mystery gins |
This 12-door Advent calendar is perfect for any craft beer lovers. All beers come from a selection of independent British breweries and feature both classic lagers and some with a more modern twist.
Reviewed by senior writer Becky Fuller (and her Dad!): The British Beer Advent calendar arrived in an enormous sturdy box, which is just as well as it's heavy! The actual calendar itself is a really unique shape, made of sturdy card, and stands nicely. It contains 12 different beers.
I don't know too much about beer (other than I like it), but my Dad really loves trying different craft beers, so we took a look at the contents together. He was most excited by the cappuccino stout, from Titanic Brewery, and I had to agree that it was a really interesting taste. I loved the AM
Dad was really impressed by the range, and the fact that it's all from independent breweries means we can then support these companies in the future by buying the products we loved best.
| What's included: | Beers from the following British breweries: Williams Bros, Alloa<br>Bay's Brewery, Devon, Thornbridge, Derbyshire, Portobello, London, Bradfield Brewery, South Yorkshire, Harviestoun, Scotland, Freedom, Staffordshire, Beartown Brewery, Cheshire, Harbour Brewing, Devon<br>Titanic Brewery, Staffordshire, Redchurch Brewery, Essex, Saltaire, Yorkshire, Spey Valley, Scotland, Gower Brewery, South Wales, Windsor & Eton, London |
The perfect Christmas gift for a whisky connoisseur, this whisky Advent calendar from Drinks by the Dram contains 25 wax sealed miniatures.
Reviewed by senior writer Becky Fuller: The whisky Advent calendar came in a robust box and wrapped in plenty of bubble wrap, ensuring it was in perfect condition. The box itself is sturdy, and stands well. It's a lovely burgundy colour. There are 25 doors, all with a whisky miniature behind each.
I haven't sampled all of them yet - I wouldn't be writing this if I had! But I've really enjoyed the distinct, smooth taste from the different sherry cask whiskies. I loved the Oak and Apple Wood aged whisky, while my partner enjoyed the Talker 10 year old the best.
All the whisky included are real quality - reflected in the price point - but well worth it if whisky is your thing.
| What's included: | 25 wax-sealed sherry cask whisky miniatures, including: Balblair 15 Year Old 3cl Sample, Black Bottle 3cl Sample, Black Bottle Captain's Cask - Alchemy Series 3cl Sample, Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Old 3cl Sample, Caol Ila 12 Year Old 3cl Sample, Fielden Rye Whisky 3cl Sample, Glen Grant 18 Year Old Rare Edition 3cl Sample, Glen Scotia Double Cask 3cl Sample, Highland Park 18 Year Old - Viking Pride 3cl Sample, Lagavulin 8 Year Old 3cl Sample, Loch Lomond 12 Year Old 3cl Sample, Lochlea Our Barley 3cl Sample, Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 3cl Sample, Old Pulteney 15 Year Old 3cl Sample, Paul John Bold 3cl Sample, Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength - Batch B1/23 3cl Sample, Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old 3cl Sample, Talisker 10 Year Old 3cl Sample, Talisker Port Ruighe 3cl Sample, Talisker Storm 3cl Sample, The Antiquary 21 Year Old - Port Casks 3cl Sample, The Sexton Single Malt 3cl Sample, Whisky Works King of Trees 10 Year Old 3cl Sample, Whisky Works Quartermaster 11 Year Old 3cl Sample, Widow Jane Rye Mash - Oak &amp; Apple Wood Aged (Batch 59) 3cl Sample. |
Complete with spirits and mixers, this Fever-Tree Spirit Advent Calendar takes the fuss out out of cocktail-making. and leaves you with delicious-tasting drinks.
Reviewed by Yours Commercial Content Writer Arabella Horspool: This Fever-Tree Calendar feels very luxurious. Upon opening it, the numbers are in numerical order, which makes them easy to locate. After opening a premium spirit one day, you'll find a matching Fever-Tree Mixer for the perfect pairing, which is brilliant for discovering new combinations you may not have tried before.
There's a wide selection of spirits, from gin and rum to tequila and vodka. That being said, there are only 12 days, but the fact that you get everything you need to make 6 cocktails more than makes up for this - after all you're unlikely to drink one a day, right?
| What's included: | Refreshingly Light Mediterranean Tonic Water, Refreshingly Light Ginger Ale: Carbonated Spring Water, Italian Blood Orange Soda, Mexican Lime Soda, Refreshingly Light Ginger Beer, Refreshingly Light Madagascan Cola, Tarquin's Rhubarb and Raspberry Gin, The Duppy White Jamaican Rum, Masons of Yorkshire Classic Vodka, VIVIR Tequila Blanco, Duppy Share Spiced Caribbean Rum, Sipsmith London Zesty Orange Gin |
A mix of alcohol-free lagers, stouts, porters and IPA's, plus a glass, this alcohol-free beer Advent calendar from Dry Drinker is the perfect gift either for those looking to lessen their alcohol intake over the festive season, or those interested in craft brewing.
Reviewed by senior writer Becky Fuller: I am really impressed with this alcohol-free Advent calendar from Dry Drinker. First, I love the design, with doors on the side and the top. It's a small, fun quirk that I really enjoyed - there's that child-like element of looking for the different numbered doors each day that makes it fun.
Then there's the fact that this Advent calendar has a 'day 0', a door that contains a Dry Drinker beer glass for all your goodies, plus a small bar of Firetree chocolate (very lovely, very much appreciated).
Finally, the beers themselves. They all range from 0.0% to 0.5% alcohol, so perfect for those wanting to enjoy beer without the effects of alcohol. I have absolutely no experience of alcohol-free beer, but I do enjoy a lager on occasion.
I've really enjoyed trying the different beers on offer with this calendar, because I can try them without worrying about the alcohol content. No sore head to worry about, no having to work out whether or not I'll be safe to drive later on, just a real enjoyment of the taste of each drink.
It's safe to say this Dry Drinker calendar has opened my eyes to a whole new appreciation and enjoyment of beer. My particular favorites have been the No Worries grapefruit beer (tastes like beer with added Lilt!), the Brewdog Elvis AF grapefruit infused beer (I love Elvis and grapefruit so win-win), and the Estrella Galica.
I've held off ordering non-alcohol beer when out, as I'm not sure of the taste, but this calendar has shown me that it's hugely enjoyable and will encourage me to try more brands when out and about.
Best cider Advent Calendar
Sandford Orchardswww.sandfordorchards.co.uk
Bring in the festive season with this scrumptious Sandford Orchards Cider Advent Calendar.
Reviewed by Yours Commercial Content Writer Arabella Horspool: Behind each door, you'll find either a full-sized bottle or can of Sandford Orchards cider. There's some great variety in here, from their bestselling flavours to fun surprises, there's plenty to get your taste buds going. My personal favourite was blackcurrant as it was refreshing and not overly sweet like some fruit-flavoured drinks can be.
There are 24 ciders in total, so you could save them to enjoy throughout the year, or you can open a couple and share a drink with friends or family.
| What's included: | 24 bottles and cans of cider |
Alcohol Advent calendar FAQ's
Are alcohol Advent calendars expensive?
Alcohol Advent calendars aren't cheap, because of the value of their contents. But that said, the ones we've tested above do offer great value for money. The Virgin Wines calendar, for example, retails at £89.99 but if you were to buy 24 mini bottles of wine plus a full size bottle individually, it would add up to far more.
How to make an alcohol Advent calendar?
Making your own alcohol Advent calendar is a great option if you would like a wider variety of drinks, or you want to give a festive gift to someone you know likes certain spirits, wines or even brands of alcohol. You can invest in multiple different miniatures, or individual beers, then either wrap these and number them, or buy or make an Advent calendar to hold them all. Hobbycraft have a great range of DIY Advent calendars to choose from.