The best drinks advent calendars: wine, beer and gin

Chocolate advent calendars are lovely, but there comes a point in life when a tiny, waxy Santa doesn’t quite cut it. Enter the grown-up version. A wine advent calendar, a box of 24 craft beers or a gin for every day of December turns the countdown to Christmas into something to look forward to after work. The catch? The best ones sell out well before December, so if you’re tempted, now is the time to choose.

Why drinks advent calendars are worth it

A drinks advent calendar is really a tasting kit in disguise. Instead of buying full bottles of things you might not like, you get small measures of lots of different styles. By Christmas Eve you’ll know far more about what you enjoy, and you’ll have a list of favourites to buy in full.

They also make brilliant gifts. One box covers the whole of December, it looks impressive when it’s opened, and it shows a bit of thought. Just remember they need to arrive before the first of December, so they’re a present to give early.

The best wine advent calendar

The Virgin Wines Mixed Wine Advent Calendar is our top pick. Behind each door is a miniature bottle of wine, with 24 in all, plus a full-size bottle to enjoy over the festive season. You’ll work through reds, whites and more, which makes it a great way to try grapes and regions you wouldn’t usually pick off the shelf.

It suits curious drinkers best: the sort of person who always asks “what’s this one?” at a dinner party. Keep a little notebook beside it and jot down the ones you love. Come January, you’ll have a ready-made shopping list.

The best beer advent calendar

For beer fans, the BrewDog Beer Advent Calendar packs 24 craft beer cans into one box. Expect a mix of hoppy IPAs, easy-going lagers and darker, richer beers as you get closer to Christmas. It’s a fun way to work through a brewery’s range, and it makes a cracking present for anyone who loves trying new beers.

Cans are bigger than wine minis, so this is one to pace sensibly. There’s no rule that says you must open a door every single day; saving a couple for the weekend is perfectly allowed.

The best gin advent calendar

The That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar has 24 different gins, one for each day. Boutique-y is known for playful, small-batch gins with colourful labels, so this is less about classic London Dry and more about discovering unusual botanicals and flavours.

Keep a few bottles of tonic and some lemons and limes in the fridge, and you’ve got a different gin and tonic every evening. It’s a lovely gift for a gin lover who thinks they’ve tried everything.

Mini gift packs: an alternative to a wine advent calendar

If the calendars have sold out, or you want something smaller, a mini gift pack gives you the same “try a little of lots” fun.

The Graham’s Mini Port Selection has five small bottles of different port styles, which is perfect for working out if you’re more of a ruby or a tawny person. The Cockburn’s Classic Port Selection is a smaller three-bottle pack that’s ideal for a stocking. For fizz, the Codorníu Organic Cava 3 x 20cl gives you three single-serve bottles of bubbles, and Canti Prosecco baby bottles do the same for Prosecco fans.

Beer lovers who missed out on the calendar might like the Hobsons Craft Beer Gift Set instead: six bottles from a Shropshire brewery in a gift-ready box.

How to enjoy a drinks advent calendar sensibly

Advent calendars are about small treats, not big nights. A wine mini is usually a single small glass, and that’s the idea: a taste, not a session. A few simple habits help:

• Read the label. Strengths vary, especially with gin and stronger beers.
• Skip a day if you like. Doubling up on Saturday is better than feeling you have to drink every night.
• Share it. Calendars are more fun with a partner or housemate, and you get to compare notes.

The UK Chief Medical Officers advise drinking no more than 14 units a week, spread over several days. Drinkaware has a handy unit calculator if you’re not sure how your daily door adds up.

When to buy your advent calendar

Drinks advent calendars are made in limited numbers and the popular ones often sell out by mid to late November. Order in early November if you can, and certainly no later than the last week of the month, so it arrives in time for 1 December.

Once you’ve got the calendar sorted, our guide to wine gifts has plenty of ideas for the rest of your Christmas list, and our Christmas wine guide covers what to pour on the big day itself. You can see all three calendars together on our advent calendars page.

FAQs

What is in a wine advent calendar?

Usually 24 miniature bottles of different wines, one for each day of December. The Virgin Wines calendar also includes a full-size bottle.

How big are the bottles in a wine advent calendar?

They’re miniatures, typically around a small glass each. Check the box for the exact size and strength.

When should I buy a beer advent calendar?

In early November if possible. Popular calendars often sell out before December, and they need to arrive by the first of the month.

Is a gin advent calendar a good gift?

Yes. With 24 different gins it’s ideal for gin lovers who like to try new flavours, and it lasts the whole of December.