“Is that a Bombay Sapphire miniature in your 100mls bag?” my friends asked incredulously as we stood in line at airport security earlier this year.
Yes, there it was, stuffed in amongst my toiletries and makeup to perk up the upcoming flight without paying through the nose at the on-board food and drinks trolley.
I’d saved this double-serving miniature after finding it in an advent calendar I opened last Christmas. My point? Advent treasures continue to pay off, long after December is done and dusted.
Alongside beauty advent calendars, boozy advent calendars have long become the hit of the festive season.
While those cheap and cheerful chocolate-filled boxes will always have a place in my heart, it’s the ones filled with grown-up treats that I’m most excited to tear into. Because make no mistake, come December, I’m fully adhering to the seasonal directive of eat, drink and be merry.
And what a merry selection there is to choose from in 2025. Whatever your tipple, there is an advent calendar packed with alcohol to quench that thirst.
You can find mystery boxes of sparkling vino, options that cover the menu of red, white and rose wine, and craft beer. Narrow it down by spirit if you like: gin, whisky, rum and even tequila are all on offer these days, ready to snap up for home delivery.
Prefer a cocktail? Some advent calendars come with a full mixology kit, packed with drinks, garnishes and recipe guides to have you mixing, swirling and shaking like a pro.
Anyway, enough preamble. Let’s get to the good stuff. Below, I’ve listed the best boozy advent calendars worth your attention. I’ve chosen options for every price and every palate, so you’ll find something appetising, no matter your usual bar order.
It’s never too early to get a head start on the most wonderful time of the year
Shop the best alcohol advent calendars below
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The Whisky Exchange Spirits Advent Calendar
An absolute gem for liquor lovers, this advent calendar brings the very best drinks from across the planet to your door this Christmas.
The green and gold book design flips over to reveal 24 perfectly portioned miniatures, covering everything from richly flavoured whisky to artisan spirits from around the globe. When Christmas Day dawns, you’ll find a very special 25th bottle to mark the big day.
Packed to the brim with exclusive bottlings, craft spirits and some of the brightest names in biz, this epic calendar makes an extra luxurious treat to sink into before Christmas kicks off. We suggest enjoying your daily surprise in the evening; morning tastings may not go down well at the office!
Buy now £110.00, The Whisky Exchange
Virgin Wines The Wine Advent Calendar
All you want for Christmas is... a miniature bottle of vino to enjoy every evening? Virgin Wines plays Santa with its grape-themed advent calendar decorated with a festive street illustration, in which you will find everything from Argentinian Malbec to Italian Pinot Grigio and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
In all, there are 24 x 187ml bottles in the mix, plus a special 25th limited edition bottle for Christmas Day, which is suitably full-sized.
If you prefer an all-red or all-white selection, they're both available at the same price.
Buy now £99.99, Virgin Wines
John Lewis Wine & Fizz Advent Calendar
The UK sparkles in December, whether that's the Christmas lights or the tinsel glinting on your tree - so why should your advent be any different? For those embracing the most wonderful time of the year, this wine and fizz-filled advent will tickle your fancy. There are 24 bottles to work your way through here, half of which are sparkling.
A merry Christmas? Guaranteed.
Buy now £120.00, John Lewis
John Lewis Wine Advent Calendar, 24x 20cl
Ho, ho, ho? More lie glug, glug, glug if you bag this advent calendar, full of mini wine bottles selected by the team over at John Lewis. The 24-strong selection means you can enjoy a serve every December Day until the 25th.
Buy now £100.00, John Lewis
Drinks by the Dram Old & Rare Whisky Advent Calendar (2025 Edition)
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Looking for an extra special advent countdown this year? If you’re prepared to fork out, then this epic advent calendar won’t fail to hit the sweet spot. It not only features a stylish design, but it holds some of the most exclusive, elusive and high-quality whiskies on the planet.
Sit down to sip on something new every day until December 25 (with the included Glencairn tasting glass, no less) with 24 x 30ml drams from some of the most revered distilleries on Earth.
Buy now £799.95, Master of Malt
Whisky Advent Calendar (2025 Edition)
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A supreme gift for a whisky lover, this advent brings light and excitement to dark December days. There are 25 miniatures inside, each spanning different styles and origins, with no two repeated so you’ll always get a taste of something new. The oldest is 18 years, which means you’ll really enjoy bang for your buck.
Buy now £99.95, Master of Malt
Drinks by the Dram Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar (2025 Edition)
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A bonnie option for your favourite Scotch whisky aficionado, Drinks by the Dram has made this advent calendar for those who love spirits crafted northwards of Hadrian’s Wall.
As with the other calendars in the brand’s series, this too offers 24 x 30 bottles sealed with wax. You’ll spot familiar names like Johnnie Walker, Jura and Dalmore, but a few curveballs in the fray there too.
Buy now £134.95, Master of Malt
Drinks by the Dram World Whisky Advent Calendar (2025 Edition)
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Though purists would argue that Scottish whisky is the OG, the spirit has been embraced the world over. This constellation-patterned advent offers a global perspective on the drink, presenting 24 x 30ml wax-sealed drams in advent calendar form. Prepare to explore booze from every corner of the globe.
Dispatched from September 17.
Buy now £134.95, Master of Malt
The Perfect Measure 25 Whiskies of the World Advent Calendar
From The Whisky Exchange comes this 25-window calendar that allows you to taste the world via whisky from the comfort of your armchair. Inside expect to find dinky glass thimbles filled with everything from single malt Scotch, American bourbon, rye whiskey and more.
Best of all, if you intend to give this as a gift, the intricate packaging means you needn't bother with wrapping paper at all.
It’s currently £20 cheaper than the 2024 version, so grab it while you can.
Buy now £110.00, The Whisky Exchange
That Boutique-y Whisky Company Advent Calendar
There’s no danger of your glass running dry this December, not if you get stuck into That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s advent calendar. The jovial box adds to the excitement, showing whisky elves preparing for the festivities. Behind each of the 24 windows is a 30ml sample dram siphoned from some of the world’s finest, specialist distillers.
Delivery from mid-September.
Buy now £134.95, Master of Malt
Drinks by the Dram Sherry Cask Whisky Advent Calendar 2025
When better than December to warm your cockles? Sit down with the calendar each night from December 1 to enjoy a new sherry cask miniature dram. The wax-sealed 30ml bottles contain just enough to give you a taste and put in a last-minute request for a full-sized bottle of your favourite.
Buy now £134.95, Master of Malt
Abode Home & Gifts Luxury Whisky Advent Calendar
Want to knock their socks clean off? This luxury calendar is bound to leave them awestruck, if not first for the decorated wooden cabinet then surely with the 25 bottles of 50ml drams housed within. The selection comprises single malts, single grains and blended expressions to cover the breadth of the spirit and help you detect the differences between each one.
Buy now £299.95, NOTHS
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky Liqueur Advent Calendar
Cinnamon whiskey feels fitting for winter, warming you from the inside out. Fireball is one of the best-known brands, and if you or someone you know is a fan, this calendar will be right up your street. Inside there are 20 miniature bottles of the firewater, plus four gifts to keep things interesting. We'll have ours in a hot toddy or adult hot chocolate complete with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Buy now £23.16, Amazon
John Lewis The Great British Exchange Advent Calendar
This alcohol-inclusive advent offers gin and so much more. Filled with proudly independent brands, the miniatures span everything from cask whisky and honey-infused tequila to vodka and flavoured gins.
Fan of the Isle of Wight's Mermaid Gin? This calendar contains four miniatures housed in their distinctive scaled glass bottles shrunken down to an adorable pocket size. Just the thing to warm your cockles when Jack Frost makes an appearance.
Buy now £140.00, John Lewis
Virgin Wines Gin Advent Calendar 2025
Virgin Wines may be better known for its fermented grape-packed advent, but such is its popularity that the brand has made up other versions. Good job too, because this gin calendar has us beside ourselves with excitement for December 1.
Housed in a festive box, the boutique craft gin selection is made to put you in the jolliest of spirits all the way up to Christmas Day.
It’s available to pre-order now with a deposit of only £10 and delivery from November.
Buy now £99.99, Virgin Wines
That Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar (2025 Edition)
Fans of the juniper-spiked spirit will adore this advent calendar from booze specialist That Boutique-y Gin Company made in partnership with Drinks by the Dram.
Now a festive fixture on all boozy advent calendar line-ups, the 2024 edition serves up 24 wax-sealed 30ml miniatures of the good stuff. Last year shoppers enjoyed flavours like smoked rosemary, a curious neroli and a squeezed yuzu, and all signs point to the same again this year.
Pre-orders are open now. Bottoms up!
Buy now £59.95, Master of Malt
The Bottle Club Premium Pink Gin Advent Calendar
If the answer to the question “what’s better than gin?” is “pink gin”, That’s The Spirit’s advent calendar is the one to tickle you this Christmas. The 12-day compilation contains a variety of flavoured gins that all share that alluring rosy hue. There’s everything from fan-favourite strawberry and rose notes to the more unexpected bubblegum to sip through.
Buy now £44.99, The Bottle Club
Threshers Vodka Advent Calendar
Mark the end of every December day before the 25th with a vodka miniature. This calendar holds 24 premium varieties with plenty of flavours and festive specials in the mix, including salted caramel and Christmas spices. Just add your favourite mixers to enjoy.
Buy now £90.00, Threshers
Virgin Wines Beer Advent Calendar 2025
Miniatures are cute and all, but if you're the sort of person who winds up feeling short-changed by small measures, we've found the best boozy calendar for you. This Virgin Wines Beer advent contains 24 full-size cans with home-grown options plus drinks from further afield. Enjoy IPAs, lagers and a few curveballs, including one beer that tastes like a strawberry sundae.
Buy now £79.99, Virgin Wines
John Lewis Beer & Snacks Advent Calendar
After a long year, haven't you earned a good sit down, cold drink and a packet of something delicious? For the beer lover in your life, this advent calendar is bound to go down a storm. The hefty box (it weighs 9kg) holds 14 bottles of beer, ranging from lager and pilsner to IPA, plus 10 snacks to enjoy with them.
Buy now £85.00, John Lewis
The Spirit Co Cognac Advent Calendar
A tasty way to warm the cockles of cognac fans, this calendar from The Spirit Co., based in County Durham, comes in a popular book-style format. Inside, you'll find 24 x 30m bottles of the good stuff, ready to take you on a flavour journey through France's revered cognac country.
Buy now £199.99, NOTHS
