We've been telling you about boozy advent calendars for the last two years - starting with the day I discovered the ginvent calendar in my gifts for gin fans guide - and they are probably the most popular thing I've ever written about.
Well OF COURSE THEY ARE - they're very grownup advent calendars filled with gin, whisky, tequila, rum and more - and for 2015 the ginvent and booze advent calendar selection has got EVEN BETTER! Oh thank you, Drinks by the Dram, thank you forever.
Here's my guide to the best boozy advent calendars of 2015:
GIN
1. The ginvent calendar 2015, £114.95 from Firebox, Master of Malt and various retailers.
24 windows, each hiding a 3cl bottle of gin, from craft gin to old favourites, as well as some rare gin and even brand new ones! No matter how well you think you know gin, there's bound to be something in the ginvent calendar that surprises you. Epic.
2. The Botanical Ginvent Calendar 2015, £124.95 from Master of Malt and The Gin Foundry
If for some bizarre reason you're bored of the ginvent calendar, you can shake it up a bit with this geeky gin gift instead. This calendar teaches you about 24 of the common botanicals used in gin - every day you get a different botanical infused in the good stuff so you can really taste how it influences a gin. You'll be super gin smart by Christmas.
WHISKY
3. The Whisky Advent Calendar 2015, £149.95 from Master of Malt and Firebox
Some of our older readers will remember our resident whisky fanatic Hugo bought the whisky advent calendar last year and reviewed all of the bottles for us. Although his whisky collection and knowledge is already MASSIVE, even he discovered new favourite drams, found a couple of clangers and got to try some amazing, hard-to-find stuff. So, so worth it.
4. NEW: The Bourbon Advent Calendar, £139.95 from Master of Malt
Oh yes, they went there. You American whiskey fans are in for an absolute treat - this calendar has a range of names, from the best and most popular premium brands to some much rarer and lesser-known finds. The bourbons featured go up to £270 per bottle!
5. The Premium Whisky Advent Calendar, £249.95
If you want to splash out and take a step up from the regular calendar, you can spend an extra £100 and get this one instead, which has some top names and even has whisky worth £500 per bottle!
6. NEW: The Old and Rare Whisky Advent Calendar, £999.95
OKAY. SOMEONE TAKE MY PURSE. I MUST RESIST.
I honestly take my hat off to anyone who has the passion (and the pounds) to go all out and get this one. I doubt very much you'd be disappointed - there's samples from whisky worth a whopping £2000 in here and some of the oldest whisky IN THE WORLD. Let me be the devil on your shoulder here: you only live once...
VODKA
7. The Vodka Advent Calendar 2015, £99.95 (and £99.99 at Firebox)
I like that Drinks by the Dram have put vodka in the spotlight - it's such an under-appreciated spirit. If you've tried the ginvent before, maybe this is the year to branch out and discover some incredible craft vodkas - and there's some super-delicious sounding flavoured ones too.
8. NEW: The Naga Chilli Vodka Escalation Advent Calendar, £99.95
OH HELL YES.
An advent calendar which comes with a serious health warning - that's what I'm talking about. Except obviously I'm not buying it because I'm the kind of person that thinks going for a tikka masala instead of my usual korma is 'living dangerously'.
Seriously, though, this calendar gives you hotter vodka every single day, until on the 24th you get a bottle that's 240,000 scovilles! That's BLOODY HOT.
RUM
9. The Rum Advent Calendar 2015, £149.95 (and £149.99 at Firebox)
I think if my other half could pick a calendar, it would be this one. It's got a huge range of rums to try - going up to a whopping £380 per bottle - and frankly it's the best advent calendar for getting yourself into the Christmas spirit.
BRANDY
10. NEW: The Armagnac Advent Calendar, £149.95
Oh yes, the guys at Drinks at the Dram went there, and you can turn your geekdom up to an 11 and try 24 different Armagnac brandies. What a perfect opportunity to learn more about this under-rated spirit and explore everything it has to offer.
11. The Cognac Advent Calendar, £149.95
Heck. Yeah. Explore the cognac region in style and have 24 amazing after-dinner experiences (cigars not provided...) And there's brandies worth up to £420.
EVEN GEEKIER SPIRITS ADVENT CALENDARS
12. The Tequila Advent Calendar, £149.95
This was a new release last year and it really is a spirits geek's dream. I'm actually sorely tempted by this one because tequila's something I've read about more and more in the last couple of years - and I think in just a few years people will be getting almost as geeky over premium and artisan tequila brands as they do gin and vodka. I'm looking at it as an opportunity to get ahead of the curve.
13. NEW: The Mezcal Advent Calendar, £149.95
Possibly the most hipster spirit of 2015, Mezcal has gained a cult following for its smoky, complex taste and alluring outside-the-box-ness. One of the most talked about drinks of the entire industry, and now you can try a whole 24 of them and really get to grips with this trendy little beast. I'm guessing you'll soon realise it's way more than just a fad.
14. NEW: The Absinthe Advent Calendar, £134.95
IT'S HAPPENED. The ultimate in hardcore spirits now has its very own advent calendar, and it looks absolutely epic.
December's just going to be one long blur...
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