Drinks by the Dram boozy advent calendars – the beautiful, the bold, and the bloody expensive

We’ve hit November, which means it’s officially ok for me to start talking about Christmas! 

And Christmas time means boozy present talk.

I almost feel that these near legendary calendars don’t need an introduction – most people I know have already got one on their Santa list. Yes that’s right, it’s Drinks by the Dram advent calendar time. 

For those of you who don't know... For the 24 days leading up to Christmas, instead of a tiny chocolate treat, you get a delicious 30ml dram of delicious booze to enjoy.

These babies just keep getting better every year. For 2019, there are around 40 different calendars available – one for every kind of booze lover. Although some have already sold out, so you'd better get in quick.

For the fourth year, those crazy folk at Drinks by the Dram have a Very Old & Rare whisky advent calendar for, wait for it, £9,999.95. While that may be beyond the reach of most of us, boy does it sound incredible. Highlights include a Glenfarclas 60 year old (cask 1672), Yamazaki Sherry 2012, and a Glenrothes 1968 (bottled 2018). If you’re not a fan of surprises, you can have a look at the full list here, and be incredibly envious. I was assured it sells out every year...

And it won't look out of place on your mantlepiece. Each calendar comes in a bespoke wooden box handcrafted by a cabinet-maker. It's available in a walnut or Macassar ebony finish. 

If your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, there’s the Old & Rare Whisky Advent calendar for £999.95.

More realistic still, there's the universally loved Gin advent calendar for £124.95, or Whisky advent calendar for £149.95. Or a whole host of whisk(e)y, bourbon, tequila, rum, vodka, cognac, absinthe, mezcal and armagnac options, depending on your tipple of choice.

Indecisive or just love everything? Build your own.

There’s even an escalating heat naga chilli vodka calendar, £99.95, for those brave/stupid souls out there. Did someone say 240,000 Scovilles? Yummy...

That Boutique-y Whisky Company

And in great mash-up news, the folks from That Boutique-y Whisky Company have teamed up with the folks from Drinks by the Dram to bring joy to the world, in calendar form. You get a different 30ml wax-sealed dram of independently bottled whisky from That Boutique-y Whisky Company's collection to open every day. This calendar features the likes of a Cambus 28 year old, Ben Nevis 21 year old and mystery Islay #3 13 year old.

I've got our hands on the That Boutique-y Whisky Company 2019 calendar, so expect a dram a day update from me with reviews of what I'm drinking... I'll probably save it for the evening though. As great as a December breakfast dram sounds, it probably won't make for a particularly productive day.