The Best Drinks Advent Calendars for 2022

It's November and that means one thing… Christmas is a common feature on all the shelves with piles of baubles here and boxes of shimmering tinsel there. It also means that this year’s round of drinks advent calendars are being released! Woo-hoo!

The countdown to Christmas is on, and what better way to enjoy it than by opening a boozy treat each day? If you’re a bah humbug then it makes the countdown enjoyable, and if you’re already a Christmas convert then it makes it even better! They’re getting more and more creative every year with options a-plenty, and we’ve got something for everyone with our handy guide below!

For Fine Spirits drinkers:

The Whisky Exchange Spirits Advent Calendar

Welcome to the ultimate, luxurious treat for a lover of fine spirits. The Whisky Exchange have put together 24 minature bottles of whisky, rum, gin, amaro, calvados and more, all of which are exclusive bottlings, under-the-radar spirits or some of the biggest names in fine booze. Simply stunning and berautifully packaged.
Find here: £150

For Gin drinkers:

Fever-Tree Gin & Tonic Advent Calendar

Most gin drinkers will already be on drinking terms with Fever-Tree and their cracking selection of tonics. This year, their masters of mixology have paired them up with some of the UK’s best-known gin brands like Tanqueray and Hendrick’s, as well as some new kids on the block. Perfect dance partners like Ginger Ale and Ophir’s spicy gin wait behind each door so have fun finding and tasting the pairings as the month rolls on!

Find here: £60

The Premium Edition Gin Advent Calendar

With 24 wax-sealed 30ml samples of gin from around the world hand picked by experts, there’s something for everyone behind each door! From classics to new releases, Tarquin’s Figgy Pudding Gin to Bluecoat’s American Dry, this is a yuletide medley you won’t want to miss!

Find here: £99.95

For Rum drinkers:

Drinks by the Dram – Rum Advent Calendar

There’s something tantalising behind every door for the rum drinkers too, with this Drinks by the Dram calendar. Dark rum, white rum, golden rum, whatever you’ve wished for it’s in here. Try unusual delights like award-winning Discarded Banana Peel Rum and enjoy old familiars such as Plantation’s XO.

Find here: £149.95

For Tequila drinkers:

The Spirit Co – Arriba Tequila Advent Calendar

You will begin a 24-day long journey to enlightenment with this, and how many advent calendars can you say that about? Although they’re 30ml sized bottles, The Spirit Co’s 24 tequila picks are designed for you to taste and discover the subtleties of this Mexican icon. From fresh Blanco, to complex Añejo, you will understand tequila on a whole new level by the time the big day comes.

Find here: £124.95

For Vodka drinkers:

Drinks by the Dram – Vodka Advent Calendar

Vodka is a spirit that can be found being dismissed by some as monotonous. Well, with a new year on the horizon, it’s time to change those misconceptions. These expertly curated tasters are a perfect opportunity to learn about how vodka can vary, and what you’re individually drawn to. Whether it’s drinking crisply smooth originals or subtle berry beauties, every day is a school day and school has never been so fun.

Find here: £99.95

For Whisky drinkers:

Whisky Explorers’ Edition Advent Calendar

Winter whisky warms the soul perfectly over the festive season, and as you prize open each cardboard door, a new whisky awaits. From traditional Irish whiskeys to a new whisky that is actually designed by artificial intelligence(!!), this advent calendar is perfect for someone wanting to dip their toe into the wonderful world of whisky.

Find here: £99.95

Whisky Premium Edition Advent Calendar

If you’re already a card-carrying whisky explorer or know someone that is then this calendar is for those ready to take the step up. Every door is filled with a wax-sealed 30ml dram of top tier whisky, carefully selected by world-famous producers. Aged to perfection, this is a great way of eying up your favourite premium whisky without buying a whole bottle. Pricey sure, but if you can’t treat yourself or others at Christmas time when can you?

Find here: £249.95

For Wine drinkers:

Brixton Wine Club Canned Wine Advent Calendar

This advent calendar is jam packed with Brixton Wine Club’s favourite canned wines from throughout the year, including limited editions and ones that have sold out so it’s a real treat. There are reds, whites, seltzers, bubbles and not only that, but we were happy to see so many up and coming British wines included too!

Find here: £125

Laithwaites Wine Advent Calendar

Every December day is made that bit better by a delicious quarter-bottle of wine waiting for you, isn’t it? All packaged up in a cosy Christmas market scene too, so it makes a wonderful festive addition to your home. We won’t spoil it for you but there also may or may not be a special treat on Christmas Eve too ;)

Find here: £69.99

For Cocktail drinkers:

NIO 12-day Advent Cocktail Box

This is the perfect advent for sharing because you can reveal cocktails two at a time over 12 days, so don’t worry you do still get your 24 drinks! And you even get a garnish too, so you can really indulge in the authentic cocktail experience. The calendar houses a very alluring cocktail hall of fame, with Negroni, Manhattan, Cosmo, Espresso Martini, and Daiquiri to name a few. There’s also sure to be some surprises for you too.

Find here: £115

For Beer drinkers:

Beavertown Craft Beer Advent Calendar

Don’t worry beer guzzlers, there’s something for you to countdown to Christmas as well. Craft beer extraordinaries Beavertown have created a delightfully vibrant advent calendar this year, and a limited-edition version that includes a load of cool gifts too. 6 mini boxes are included so they’re perfect to pop in the fridge, meaning that the only surprise is which beer you get, not that it’s warm!

Find here: £58 / £68 (Limited Edition)

For Cider drinkers:

Lilley’s 2022 Advent Calendar

There are even cider advent calendars these days, and we love the interesting concoctions of Lilley’s. Pear flavoured Bee Sting had picked up plenty of awards for the Somerset company, and the same can be said for their Rhubarb flavour. Also, if you like sweet ciders, then let us tell you that the Mango is a must try. There are 24 full size bottles so it’s good value too, and you can go look up each interesting flavour... or keep it as a Christmas surprise! Scrumptious.

Find here: £66

If you’re still stuck for gift ideas or just fancy looking at what else is out there, check out our other drinking gift ideas and be sure to let us know if you’ve got your eyes on any advent calendars we’ve missed out here.

Words by Calum Ecroyd

The Best Tequilas to Say Olé to National Tequila Day

Did someone say Margaritas? Whether you like your tequila shaken into a lime-drenched cocktail, or sipped straight over a giant ice cube, we’ve got a bottle to suit. Welcome to our round-up of the best tequilas, for drinking on National Tequila Day – July 24th – and all summer long…

El Rayo Plata

Ever tried a T&T – that is, a tequila and tonic? It’s a fun, approachable and fresh way to sip tequila, especially in summer, and El Rayo has been specially designed for it. Created by two childhood friends living in Peckham, it’s made, as all good tequilas are, from 100% blue agave. Expect citrussy, herbaceous and vegetal notes that really lengthen out and come into their own when mixed with a quality tonic.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £34.45

Padre Azul Blanco

Topped with a giant 3D skull, Padre Azul’s bottle is a real bold, love-it-or-hate-it presentation (see also: Crystal Head vodka). But there’s no arguing that this smooth-drinking tequila is crowd-pleasing on the palate, bursting with sweet agave, molasses and pepper. It’s on the pricier side for a blanco, but once you’ve drained the last drop you can repurpose that bottle as a stylish bit of décor, right? Right?

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 38%
Find here: UK £78.62 // US $74.99

Mijenta Blanco

One thing we love about this premium blanco is that it’s made, somewhat unusually, by a female ‘maestra tequilera’, Ana Maria Romero. Her talent shows in the glass – Mijenta has a complex nose and a savoury, spiced and honeyed backbone, with butter and citrus on the palate. The pastel label is a lovely touch – it’s a fresh, stylish take that shows off the modern side of tequila, beyond the tired clichés. As for the perfect serve? We like this poured straight over a giant ice cube and garnished with a wedge of lime. If you want to hear more about Mijenta tequila, tune in to Ep.81 of our Bring a Bottle podcast!

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £54.99 // US $49.99

Tapatio Blanco

Tapatio’s been made the same way since the 1930s, and as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. This traditional-style tequila has a cult following for a reason: its powerful palate sings with classic blanco character, with cooked and raw agave, pepper, earth and citrus, plus a distinct vegetal lilt. If you’re new to drinking tequila you might find Tapatio a little bit full-on to begin with – it’s certainly no shrinking violet – but for fans of the spirit this is pretty much a perfect pour at its price point. Roll on the Margaritas…

Size: UK 500ml // US 1L
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £25.45 // US $74.89

Casamigos Blanco

This is an outstanding tequila. Unlike most blanco tequilas, the piñas used in Casamigos Blanco are roasted for 72 hours before going through an 80 hour fermentation period. This leads to a crisp, clean tequila with unique flavours including hints of citrus, vanilla and sweet agave and a beautifully smooth finish. Try it in a spicy margarita or a mojito for a mouth-wateringly good cocktail!

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £50.00 // US $41.99

Don Julio Añejo

It’s one of the big dogs of the agave world, so we couldn’t have a round up of National Tequila Day sippers without Don Julio. The bottling is an añejo style, which means by law it’s been aged for a minimum of one year in barrel – though, in this case, it’s spent a full 18 months hanging out in new American oak. As you might expect, this aging imparts some of the woody character you might find in a whisky, including vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and honey notes. Serve it neat to do it justice.

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 38%
Find here: UK £52.08 // US $88.90

Herradura Reposado

This was the first reposado – that is, a tequila that has been oak-aged for between two and 12 months – to hit the mainstream market, all the way back in the 1970s. And as its continued presence on shelves will attest, it’s a classic with staying power. Vanilla, oak, pepper and caramel aromas join a rich smoky palate with a heady cinnamon bite. We think that this is just the pour for mixing into richer cocktails, so if you haven’t tried a tequila old fashioned yet, pick up this spirit and get to work.

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £41.95 // US $43.99

VIVIR Reposado

Aged in bourbon barrels for at least six months, this reposado shows off the newer, more contemporary side of tequila-making. It’s not just the minimalist branding, which feels like pure millennial catnip. The flavour profile, too, is super smooth, sweet and subtle – perfect for winning over agave sceptics who might still be reeling from old tequila-shots-at-the-bar memories (we all have ‘em). Like El Rayo, VIVIR is really made for mixing, and they recommend giving it a go with ginger ale.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £37.99 

Storywood Speyside 7 Reposado Tequila

If you love whisky, you’ll love Storywood – this reposado has been aged for 7 months in ex-Speyside casks from Dufftown, imparting a smoky, oaky and honeyed character to the tequila. It’s made with lowland agave, which gives it a bit of a vegetal, herbal profile, perfect for both sipping straight or subbing into whisky-based cocktails. If you’re in an experimentation mood, do as Storywood cheekily suggests and serve it up in a tall glass mixed with Scotland’s (other) national drink, Irn Bru. You’ll never think of tequila the same way again.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £42.45

If you love a tequila cocktail then have a read of The Best Tequila Cocktails, recipes included! If, sipping neat is your preferred way to imbibe then have a look at The World’s Best Sipping Tequilas!

The Best Margarita Variations

Words by Ana Patterson

Today, you are not just learning about cocktails – you are learning about life. You’ll be introduced to a mixture so influential and so great; it can be described as when life truly began.

“But what was it?” we hear you cry

“The collision of matter and anti-matter to create everything in existence?” Nope.

“The formation of H2O?” Not that.

“The primordial soup containing the earliest forms of life?” Wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

The most influential mixture in history was obviously when tequila, lime and Cointreau came together to form the cocktail to reign all cocktails: the magnificent margarita. So come in close, grab a shaker and a healthy amount of ice and let’s explore some brilliant margarita variations, from the classic to the experimental!

Classic Margarita

You know what they say, you can’t go wrong with a classic – especially when it comes to cocktails. The classic margarita is a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and punchy - a summer favourite but perfect for any time of the year. Often, margaritas are served with a salted rim, though this can take away from the lip smacking flavours of the tequila, so try it without! Here’s a classic recipe, which you should 100% commit to memory:

Ingredients

50ml blanco tequila
25ml fresh lime juice
25ml Cointreau
lime wedge for garnish 

Method
Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake for about 30 seconds until chilled. Strain everything into a margarita glass. Add plenty of ice and garnish with a wedge of lime.

Spicy Margarita

This is the cocktail. However hard you try, once you’ve had a Picante, no margarita will ever taste the same again. Spicy, sweet with a WHOOSH of reposado tequila – this delight is a Tommy’s margarita with the addition of chili. Knocking up a few of these will guarantee a great night in.

Ingredients

 50ml reposado tequila
25ml fresh lime juice
20ml agave nectar
2 slices of chili to muddle
slices of chili to garnish

Method
Add the chili slices to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add the rest of the ingredients along with some ice and shake for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over large ice cubes and garnish with the chili slices.

Hibiscus Margarita

If you love a pretty cocktail, you’ll love the hibiscus margarita. The vibrant magenta of the hibiscus syrup is a brilliant contrast with the lime wheel, and it tastes great too! Though it might seem a little exotic, you can get your hands on hibiscus syrup pretty easily – so pick some up and try it!

Ingredients

50ml blanco tequila
25ml fresh lime juice
25ml Cointreau
25ml hibiscus syrup (we like Monin)
lime wheel for the garnish 

Method
Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a margarita glass and garnish with a lime wheel. Enjoy!

Blood Orange Margarita

As we know, the margarita is all about tang – but what about some bitterness? This blood orange margarita is not only beautiful to look at, but the blood orange juice works brilliantly against the tequila and makes for a tongue-tingling drink. This cocktail tastes great with a sugared rim to contrast the bitterness of the blood orange, but feel free to omit it if that’s not your style!

Ingredients

 50ml blanco tequila
50ml blood orange juice
25ml fresh lime juice
15ml agave nectar
caster sugar
blood orange wedge
blood orange wheel for garnish 

Method
Run a blood orange wedge around half the rim of a rocks glass and dip the rim in caster sugar. Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into the glass over ice and garnish with a blood orange wheel.

Tommy’s Margarita

Though fairly similar to a classic margarita, the Tommy’s margarita is a super popular (and super tasty) variation. The most notable difference is the absence of orange liqueur, instead swapping it out for some agave nectar. Some argue that this deduction disavows the Tommy’s margarita of its margarita status – but who cares when it’s this good?!

Ingredients

50ml blanco tequila
25ml fresh lime juice
12.5ml agave nectar 

Method
Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and enjoy!

Smoky Margarita

If you’re after something a bit moodier and closer to a dark spirits cocktail, you might want to check out the smoky margarita. Instead of the typical blanco tequila used for a classic margarita, this cocktail uses a mixture of aged ‘añejo’ tequila and super smoky mezcal. It’s dark, it’s moody and its perfect for sipping in the corner of a candlelit room.

Ingredients

25ml añejo tequila
25ml mezcal
30ml Cointreau
25ml lime juice
lime wedge
smoked salt for garnish
lime wheel for garnish 

Method
Run a wedge of lime around half of the rim of a rocks glass. Dip the rim in smoked salt. Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into the glass over ice and garnish with a lime wheel.

Wondering which tequila to use in your margarita? We’ve got your back! Check out The Best Tequila For A Margarita and just for fun, why not check out these Top Celebrity Owned Tequilas?!