The best alcohol advent calendars for 2022

Alcohol advent calendars are the perfect grown-up gift to kick off the festive season in style. 

Sure, chocolate advent calendars are nice and all. But as we age out of having our sweet-eating habits policed, their illicit appeal does wane a bit. Whereas – providing you or your indented recipient chooses to drink alcohol – a boozy little something still has that naughty, indulgent energy many of us seek out at this time of year.

Whoever you're shopping for and whatever their preferred tipple, we're spoilt for choice with this year's alcohol advent calendars. From crowd-pleasing beers by craft breweries to classy single malt whisky and cocktails that self-shake in the can (yes, really) there's a brilliant buy for every taste and budget. Want something specific? Take a look at our favorite gin advent calendars, cheapest prosecco and tasty cheese advent calendars to accompany said festive drinks. Our tried-and-tested guides reveal the crème de la crème in every category. Cheers to that!

The best alcohol advent calendars of 2022

The gin in a tin revolution has reached fizzy new heights with nitrogen-infused cocktails, which replicate the silky mouthfeel and lively bubbles of a freshly shaken drink. Clever! Funkin cocktails specialise in these clever nitro-cans and have packed 24 of their bestsellers into what must be this year's most party-friendly alcohol advent calendar. 

It contains a range of mixology favourites, mostly on the sweet and fruity side including strawberry daiquiri, pina colada and the notoriously 'refreshing' long island ice tea, so there should be something to suit most drinkers. We also love the sturdy, colourful box and the fact that this is great value, coming in under £50, making it an excellent early Christmas gift for friends.

The craft beer scene has exploded in recent years, but Black Sheep Brewery was well ahead of the curve and has been championing independent brewing for 30 years and counting. This Yorkshire-based brewery has evolved from producing traditional cask ales and stouts to contemporary hoppy IPAs and crisp lagers.  

That means this particular alcohol advent calendar is basically beer heaven, no matter what type of pint you or your lucky recipient prefers. It contains 24 full-size bottles and cans, from classic award-winners to limited-edition brews in a variety of styles. You can select from red or green colourways and, as a nice little touch, the 24 perforated doors pop off to become handy beer mats. 

Probably the most versatile spirit on a bar shelf, rum is distilled all across the globe, comes in a huge range of styles and is as happy sipped neat as it is mixed into a mojito. That makes this one of the most crowd-pleasing calendars on our list - with 24 different rums hailing all the way from Fiji to El Salvador, there's sure to be a tipple to suit. 

This is definitely one of the classiest-looking alcohol advent calendars we've seen, in understated racing car green, and there's a touch of class about what's inside too. As well as rum miniatures, you'll receive two glasses and a tasting sheet to complete as you go, making this one of the best Christmas gifts for couples here. Plus, on December 1st the brand will launch its tasting microsite with even more education on each rum they've included and interactive Q&As. 

Bargain-hunters, look away now. This may be the most expensive alcohol advent calendar on our list, but it's also the most elevated. This luxe pick contains 25 3cl bottles of fine single malt whisky, plus a handy map of Scotland's five famous whisky-producing regions so you can match the style to its locale. 

Inside you'll find big names, such as the island of Islay's famously peaty and intense Laphroaig, rare Indie hero Ardmore 23 and vintage drams including a 31-year-old single malt from the Speyside region, famed for its sweet and lightly spicy style. The calendar looks the part, in oxblood red with beautiful gold embossing and sweet matching glass bottles adorned in calligraphy script. 

One for fans of the West Country's finest, this feels more like a bumper Christmas crate than a calendar. A little too chunky to be propped up on most shelves, this pared-back illustrated box has 24 cubby holes to dip into and pull out a full-size bottle or can of Devon-brewed cider. 

Inside you'll find a mix of Sandford Orchard's best-known scrumpy including the popular Devon Red, award-winning vintage brew The General and some fun fruity flavours. This family-owned producer is the oldest working cider mill in the country, and these refreshing drinks will make a nice change of Christmas tipple from all that rich red wine and cream liqueur. 

There's so much more to bourbon than sickly-sweet mass brands, as proven by this excellent alcohol advent calendar from spirit specialists Drinks by the Dram. Inside a sturdy, mantelpiece-friendly navy cube, you'll find a one-stop shop, showcasing the huge variety of complex and elegant whiskeys that the US has to offer.

This unique Christmas gift isn't a budget calendar by any means, but the product here is top-notch, from producers spanning under the radar indies and highly regarded stars of the scene. Look out for spicy and easygoing award-winner Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight or Catoctin Creek, rare pre-prohibition style rye. The 3cl drams come in matching glass bottles with cute wax seals and vintage-inspired labels displaying the brand, style and strength (including plenty over 45% vol, so sip with caution!)

Brewdog may have started out with a punk 'outsider' ethos, but it's safe to say they are now the big boys of independent craft brewing. This means only good things for this 2022 calendar as the Scottish brewery now has a vast back catalogue of exciting beers to dip into. 

Inside the 100% recycled pulp calendar, you'll find 24 cans plus a festive beer glass to enjoy them in. Amongst big hitters like the classic Punk IPA and Hazy Jane, you'll find four advent calendar exclusives (we like the sound of Just Desserts Stout) plus seasonal limited editions and very fashionable Neipas (new England India Pale). Bonus points for the little pop-out drawer to keep your tasting glass safe and sound.  

Luxurious and varied, this would make an excellent alcohol advent calendar for any amateur mixologists or adventurous drinkers in your life. It contains 25 mini spirits in 3cl bottles, spanning from classic gin and whisky to on-trend smoky mezcal and unique liqueurs perfect for an after-dinner treat. 

As you'd expect from a retailer known for its high-end selection, The Whisky Exchange has packed this sleek calendar with desirable brands, from recognisable names like Patron tequila to a 29-year-old Frapin cognac that retails at £150 a bottle. The sleek green box is one of the least bulky calendars on this list, so ticks the space-saving box as well as the aspirational drinking one. Yes, it's one of our pricier picks, but you can definitely see (and taste) where that investment goes. 

Can't decide between alcohol advent calendars or those filled with sweet treats? Choose both, with this novel offering by gourmet alcohol gummy brand Smith & Sinclair. Each door hides a chewy alcoholic sweetie, in flavours including fruity bellini and mojito, classic g&t and tequila cocktail-of-the-moment, paloma. They're fun, tasty and would be perfect to share as an after-dinner treat with friends (or savour all to yourself in front of Strictly - your call)

The calendar itself is sophisticated-looking and nicely streamlined compared with others on this list, so won't take up too much space.. A word of caution: these really are boozy, around 5% vol per gummy, so resist the urge to pop one in your mouth on the way to work.