The eight best whisky advent calendars
The Very Old & Rare Whisky Collection 2025, a £9,995 advent calendar showcasing 24 exceptionally scarce whiskies
The festive countdown just got a lot more spirited. From sherried treasures to globe-trotting drams, here’s our pick of the finest whisky advent calendars to make every December day worth savouring
Last Christmas my true love sent to me an advent calendar full of whisky – and with it, a welcome dose of childlike wonder. There’s still something irresistibly nostalgic about hunting for the right numbered door, peeling it open, and discovering the treat inside. Only now, as I settle comfortably into middle age, I find myself far more thrilled by a miniature bottle of golden spirit than by a square of waxy chocolate.
Whether it’s a pre-Christmas indulgence to help you through the dark December evenings or a subtle hint to a loved one (feel free to forward this page), here’s our pick of eight of the best whisky advent calendars to open, sip and savour this season.
1. Drinks by the Dram – The Whisky Advent Calendar
Best for: Affordable discovery
This calendar encapsulates the festive spirit with 25 wax-sealed 30ml drams spanning a wide variety of regions and styles. It’s the ideal entry-point: you’ll open each door and sample something new, perhaps a Speyside malt one evening, a bourbon-cask experimental the next. The packaging is stylish, the selection curated to surprise and delight rather than overwhelm.
Examples of the bottles inside: Balvenie 14 year old Caribbean Cask, Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 year old, and The Glendronach 12 year old.
Price & where to buy: £99.95 at Master of Malt
2. Drinks by the Dram – The Sherry Cask Whisky Advent Calendar
Best for: Winter lovers
Drinks by the Dram dominate the whisky advent calendar space with excellent spirits across a wide range of subjects. Whether you’re want to focus exclusively on Scotch, peaty, bourbon or world whiskies, there’s one for every taste. But for those cold December evenings, I’ve plumped the calendar that exclusively focuses on sherry-cask matured whiskies. Think dark fruits, spice, oak, an enveloping richness – perfect for a festive evening. Each 30ml wax-sealed sample invites you to revisit the appeal of sherry influence through various distillers and finishes. A festive choice that leans into indulgence rather than broad regional coverage.
Examples of the bottles inside: Glenfarclas 15 year old, Tamdhu 12 year old, and Tobermory 21 year old.
Price & where to buy: £134.95 Master of Malt
3. 25 Whiskies of the World Advent Calendar
Best for: Aficionados looking to broaden their horizons
This elegant calendar by the Whisky Exchange includes drams from Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India and other far flung territories but unlike other world whisky calendars it focuses on quality first. No random Italian distilleries just for the sake of squeezing in another country. Thus there is still a stronger presence of Scotch than one might expect from a world whisky selection but we can guarantee, there wont be a duff dram in there.
Examples of the bottles inside: Hatozaki Pure Malt Japanese Whisky, Starward Solera Malt Whisky, and Compass Box Hedonism.
Where to buy: £110 from Whisky Exchange
4. That Boutique-y Whisky Advent Calendar
Best for: Independent-bottling fans
This calendar stands out for its independent bottler DNA: expect rarer casks, unusual finishes, smaller producers. The calendar art is very on brand for the more hip Boutique-y company – think youthful cartoon-style illustrations rather than rarified elegance that many of its competitors aim for. It’s for those who are used to the familiar and want something off-script, where your nose and taste buds will do the talking rather than the label.
Examples of the bottles inside: Glenrothes 25 Year Old - Batch 12, Blended Grain Whisky 30 Year Old, and Peated Highland Whisky 18 Year Old
Where to buy: £134.95 from Master of Malt
5. Drinks by the Dram – Premium Whisky Advent Calendar
Best for: Incredible value BARLEY SUPERSTAR
Positioned above the standard entry level, this calendar presents 25 wax-sealed 30ml drams from top-shelf whiskies and best producers and distilleries. Many of these drams would set you back £20 and up – double that in a London bar so you’re really get the best part of £500 worth of whisky for just a fraction of the price. It’s a refined gift or self-treat for someone who already enjoys whisky and wants to upgrade the experience.
Examples of the bottles inside: Fettercairn 22 year old, Longmorn 23 year old – Secret Speyside Collection, and Glenfiddich 21 year old Reserva Rum Cask Finish.
Price & where to buy: £199.95 from Master of Malt
6. Whisky With Us – Whiskey Legends Advent Calendar
Best for: New learners
This calendar carries a broad selection from the more established whisky makers of Scotland, Ireland, Japan and the US (with a strong Scotch and bourbon slant). What makes it unique is not only that it comes with a Glencairn tasting glass, but also each bottle has QR code-guided videos that unlocks expert-led tasting videos and detailed whisky notes.
Examples of the bottles inside: Tamdhu 12 year old, Four Roses Small Batch, and Connacht Single Malt Irish
Where to buy: £110 from The Whisky World
7. A Whisky Tour of the World Book-Case Gift Set
Best for: Giving as a gift
This is a deluxe calendar in grander format: 24 drams of 50ml each, housed in a handcrafted book-case with linen-bound books, tasting glasses, and even an illustrated book featuring tasting notes and information on each of the distilleries the whisky comes from. It’s as much coffee-table showpiece as it is festive countdown. And the whisky inside is truly a world tour with Scotland, Japan, Taiwan, India, Ireland, Peru, Germany, Denmark, Australia, Canada, England, Sweden, Austria, New Zealand, Mexico, Finland, USA, France and Italy all being featured. However while some of our favourite whiskies, from distilleries including Nc’nean, Fielden, Kavalan and Cotswolds, are included in this great collection, there are few age statements or unique drams.
Examples of the bottles inside: Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask, Small Batch Helsinki Rye Whisky, and Indri Single Malt Indian Whisky.
Where to buy: £199 from Threshers
8. Drinks by the Dram – Very Old & Rare Whisky Collection
Best for: Ultra-premium collectors
Drinks by the dram have a fabulous Old & Rare Whisky calendar for £799.95 but this ‘Very’ Old & Rare is the pinnacle: £9,995 for a 24-drum calendar of extremely rare, highly-aged whiskies. Think 40 year olds, ghost distilleries, and single-cask gems. Buyers will get the chance to taste whiskies from bottles that sell for tens of thousands of pounds and include samples from closed distilleries such as Karuizawa and Ladyburn. The presentation is exquisite with a handmade cabinet (replete with two crystal glasses) that will last a lot longer than just the month of December.
Examples of the bottles inside: Glenrothes 1968 Cask 13504; Karuizawa Five Decades, Glenfarclas 1958 Cask 2061, and Ladyburn 40 year old Cask 74.
Where to buy: £9,995 exclusively via Master of Malt
