Best Whiskey Advent Calendar, UK 2022

As Autumn starts to turn to Winter, it's time to consider my favourite treat of the year. A whiskey advent calendar for December. While having a bottle or two of whiskey on the go is always great, there's something special about a calendar. In part, it's all those fond memories of being a kid and opening each door; albeit a grown up version. And in part, its the opportunity to try a whole range of different whiskies in the lead up to Christmas.

How to choose a whiskey advent calendar

Chances are you're going to enjoy all the calendars out there. But, if you want to treat yourself to the best whisky advent calendar, what should you consider? Here are a few of the things I look for:

The whisky

The most important thing has to be the whisky itself. There will be a variety of different styles out there. From single malt Scotch, to world whisky, from American bourbons, to Irish whiskey. But beyond the theme there are a few key principles to think about. Are the whisky brands common, or special? Are the whiskies general release, or small batch? How many have an age statement, and how old are they? These principles are important to the quality of the calendar.

The number of whiskies you get

A normal advent calendar has 24 windows, stopping on Christmas eve. So, most whisky advent calendars have 24 drams. There are a few out there that have a bonus dram for Christmas day itself.  And there are a few smaller sets that have 12 drinks by the drams. Smaller sets will be cheaper. But when looking at bigger sets it's worth checking whether they give you 24 drams, or 25. Because we all love extra whisky!

The size of the drams

As well as the number of drams you're getting, you'll want to look at the size of the measures. There are a few different sizes out there. Most are between 25ml to 35ml, a typical dram size. The bigger the measure, the more whisky you're getting. So assuming the quality is comparable, you'll want to go for the larger measures.

Calendar presentation

The whisky is of course the most important aspect. But, good presentation does add to the experience. It makes it extra special. And some of these boxes are quite large. If they're on display in your room, you want it to look good!

The price

Whisky advent calendars are a treat. And we all deserve a treat at the end of 2022. The cost of the calendar should reflect the four factors above. The amount of, and quality of, the whisky influences whether the calendar is good value or not.

Best whiskey advent calendar in the UK 2022

So, what is the best whiskey advent calendar for 2022? Our winner is the Secret Spirits Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar. Here’s why:

• An excellent range of unique scotch whiskies from independent whisky brands. Great age statements, including 6 that are older than 21, and 5 that are between 16 to 20 years old. Lots of small batch, even single cask, releases. I won't name specific names, in case you want to keep it a surprise. But, if you do want to know the exact whiskies, here's a list.
• 25 drams. The normal 24 drams, plus an extra special 30 year old scotch whisky for Christmas day itself; a big treat.
• A generous 50ml dram size. That's a double measure, and enough for two people to share, if you're feeling generous.
• Presented in a beautiful feature box. It comes with a whisky glass and other accessories. The presentation is well designed, and the calendar has an arty, boutique-y feel.
• Good value. 25 drams, each 50ml, and all high quality whiskies. Priced at £239 with free UK shipping, buy yours here.

You can find out more about Secret Spirits here, and you can find their calendar here. We ship within the UK and worldwide. Drop me a line if I can help.

Whatever you treat yourself to in December, we hope you have a great Christmas. Slainte.