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There are two advent calendar boxes which are blue with the gintonica label on them sitting next to some christmas decorations and a glass of gin
Photograph: Supplied/Gintonica

The best boozy advent calendars in Australia

What could be better than getting a piece of chocolate every day? Getting a bottle of wine every day

Adena Maier
Jade Solomon
Written by
Adena Maier
&
Jade Solomon
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Opening presents on Christmas Day is great, but you know what's even better? Getting to open presents for the 24 days leading up to it. Thanks to whoever invented the advent calendar, you can milk the festive season for all it's worth.

Most advent calendars are filled with chocolates or toys, but for those who like to turn their celebrations up a notch we've rounded up the best boozy advent calendars. Pre-order one now so that you can taste top-notch beers, wines, ciders and spirits throughout December. And if you're feeling generous, these make great gifts too. 

Looking for other great gift ideas? Check out our round-up of the best Christmas hampers in Melbourne or go shopping at the best Christmas Markets in Melbourne

Time Out's 100 Days of Summer calendar is here to help you plan your entire summer in Melbourne.

The best boozy advent calendars in Australia

Count down the days to Christmas with some firewater in hand with these whisky-filled advent calendars. The Whisky Club Advent Calendar, the annual Christmas advent edition, includes a curated collection of whiskies from Scottish distilleries, and others from around the world. The Old and Rare collection takes boozy advent calendars to a whole new level of luxe and includes some of the biggest names in whisky at the moment: Yamazaki, Laphroaig, Hakushu, Glenfarclas, Talisker, Glenfiddich and Dalmore. Five of the whiskies in the collection are even 30+ years, and word on the street is that there is even a 50-year-old drop in there too.  

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This box includes 24 full-sized cans of Australian craft beer, each from an independent brewery. Man Flower Co recommends popping the box into the fridge each morning so you'll have a cold surprise brew come afternoon, but we think you should keep it in the fridge all the time and enjoy your beer anytime you like. Support the beer lovers in your life, as well as supporting the 100% independently owned Australian breweries that are responsible for the goods stocked inside.

It's a fun time for all with the Good Pair Days' advent calendars on offer this Christmas. Go for the classic box priced at $295, the fancy box valued at $495, or if you just feel the urge to splurge that hard-earned cash, splash out on the extra fancy boozy calendar going for $895. Every pack includes 12 full-sized bottles of wine – whether that'll do you for 12 days or 24 is really up to you –  as well as special recipes, wine pairings, tasting notes and even a bonus gift from Santa. Get in quick and choose your wines now, as these advent calendars are set to sell out again. 

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For the rum enthusiasts in your inner circle, go for the Drinks by the Dram 2022 rum advent calendar. Get into the festive season with a taste of 24 different rums from across the close, showcasing a huge variety of producers both big and small. Look away now if you don't want to spoil the fun, but for those curious about what's inside, except the likes of Plantation XO Barbados 20th Anniversary rum, Discarded Banana Peel rum and Gosling's Black Seal rum, just to name a few. 

 

 

Give yourself (or a whisky-loving friend) the gift of 24 30ml bottles of whisky from around the world. All kinds of styles are represented, from peaty single malt Scotch to smooth, sweet American bourbon. Take a trip around the world with tasters from ten different countries, and 16 different regions. It will definitely make the festive season more festive. 

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The Beer Drop specialises in gift packs and subscription boxes filled with delicious independent beers made in Australia. If you have a craft beer lover in your life (or you are one yourself), pre-order one of these cases filled with drops from big, small and new breweries. The variety advent calendar includes 24 craft beers from 24 different independent breweries. And in a fun little interactive addition, each brewery will release a short video introducing its feature beer, to give you the inside scoop. And if you are a particular fan of IPA, get your hands on the IPA advent calendar featuring 24 stand-out independent IPAs. 

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Little Lon is a Melbourne favourite that distils its product from scratch, making its gin on-site in a 200-litre copper column still. The gins themselves are a nod to the history of the building, with Little Miss Yoko (a lychee-infused gin, named after Yokohama), Ginger Mick (strong notes of ginger and citrus, particularly grapefruit) and Constable Proudfoot on the cards. This year, get your hands on Little Lon's 12 Days of Gin boozy advent calendar featuring 12 x 30ml bottles of its limited release, collaboration and signature gins. Gift yourself, or another gin lover in your life, the gift of quality gin this Chritmas. 

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Give yourself the gift of a hangover-free Christmas with these advent calendars by Craftzero that feature a range of alcohol-free beers or ready-to-drink beverages and non-alcoholic wines. The wine and cocktails Craftzero advent calendar is filled to the brim with 25 250ml non-alcoholic wines and cocktails including three new drinks.  The beer box includes, surprise surprise, 25 carefully curated alcohol-free beers, even featuring a few brand new ones. The boozers and non-boozers in your life will appreciate this one.  

If you're not keen on a box full of just gin or just whisky, give yourself the gift of variety with this box of mixed spirits. On top of gins and whiskies, you'll receive tasters of tequila, rum, vodka, pisco, mezcal, shochu and more from countries like South Africa, Mexico, Peru, Jamaica, and Japan. With tasters from 11 countries in total, this boozy advent calendar is a great way to expand your alcoholic-palate.

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Heathcote’s Women in Wine have once again spoiled us all with the release the highly regarded, 12 days of Christmas Wine Calendar. This boozy advent calendar includes 12 half-bottles of premium Heathcote wines hidden behind 12 secret doors.
The 2022 calendar marks the third release following previous success with sold-out calendars in 2020 and 2021The women have carefully selected highly regarded wines from their current release and winery cellars, including five white wines, two rosés and three Mediterranean and two traditional reds. The boozy advent calendar retails for $249, and with only 100 available, you better get in quick. Orders can be made online until November 13, and if there aren't all sold out, they will be available from Munari Wines Cellar Door. 

Most of the advent calendars on this list only include 24 drinks for you to open up leading up to Christmas, but this calendar includes a bonus beer for you to enjoy on Christmas day. The box is designed to fit in your fridge so you can ensure that your tinnie is cold and ready to drink after opening. The Brewquets advent calendar features 24 beers from Australia, and one from New Zealand, and tasting notes for each can be found using the QR code on the back of the daily flap.  

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If you're willing to splurge on your advent calendar this year, go for the Liquor's Loot Collector's Edition Whisky Loot advent calendar, coming in at a cool $479. For that hot price expect 24 30ml drops of premium whiskies from all over the world, including some that have been aged for up to 25 years. Word on the street is that the Collector's Edition calendar will include a Starward Octave Barrels single malt whisky, a Glenlivet 15-year-old single malt scotch whisky, and a Westward American single malt cask strength whisky. This one is for the true firewater connoisseur. 

Give the gift of gin this silly season with Liquor Loot's gin advent calendar. The gin box contains 24 30ml bottles of gin from around the world as well as optional paired FeverTree tonics. The gins will be a mix of flavoured, dry, barrel-aged, navy-strength and more. Spoiler alert: expect Four Pillars, Malfy Rosa, Brookies and many, many more. 

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Yarra Valley winery De Bortoli has filled an advent calendar with all sorts of wine for the festive season. The box has 12 different varieties of red, rose, sparkling and white. The advent calendar includes a taste of the Noble One, which has been awarded over 182 trophies and 505 gold medals to date. And when you're done drinking, you can turn the box itself into a huge bon bon shape, supposedly the largest in Australia, in just a few easy steps. Drinking and crafts? Sign us up. 

Perth-based booze merchants Copper and Oak are offering a cider advent calendar, filled with Australian and international drops for apple lovers. The box will feature 25 different ciders from 25 different brands, all of which will be individually numbered and hand-boxed. Copper and Oak also offers whisky, gin, wine, and beer ($130) advent calendars.

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For those looking to keep things healthier, cleaner, and dryer this holiday season, we have found the perfect (non) alcoholic advent calendar for you. Yes You Can have released a Dry(er) Month Calendar to encourage Aussies to experiment with and enjoy non-boozy beverages each day, for 31 (plus a bonus one!) days straight this December. The calendar will showcase Yes You Can's core range, as well as feature the new Australian native flavours. Perfect for any pregnant people in your life, or those just taking a step back from the booze this summer, get your hands on one now for $115. 

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