Jack Daniel’s
Asda, £60
‘A Tennessee twist on the traditional advent calendar,’ says Asda.
THE BOTTOM LINE: 23 5cl bottles inc. Single Barrel. One door has a key ring hip flask.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? Single Barrel packs has 45 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV).
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 46 — the monthly recommended intake is 56 units, so it may be best to spread the festive cheer.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? A one-litre bottle JD, £22, Asda.
this Jack Daniel’s advent calendar has a different surprise behind each door
Wine miniatures
Virginwines.co.uk, £79.99
Green and vaguely tree shaped, each door is a decorated bauble, although at 71cm tall, it needs plenty of room.
THE BOTTOM LINE: 24 bottles — 11 red, 8 white, 1 rose, 3 fizzes and 1 of port, each measuring between 187 and 200ml. One for sharing, hic!
HOW BOOZY IS IT? The lowest is 10.5 per cent ABV and highest 20 per cent.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 60.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Seven bottles of Virgin’s £7.99 Italian Vermentino (the calendar is surprisingly good value).
These wine miniatures offer a different tipple behind each of the 24 doors on the calendar
Cracking Whiskies
First4hampers.com, £125
In the shape of a giant cracker, this one wins on the festive front. You and a close pal will love it.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Each door conceals a 50ml whisky from Glengoyne, Sheep Dip, Ardberg Glenfiddich etc.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? All around 40 per cent.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 48.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Amazon has 700ml of Sheep Dip for £29.47.
This £125 hamper has 24 bottles each containing 50ml of whisky from different distilleries
The Tree of Beer
Best Of British Beer, £85
It’s festive . . . kind of.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Arrives fully assembled, with a star to put on top and includes 25 330ml bottles — plus a Christmas Day bonus.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? Varies from 3.8 to 5.5 per cent.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 37.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Cases of 12 cost £33.99 from bestofbritishbeer. co.uk, £67.98 for two and you are just one bottle short of the calendar’s 25.
This £85 ‘Tree of Beer’ even contains a Christmas Day bonus as a special present
Rum Map
Drinks By The Dram, £149.95
A colourful world map doesn’t scream Christmas, but you could crack this calendar any time.
THE BOTTOM LINE: 24 30ml drams hailing from all around the world.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? From 38 to 57 per cent ABV.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 29.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? A 700ml festive bottle of Dead Man’s Fingers spiced rum is £16 at Asda.
This £150 advent calendar contains different rums from around the world in 30ml bottles
Plonk Galore
Laithwaite’s, £63.99
Basically a red box, albeit a festive one.
THE BOTTOM LINE: 24 bottles of wine, red, white and prosecco, ending with gold-medal winning bubbly on day 24. Perfect with friends.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? Up to 14.5 per cent ABV.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 66.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Six bottles of Laithwaite’s Le Calleselle prosecco at £7.99 a bottle.
This has a mixed case of different wines finishing with a small bottle of Prosecco for £64
Refillable Prosecco
Notonthehighstreet.com, £169.95
Not cheap, but the cute wooden tree can be refilled each year. Use foil-topped bottles so your ‘baubles’ look pretty.
THE BOTTOM LINE: a variety of 24 x 20cl bottles of fizz, mostly prosecco, with cava and a couple of bottles of Lanson champers. Ideal to share.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? ABV of between 6.5 and 12.5 per cent.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 56.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Six bottles of Lanson Black Label, £22 each at Tesco.
For the Prosecco lover, this £170 refillable tree can be used year after year – with new bottles
Beer and ale
John Lewis, £70
Would look better under the tree than on the mantelpiece.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A selection of 24 bottles from Suffolk brewer Adnams, including stout, IPA and a dry hopped lager.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? With a nod to the non-drinker, there are a couple of alcohol free offerings through to Triple Knot at 10 per cent ABV.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 39.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? A couple of five-litre kegs of Adnams Ghost Ship, Tesco, £15 each.
This £70 case of 24 beers has a couple of non-alcoholic surprises from Adnams brewery
Fizz and Truffles
Morrisons, £39
It looks like a case of booze, but it’s a bargain.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For those who find 24 bottles of booze a bit much, this has 12 x 200ml bottles of fizz, chocolate truffles, bath foam and shower gel.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? All the bottles are 11 per cent ABV.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 28.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Three bottles of Morrison’s ‘The Best’ Prosecco at £7 each.
At £39, this box from Morrisons is a bargain with 12 bottles of fizz and even some shower gel
The ultimate Gin and Tonic
Fever Tree, available from Waitrose, £60
Navy blue, with a festive gold trim that would look smart on the mantelpiece.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A dozen 50ml bottles of craft gin by the likes of Sipsmith, Pink Pepper and Chase Distillery and a dozen bottles of tonic (Fever Tree, of course).
HOW BOOZY IS IT? All around 40 per cent.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 26.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Hendrick’s is £28 for 700ml at Waitrose and an eight-pack of Fever Tree is £3.99.
This £60 case matches a dozen craft gins with a dozen Fever Tree tonics
G with lots of T
John Lewis, £95
It could be a shoe box, but inside there’s a Christmas twist.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Just one bottle of Lakes Explorer gin with a range of different flavoured tonics.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? The gin is a 700ml, 47 per cent ABV affair.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 31.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? A bottle of the gin is £39.95; two 12-packs of mini cans of Schweppes, £7, Asda.
This has one single bottle of gin with a range of different tonic waters for £95
Tequila
Amazon, £149.93
Something unusual: a colourful, but not terribly Christmassy box of tempting tequila.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Twenty-four different, handmade 30ml wax-sealed drams of Tequila from across Mexico. No salt or lime.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? From 38 to 54 per cent ABV.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 29.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Waitrose has a 700ml bottle of El Jimador tequila blanco for £20.
These tequilas are all wax sealed from different producers around Mexico and cost £150
Japanese Whiskey
Drinks By The Dram, £194.95
A very on-trend collection of 24 Japanese whiskies in a non-festive brown box.
THE BOTTOM LINE: From single grain to rare single malt, 24 30ml Nipponese whiskies.
HOW BOOZY IS IT? From 40 to 53 per cent.
UNITS OF ALCOHOL: 30.
WHAT COULD I BUY INSTEAD? Waitrose has a 700ml bottle of Togouchi Japanese blended whiskey for £37.50.
These Japanese Whiskies are almost £195 and come in 24, 30ml bottles