Every year the whisky trade rediscovers that it can put thirty-odd millilitres of liquid behind a cardboard door, charge handsomely for the privilege, and watch grown adults queue up for it. I would like to say I am above it. I am not. A small daily dram and a reason to pour it is a perfectly civilised way to get through December.
The countdown
Twenty-four doors, one rule: no peeking before 1 December.
The short list
Price per dram
Headline prices are a poor way to compare calendars, because the number of doors and the size of each measure vary. So here is the cost of each dram, worked out from the listed price and the number of doors.
Are whisky advent calendars worth it?
Depends what you are paying for. Take the Drinks by the Dram calendar: 25 doors of 30 ml is 750 ml, so £99.95 works out at roughly 13p a millilitre. A £38 bottle of Glengoyne 12 is 70 cl, which is about 5p a millilitre. So you pay something like two and a half to three times as much per drop.
What you get for the premium is variety. Twenty-four or twenty-five different whiskies you might never have bought a full bottle of, and a daily ritual that gets you through the darkest month. If you want the most whisky for your money, buy bottles. If you want to find out what you actually like, a calendar is a very cheap way to be wrong 25 times.
The calendars
Whisky With Us 25 Day Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar
- £134.99
- 25 × 3 cl
- Free UK delivery
Twenty-five Scotch whiskies, from aged to peated, plus a whisky-filled glass bauble for the tree. Every dram has a QR code that opens a short guided tasting video, which is a clever touch for anyone who wants to learn as they go rather than just drink. If you would rather roam the globe, the same retailer sells a 25 Day World version at the same price, covering Scotch, Irish, American, Japanese, Indian, Swedish and more.
Drinks by the Dram: The Whisky Advent Calendar (2026)
- £99.95
- 25 × 3 cl
- About £4 a dram
The cheapest per dram on our list, from a retailer that built its name on small measures. It is the sensible choice if you want a broad, no-nonsense sweep through the whisky world. The same maker does themed versions if you know what you like: Peated (£134.95), Sherry (£139.95), Japanese (£199.95), Single Cask (£199.95) and a Premium edition (£199.95), as listed in early November.
That Boutique-y Whisky Company Advent Calendar (2026)
- £134.95 to £144.95
- 24 × 3 cl
- Wax-sealed drams
An independent bottler with a reputation for odd labels and interesting liquid. The calendar covers blended, single malt, grain, rye, peated, corn and aged whiskies, which makes it a proper tour for someone who already knows their way around a bottle. Price depends on the retailer, so shop around.
GlenAllachie Whisky Advent Calendar (2026)
- £134.95
- 25 × 3 cl
- Wax-sealed drams
One distillery, 25 doors: a mix of cask finishes, single casks, peated whiskies and blends, with an exclusive release behind the last door. A good pick for Speyside fans and for anyone who likes to see how far one distillery can stretch itself. The catch is that if you do not enjoy the house style, you will find out 25 times.
Whisky With Us 12 Day Advent Calendar
- £59.99
- 12 × 3 cl
- Scotch, whiskey or American
Not everyone needs 25 doors. This is a twelve-dram version, available as Scotch, mixed Scotch, Irish and American whiskey, or American-only, with the same tasting videos as its bigger sibling. It works out at £5 a dram and makes a decent gift for someone you like, but not enough to spend £130 on. It also fits neatly into a shorter countdown.
The Spirit Co: The Greatest Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar
- £134.99
- Check dram count
- Includes 2 glasses
The Spirit Co sells a whole family of these, including Bourbon and American, Irish, World and Premium editions, and the ones we saw listed come with two glasses. That is handy if you plan to share, or if you do not own anything better than a mug. Check the listing for the dram count and size before you buy, because we could not confirm them. Note too that the retailer says other items cannot ship alongside calendars, so order them separately.
A Whisky Tour of the World II
- About £249.95
- 24 × 5 cl
- Books and glasses
The showpiece: bigger 5 cl measures, a book case, illustrated books and glasses, taking in distilleries from around the world. It is the one you buy for someone you want to impress, and it is priced accordingly. Prices vary a lot between retailers and editions: Costco UK has listed a 24 × 5 cl edition at £144.99, so shop around before paying full whack.
Looking for a high-street name? The Whisky Shop lists a Single Malt Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar at £99, though it did not itemise the contents when we looked. And if money is no object, the top end gets silly: Master of Malt’s Favourites calendar is listed at £249.95, Drinks by the Dram’s Old & Rare edition at £799.95, and one retailer has a Very Old & Rare calendar at £9,999.95. For that money I would want somebody to open the doors for me.
How to choose
- Pick a theme if you know their taste. Peated, sherry, Japanese and single cask versions exist. A themed calendar is better than a random one for a keen drinker, and worse for someone who does not know yet.
- Match the dram count to your stamina. Twelve doors suit a casual drinker. Twenty-five suits a committed one. Nobody ever finished a calendar and wished it had been shorter, but plenty have run out of enthusiasm in week three.
- Check what is actually inside. If a calendar will not tell you what is behind the doors, you are buying a mystery box. That can be fun, but know that you are doing it.
- Look at the extras. Glasses (our guide to whisky glasses says which are worth having) and tasting videos are nice, but do not let a bauble make the decision for you.
A responsible word, since it is a month of daily drinking. A 30 ml measure of whisky at 40% is about 1.2 units (our guide to understanding ABV explains the sums). Twenty-four of them across December is a manageable amount, but check where it sits against the UK low-risk guidance of 14 units a week, and give yourself some days off. Drinkaware has plenty of useful advice.
When to buy
Do not leave it until the last minute. Some retailers start dispatching in October, the popular calendars sell out, and delivery cut-offs differ from shop to shop, so check before you order. Start on 1 December, not 14 November. I have seen the self-control of men, and it is not impressive.
More Christmas whisky
Whisky advent calendars: quick answers
When should I buy a whisky advent calendar?
As soon as you have decided which one you want. Popular editions sell out, some retailers dispatch from October, and delivery dates in December are tight.
How big is each dram?
Usually 3 cl (30 ml), so a calendar of 24 or 25 doors holds just over 700 ml in total. Some luxury calendars use 5 cl (50 ml) measures.
Are advent calendars cheaper than buying bottles?
No. You pay more per millilitre for variety and the daily ritual. If you want the most whisky for your money, buy bottles.
Can I give a whisky advent calendar as a gift?
Yes. It suits someone who likes variety and a bit of ritual. The buyer has to be over 18, and many retailers want an adult to accept delivery.
