The Ginvent Calendar

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting DRUNK

My mum wouldn't let my brother and I have chocolate advent calendars when we were growing up, what with their being heathen and all. Christmas only knows what she would have to say about the Ginvent Calendar, but I know what I'd say.

IT'S AN ALCOHOLIC ADVENT CALENDAR! What's not to love?

Start saving for this next month because, marvellous in both name and content, The Ginvent Calendar (£79.95, less than £3.50 per door) is an absolute masterstroke, brought to us by Master of Malt and The Gin Blog.

Behind every door, you get a 3cl sample of a different gin, which gives you a healthy measure to mix up into a G&T or a gin cocktail.  Sample the very best, from mainstream brands to tiny bijou labels handmade in some Devonshire granny's airing cupboard*. You'll only find out what drink you've got when you open it, or check the Gin Blog, as the contents are being kept a Christmassy secret.

I'd recommend you read the GB's wonderful post about why they decided to do this calendar; it's a glorious ode to being juniper crazy and very sensibly rebuffs all those pieces that have mystifyingly turned up this year about the sudden renaissance of gin (presumably written by journalists whose editors have been living in a cave since 2004).

BUT. There is more. 

If your taste (and wallet) lies more with whisky, then splash out on the £149.95 Whisky Advent Calendar. The reason why it's so ball-breakingly pricey is that one of the 3cl bottles contains a sample of 50-year-old scotch. NICE WORK!

Both calendars are also beautifully decorated, so once you've drunk everything, you can hang it on the wall, or refill the bottles for next year.

Just imagine how pissed Father Christmas would get if you lined up these instead of sherry.

*sadly this isn't true, but oh that it were  - although it would probably kill you

Thanks to my old university chum Mike for the tip!