Please Tell Me About Your Advent Calendar Experiences

[IamMatt]

I'm stunned, not a single thread with "Advent" in the title, so I'm posting one.

 

I'm thinking of doing a bourbon/American whiskey Advent calendar this year but the "store-bought" ones are either kinda expensive or the cheaper ones are just miniatures of mostly bottom-shelf stuff.  So I'm thinking homemade is the way to go, but I'm curious about y'all's experience.

 

I like the idea of doing them blind, so I could just put together 24 sample bottles for myself and forget about them by December.  But I wonder if anyone has done any sort of group calendar with friends?  Like 4 friends each pick 6 whiskeys and contribute 4 sets of samples to the group, so all 4 people end up with the same 24 bottles?  Or each person makes a 24-sample set and the group exchanges full sets so everyone ends up with a set created by someone else?  Or some better way?

 

Thanks.

 

(note to self--make 4 friends by December)

[Harry in WashDC]

1 hour ago, IamMatt said:

I'm stunned, not a single thread with "Advent" in the title, so I'm posting one.

 

I'm thinking of doing a bourbon/American whiskey Advent calendar this year but the "store-bought" ones are either kinda expensive or the cheaper ones are just miniatures of mostly bottom-shelf stuff.  So I'm thinking homemade is the way to go, but I'm curious about y'all's experience.

 

I like the idea of doing them blind, so I could just put together 24 sample bottles for myself and forget about them by December.  But I wonder if anyone has done any sort of group calendar with friends?  Like 4 friends each pick 6 whiskeys and contribute 4 sets of samples to the group, so all 4 people end up with the same 24 bottles?  Or each person makes a 24-sample set and the group exchanges full sets so everyone ends up with a set created by someone else?  Or some better way?

 

Thanks.

 

(note to self--make 4 friends by December)

Uh, I admit to being a lazy, incurious, lapsed Methodist married to a lapsed Catholic.  SO!  What is an Advent Calendar?  Is that one of those cardboard things that allows me to open a little door each day and consume whatever is hidden behind it?

 

DISCLAIMER! - PLEASE, no opprobrium heaped on thishere agnostic.  I already been told by multiple family members that I going to burn in Hell.  I somewhat believe them, truth be told.

[IamMatt]

28 minutes ago, Harry in WashDC said:

What is an Advent Calendar?  Is that one of those cardboard things that allows me to open a little door each day and consume whatever is hidden behind it?

Exactly.  I think in most modern American tradition they have candies behind the door and are meant for children.

[smokinjoe]

1 hour ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Uh, I admit to being a lazy, incurious, lapsed Methodist married to a lapsed Catholic.  SO!  What is an Advent Calendar?  Is that one of those cardboard things that allows me to open a little door each day and consume whatever is hidden behind it?

 

DISCLAIMER! - PLEASE, no opprobrium heaped on thishere agnostic.  I already been told by multiple family members that I going to burn in Hell.  I somewhat believe them, truth be told.

One of the great things of this GREAT site, is that I learn things.  Opprobrium, now goes into my lexicon!  

[Jazz June]

I have made my own for friends; 2oz sample bottles and a list of what each numbered one is so they could do them blind if desired. I used a mix of bourbon, rye, Irish, and Scotch to mix things up. They were popular enough that I have continued to do them, but do require the previous year’s box and sample bottles back if you want a refill. 

[IamMatt]

41 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

One of the great things of this GREAT site, is that I learn things.  Opprobrium, now goes into my lexicon!  

Opprobrium, I think I have a bottle of their 14-year.  Oh, wait that's Obtanium.  Never mind.

[flahute]

My wife decided that she wants a wine advent calendar this year so I picked one up at TW and it's in the cellar waiting for Dec. 1. The pricing on it was actually very decent.

I've looked at the bourbon ones before but I'm never thrilled with the selection and price.

[mbroo5880i]

21 minutes ago, flahute said:

My wife decided that she wants a wine advent calendar this year so I picked one up at TW and it's in the cellar waiting for Dec. 1. The pricing on it was actually very decent.

I've looked at the bourbon ones before but I'm never thrilled with the selection and price.

 

The ones I have seen seem to have low level Beam and Fireball.  

[flahute]

12 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

The ones I have seen seem to have low level Beam and Fireball.  

Yikes! I've seen better than that but in addition to some good whiskey they also have crap like FEW and other craft stuff mixed in.

[Harry in WashDC]

4 hours ago, IamMatt said:

Exactly.  I think in most modern American tradition they have candies behind the door and are meant for children.

HOLY HOUSE FIRE, Batman!  Candles?  Behind doors in a cardboard "punchboard"?  I be at serious risk!

 

Seriously, folks, wife and I do pick up one every year (well, SHE does, anyway) just to keep the tradition going - nothing to do with religion or bourbon, just to do with tradition.  BUT!  She lets me peel off the little door every morning.  Forty-plus years of doing this, and I still get a thrill when I pick at that cardboard flap door.

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

The ones I have seen seem to have low level Beam and Fireball.  

Same here.

 

Biba! Joe

[steven s]

masters of malt was doing some good ones (mostly scotch) if I remember....

[flahute]

44 minutes ago, steven s said:

masters of malt was doing some good ones (mostly scotch) if I remember....

They do both a scotch and an american whiskey version.

[flahute]

1 hour ago, Harry in WashDC said:

HOLY HOUSE FIRE, Batman!  Candles?  Behind doors in a cardboard "punchboard"?  I be at serious risk!

 

Seriously, folks, wife and I do pick up one every year (well, SHE does, anyway) just to keep the tradition going - nothing to do with religion or bourbon, just to do with tradition.  BUT!  She lets me peel off the little door every morning.  Forty-plus years of doing this, and I still get a thrill when I pick at that cardboard flap door.

Love it.

When you are a kid the Advent Calendar is a way for your parents to distract you with daily little gifts so you can wait for THE BIG DAY.  To help even more, my parents would let me open one gift on Christmas Eve. Ahhhhhhhh, such memories.

[berto]

Wife got me one from one of the UK shops years ago.  Interesting at times but a poor value.

 

You could definitely do better making your own with friends.  Blind got spice things up.  Just make sure you’re all on the same page with what you’re contributing.

[PaulO]

When my son came along, I switched over to the battery operated LED "candles".  I used to buy or make a wreath.  Then I figured out a multiple candle holder I inherited from my grandmother is actually made specifically for advent - so I use that.  One new candle a week.  The order goes purple, purple, pink, purple, and maybe a white one for Christmas Eve.

I like looking at the candles, and pour whatever is open in the cabinet.

[RT Fan]

An Advent bourbon calendar would be lethal! For the first time I did get my hands on a Costco wine Advent case. 35 “splits” for $100, plus tax. “I call that a Bargain…the best I ever had” with apologies to Pete Townshend.

[IamMatt]

I decided to collaborate rather than just pick 24 of my own bottles.  To keep it small, I just have one friend going in on it with me, so we are each making 12 pairs of samples and swapping next week so we each have the same 24 pours, 12 from him and 12 from me.  Cuz we're guys, we probably won't Facetime each day and gush about that day's pick, but I expect a text or two will happen lol. 

[flahute]

On 11/10/2022 at 8:45 PM, IamMatt said:

I decided to collaborate rather than just pick 24 of my own bottles.  To keep it small, I just have one friend going in on it with me, so we are each making 12 pairs of samples and swapping next week so we each have the same 24 pours, 12 from him and 12 from me.  Cuz we're guys, we probably won't Facetime each day and gush about that day's pick, but I expect a text or two will happen lol. 

There needs to be at least one FaceTime. Play some Metallica so you still feel manly. 

[IamMatt]

39 minutes ago, flahute said:

There needs to be at least one FaceTime. Play some Metallica so you still feel manly. 

Which songs?   "Blackened?"  "Whiskey in the Jar?"

[flahute]

54 minutes ago, IamMatt said:

Which songs?   "Blackened?"  "Whiskey in the Jar?"

That’s a good start!

[jvd99]

On 10/22/2022 at 12:11 AM, flahute said:

They do both a scotch and an american whiskey version.

Can you buy them and ship to USA? Master Of Malt and the other Euro shops cut off USA shipments a few years back. I used to get the premium advent scotch calendars and they were awesome! I still have one unopened sampler I've been sitting on, a 30 yr. Coal Ila

[flahute]

35 minutes ago, jvd99 said:

Can you buy them and ship to USA? Master Of Malt and the other Euro shops cut off USA shipments a few years back. I used to get the premium advent scotch calendars and they were awesome! I still have one unopened sampler I've been sitting on, a 30 yr. Coal Ila

Whiskey Exchange still ships to the US last time I checked and they have calendars. Also try Drinks by the Dram.

[mbroo5880i]

A really good friend of mine bought 3 of the Costco Beer Advent Calendars.  His wife then went out and bought him 3 more and then 3 cases of Sam's Beer Advent Calendar.  The Costco version is all German beers at higher proofs and pints.  The Sam's has a variety of beer styles.  So, he ended up with 9 Beer Advent Calendars.  He has already whipped out one of the Calendars and Advent hasn't even started. 

[flahute]

20 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

A really good friend of mine bought 3 of the Costco Beer Advent Calendars.  His wife then went out and bought him 3 more and then 3 cases of Sam's Beer Advent Calendar.  The Costco version is all German beers at higher proofs and pints.  The Sam's has a variety of beer styles.  So, he ended up with 9 Beer Advent Calendars.  He has already whipped out one of the Calendars and Advent hasn't even started. 

I feel bloated just thinking about trying to drink all that.