If you'd rather avoid the beer bloat, then a spirit-filled calendar is perfect for a daily treat in the lead-up to Christmas. Use the nutmeg grater to make rice pudding with strawberry jam, or the salt scoop to make Welsh rarebit toasties. Brits reportedly pull more than 150 million crackers every year, but we reckon these boozy ones will offer a more spirited sparkle to your seating plans than the usual array of forgettable toys and terrible jokes. The classic gin and tonic, and all its recent variations, hints at summer and is a refreshing cocktail.

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If it's a chic tablescape you're going for this Christmas, these beautifully presented crackers are a must-have. There is no better time than Christmas to treat yourself to something new and exciting as you wait to see what's under the Christmas tree. From super-colourful packs to beautiful boxes, we’ve rounded up the best of the bunch to do justice to your table this year – whether it’ll be packed with people you didn’t get to see over lockdown, or you’re planning a small-but-special do. Each one has been specially selected by the Little Boys Room's tasting panel, which is derived from artisan manufacturers, so you know you're in safe hands.Which gins exactly are in this cracker is a surprise, but you can be sure your tastebuds will be treated.

Gin Advent Calendars UK 2023; including - The Sun 20 Best Gin Advent Calendars UK 2023; including - The Sun

That's right, the team behind Virgin Wines have pulled out all the stops this year with not just a set of festive crackers filled with Prosecco, but also options bursting with wine, gin and tonic and mixed spirits. The crackers provide a ‛bang’ when released, and can also be opened by the red ribbons at each end if you'd prefer to avoid the noise. While they may not contain a snap, the best option for an eco-friendly alternative is a re-usable Christmas cracker. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.While you won't be getting 24 days of Gintastic bottles with this choice, you're swapping quantity for twelve 35ml tins with an ABV of up to 40% - now that sounds absolutely gin-tastic. While a gin advent calendar will definitely spice up your Christmas countdown, this calendar comes with a cocktail handbook so you can brush up on your bartending skills and make some simple but delicious mixed drinks. After studying at the Culinary Institute of America, she earned her BFA from Goddard College and is pursing an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Best alcohol Christmas crackers 2021: Gin, rum and vodka

The beauty of an advent calendar, however, is you'll be introduced to a small amount of different flavoured gins every day. We then turned our attention to the treats inside, awarding points for sophistication and/or style, fun, and finally, for the quality, variety and flavour of the alcohol included.

The fat in smoked salmon or gravlax, cold-cured spiced salmon, served with toast provides a rich counterpart to the drink. While nothing quite beats the leopard print Raisthorpe Manor crackers for showstopping shades, this Whitley Neill Gin pack isn’t holding back. Inside, our pink cracker contained 5cl of strawberry and pink pepper Edinburgh gin; while the black had a rather more unusual Edgerton blue spice gin. With flavours ranging from 'light and fresh fruitiness to rich and warm caramel', you'll go on a tasting journey – plus every bottle is hand-made, hand-bottled and hand-labelled for that extra personal touch.