Probably very few gin drinkers are interested in it. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned at this point why THE fashionable spirit of the past few years in this country and (almost) everywhere in the world is called gin at all. Basically, this is the internationalized short form of Genévrier, the French word for juniper. The colorless but flavorful all-rounder probably originated in the 17th century. Genever, a kind of forerunner of today’s gin creations, made its way to England from the Netherlands. There it was baptized with the obvious name “Gin”. And as such, juniper schnapps began an unprecedented triumph a few years ago. Of course also as a long drink with tonic on ice. The supermarket shelves are full of gins of all colours, shapes and facets. In Germany alone, you can no longer keep up when counting the different gins. Filling an advent calendar with 24 different gins is child’s play. Even five are no problem.
If you want to drink something nicer during the 24 cloudy days of December with a little gin trip around the world, you should consider the gin advent calendar from Foodist. The manufacturer promises 24 treats from all over the world – from liquid masterpieces to mysterious newcomers. Each bottle contains 5 cl of an international juniper speciality. Denmark, Finland and the Eifel have contributed to the 2022 gin countdown. Everything else remains behind closed calendar doors until December. As a little extra, the Foodist Gin Tasting comes with a small booklet with recipe ideas and tasting tips.
This is where an advent calendar comes into play that not only hides exquisite gin miniatures behind its little doors. Instead, gin tonics can be mixed directly with the surprises of the Liquid Director Gin Calendar 2022, which can then be tried with a suitable sweet or salty snack. A small but bearable disadvantage: it takes a little patience. Because three doors have to be opened for a full gin and tonic set including a snack. In short: there are a total of eight gin and tonics hidden in the calendar along with small treats. On top of that, there will be a ninth bottle of gin for all gin purists on December 24th. This year a special drop from the Social Distillery, a start-up from Frankfurt that was only founded in April 2020. The gins from four countries come in small batch format as original miniatures directly from the manufacturer. This is by no means standard. As a little treat there is a set of glass tubes for the cocktail glass. Another plus point: the calendar is completely plastic-free. Tonic fans can also look forward to some special drops. On top of that, a 66-page booklet not only contains information about the content, but also extensive background (and nerd) knowledge about gin (and tonic). The Liquid Director Gin Tonic Snack Calendar is available here.
Our conclusion: Absolutely recommendable. Not just for experimental GT fans. The price-performance ratio is also right. Almost 100 euros for eight anything but everyday gin and tonics plus a small snack is a fair offer from our point of view.
The creative minds behind the 2022 version of the Tastillery Gin Advent calendar had a smart idea. Here the juniper droplets do not come in the original miniatures from the manufacturer, but the element of surprise is all the greater. Apart from the numbering, one bottle looks the same at first glance. But the labels with the names of the 24 gins from a total of 17 countries are hidden under the numbers 1 to 24. According to Tastillery, this year includes juniper pearls from Brazil, India and Japan. There are 30 ml each to try. And so that you can taste in style and as a couple during the Advent season, Tastillery includes two tasting glasses. The “adult” bottles of the mini-gins are said to cost between 25 and 80 euros in stores. For just under 100 euros you get 0.72 liters of gin. The Tastillery Gin Advent Calendar 2022 is also something to look at, because death-defying artists, tightrope-walking bears and white tigers cavort in a colorful circus ring on the box. For those who want to document their taste experiences, Tastillery has included a gin guide with information and space for personal notes.
The 24 bottles of this gin advent calendar are hidden in a chic wooden box. They have odd names like Huckleberry Gin, The Bread Knight Gin or Vogelwilder Rosen Gin and, according to the manufacturer, all come from small and large German gin manufacturers. However, it looks rather bad with sharing, because the 20 ml sample sip per bottle is enough for a maximum of two. Instead, there may be some real juniper bombs and insider tips hidden in the calendar. According to the manufacturer, both purists and fans of experimental gin creations will get their money’s worth at Christmas 2022. From the classic juniper drop to the currently popular New Western variant, everything is included. A booklet with a brief fact check on each gin guides you through the 24-day countdown. There is also a notepad for checking your personal favourites.
With a price of just under 80 euros, each of the 24 gin minis Made in Germany costs 3.33 euros. This calendar is one of the cheapest in comparison. The “24 Days of Gin” advent calendar is available here.
A mix of crazy gins, gin liqueurs and tonic syrup miniatures is hidden in the 2022 gin advent calendar from Wajos. In addition to the classic botanical gin, unusual mixtures such as black coffee gin, gin d’amour or a BBQ gin refined with chilli lure behind the little doors. A little extra: a non-alcoholic gin novelty. The special spirits come from the liqueur manufacturer Wajos, which was founded on the Moselle in the 1980s. Here is the WAJOS cocktail
In its 2022 edition, the Vita Dulcis Gin Advent Calendar also wants to conquer the throats of gin fans. From London Dry to Western Dry everything is included. With a content of 20 ml, the samples are rather small. Buyers can look forward to a gin trip around the world, as the 24 bottles come from 20 different countries. These include exotics such as Thailand, Peru and New Zealand. With a whopping 46% vol. the Citadelle No Mistake Old Tom stands out from France. The Seedlip Grove 42 from England is completely alcohol-free. Germany is represented with a New Western Gin from Munich. After the tasting of the 24 minis, you can also make notes on the individual samples in a lavish brochure. When it comes to gin variety, this 2022 calendar is at the forefront. Here’s the Vita Dulcis Gin advent calendar.
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