The Rum Advent Calendar – Drinks by the Dram. This particular article is more of an overview, rather than a review. I won’t be scoring the advent calendar. I will however, offer my humble opinion on the package and give some information on how I approach each years offering.

Now for anyone who has bought or is going to buy this and do not want any spoilers. I would stop reading now.  I will be outlining some of the rums available in this years calendar. So if you want 24 complete surprises (I promise not to give away the running order) close your web browser now……..

The Rum Advent Calendar is produced by Drinks by the Dram which is part of the Master of Malt website. Despite being primarily a whisky retailer they stock an absolutely huge array of other spirits, wine, beer and cider. They have an impressive range of rum and have been bottling 3cl samples of spirits under the Drinks by the Dram moniker for as long as I have been around the spirits scene. Which must be pushing around 10 years now.

They introduced Spirits Advent Calendars back in 2012 and you can get all manner of spirits – Whisky, Bourbon, Rum, Gin even Tequila. So you’re probably asking what do you get in a Rum Advent Calendar?

Well as mentioned Drinks by the Dram do nifty little 3cl bottles of fine spirits and you get a different one of these each day. In terms of the package. It is very sturdy and well put together. The outer sleeve when removed reveals the 24 little compartments which house the individual tots. The cardboard package housing the tots is very good quality and not at all flimsy.

Design wise it seems pretty similar to last years offering, which after all that has happened this year – is probably not a surprise!

In terms of price it retails at £149.95 exclusively from Master of Malt/Drinks by the Dram. This will qualify for free delivery from Master of Malt. For that you are getting 24 3cl tots of rum. Price per bottle of the rums on offer in this package range from around £125 for Flor de Cana 25 down to just over £30 for the Boutique-y Rum Company’s Signature Blend #2.

There are a number of familiar “mainstream” rums that are often noted as “Premium” such as Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva and Ron Zacapa 23. These are offset by offering from Hampden Estate, Damoiseau and Veritas. For those who like a bit of Spice you will find Rumbullion XO and Black Tears amongst a few others.

There is a good mix of sweetened, unadulterated, spiced, white and aged rums to keep you on your toes.

Now the first thing I will say about this advent calendar (and indeed the other Rum Advent Calendars) is that you will not “like” every tot you come across. Variety is very much the spice of life with these calendars. It’s rum remember and such is the “diversity” of rum (for better or worse) all tastes are pretty much catered for.

If you are the kind of person (like me) who just enjoys trying things then this is ideal. As long as you aren’t expecting every tot to be wonderful, you will fully appreciate the experience. In all honesty I am most looking forward to trying the likes of Diplomatico Reserve Exclusiva and El Dorado 12 Year Old. Both of which are quite heavily sweetened. I want to see how I find them now. Rather than how I found them when I reviewed them many years ago.

In terms of me as a reviewer this advent calendar is also excellent for trying new things. There are a number of tots which I have never reviewed. These include the Companero rums from 1423. As a result throughout December I will be posting reviews of the rums I have not previously reviewed. So keep an eye out for those.

If you really don’t like the look of the line up then you can always purchase individual tots from Master of Malt. So you can make your own “customised” advent calendar. Though, I fancy you might not get as much value for money as you do with this offering.

To be honest after how 2020 has went this Rum Advent Calendar

is a breath of fresh air. Opening a tot of rum each day (after working hours of course) will be a welcome relief to the madness!