Sainsbury’s is launching its first-ever mince pie advent calendar, featuring a boozy festive treat behind every window.
The unusual countdown swaps traditional chocolate for 24 miniature mince pies in three indulgent flavours.
Its Taste the Difference Mince Pie Advent Calendar will cost £20 and become available in stores and online from 1 November.
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That works out at just over 83p for each miniature pie, as reported by What’s The Jam?
The calendar contains eight Taste the Difference Brandy, Port and Brown Butter Mince Pies.
These feature all-butter pastry enriched with brown butter and a brandy and port fruit mincemeat filling.
They are finished with pieces of pecan for an added crunch.
Shoppers will also receive eight Viennese Whirl Mince Pies, consisting of all-butter pastry filled with brandy and port mincemeat and topped with a soft, crumbly Viennese whirl.
The remaining eight windows contain the supermarket’s more traditional All Butter Mince Pies, filled with fruit mincemeat infused with brandy.
The colourful calendar is decorated with a large festive poinsettia, and its numbered windows are arranged out of sequence to make finding each day’s treat part of the countdown.
It joins the growing array of alternatives to conventional chocolate advent calendars, which now range from beauty products and cheese to alcohol and treats for pets.
However, buyers should note that all three mince pie varieties contain alcohol as an ingredient, while the brown butter version also contains nuts.
Sainsbury’s confirmed the calendar has 24 windows, with an equal split of eight pies in each flavour.
The announcement has already excited festive food fans on social media.
One shopper wrote: “This is amazing.”
Another person said: “Oh Sainsbury’s, this is a good advent calendar.”
A third person added: “This is the best advent calendar everrr.”
A fourth person said: “Now that really is my perfect advent calendar.”
Meanwhile, a fifth shopper said: “OMG I need one of these!”
The calendar will be sold as part of Sainsbury’s premium Taste the Difference range.
It is expected to be available nationwide, although stock may vary between individual branches.
