UAE. Dubai Duty Free and Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI) have partnered to launch the Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar. The limited-edition holiday collectible was designed to bring seasonal spirits discovery to travellers at Dubai International Airport over the holidays.
Available exclusively at Dubai Duty Free, the Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar features 12 miniature premium wine and spirit expressions drawn from MMI’s extensive global portfolio.
Created to offer a “spirited journey in a box”, the calendar invites travellers to explore a range of recognised brands, with each compartment revealing a new miniature that celebrates craftsmanship, flavour and festive cheer.
The Advent Calendar is presented in a collectible box inspired by classic holiday motifs. A Nutcracker design, rendered in traditional festive hues of red and green, gives the product strong shelf presence.
“At Dubai Duty Free, we always look for creative ways to engage and delight our customers,” said Dubai Duty Free Senior Vice President for Purchasing Sharon Beecham.
MMI Business Development Manager Travel Retail Mathilde Lazaro said, “The Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar is a perfect example of innovation and partnership – it captures the joy of the season while underscoring the strength of our collaborations.
“The concept behind Festive Wonderland was to elevate the gifting experience through a curated selection that reflects the quality and diversity of our portfolio. It’s a fun, premium way for travellers to experience the breadth of our brands and celebrate the festive spirit.”
The Advent Calendar is supported by eye-catching in-store visibility and digital activation at Dubai Duty Free. It includes a thoughtfully selected mix of global wines & spirits brands, including:
- EPC Brut Champagne (37.5cl)
- Torres Altos Ibéricos (18.7cl)
- Indri Single Malt Triple Cask (5cl)
- Bombay Sapphire (5cl)
- Jura Journey (5cl)
- Hennessy VS (3cl)
- Bottega Negroni Premix (10cl)
- Chivas Regal 12YO (5cl)
- Martini Extra Dry (6cl)
- Grey Goose Original (5cl)
- Bacardí Carta Blanca (5cl)
- The Glenlivet Distiller’s Reserve (5cl)
Several brand owners shared their enthusiasm for participating in the initiative.
“We’re thrilled to see EPC Champagne featured in such a creative concept,” said Champagne EPC Co-Founder and General Manager Jérôme Queige.
“This initiative comes at a very special moment for us, as we are launching EPC Champagne in Dubai Duty Free. The Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar is an imaginative and elegant way to introduce travellers to our cuvée and share the joy of our brand’s arrival in the region.”
Indri Whisky Head of International Business Madhu Kanna added, “The inclusion of Indri represents the growing global curiosity for Indian single malts.
“We’re especially delighted to see Indri featured in this calendar as we’ve just transitioned our travel retail distribution in the Middle East to MMI. This initiative perfectly marks the beginning of a strong and promising partnership – one that celebrates innovation, authenticity and the shared ambition to grow Indian whisky on the global stage.”
That sentiment was echoed by Familia Torres Business Development Consultant Salim Isler, who said: “Familia Torres is delighted to be part of this festive collection that celebrates craftsmanship, storytelling and the art of gifting. Our collaboration with MMI and Dubai Duty Free has always been built on trust, shared values and a passion for elevating the wine experience in travel retail.
“As the number one Spanish wine brand in global travel retail, Familia Torres is proud to be featured in The Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar, a partnership that continues to inspire growth, creativity and excellence across the region.”
Whyte & Mackay Regional Director Global Travel Retail Clarisse Daniels added: “Jura, the number one single malt brand in the UK, is admired not only for its fruity and balanced style but also for its appeal as a premium gifting choice. Featuring Jura in this beautifully curated advent calendar perfectly captures the spirit of the festive season.”
She added: “Our long-standing and trusted partnership with MMI is built on shared ambition and collaboration. At the same time, Whyte & Mackay has been driving strong growth in the whisky category at Dubai Duty Free, making Jura’s inclusion in the Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar a fitting celebration of progress and partnership.”
Reflecting on the collaboration, Bacardi Global Travel Retail Regional Director Sam Pickard said: “With several of our iconic brands featured in this calendar, it’s a fantastic showcase for Bacardi. This initiative highlights the breadth of our portfolio and the strength of our partnership with MMI and Dubai Duty Free.
“The Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar brings our brands to life in a fun and innovative way, engaging travellers, inspiring discovery and celebrating the festive spirit of togetherness that defines Bacardi.”
“This collaboration with Dubai Duty Free perfectly illustrates MMI’s role in travel retail – not just as a distributor, but as a value creator,” added MMI General Manager Travel Retail Nathalie Fouquet. “Our mission is to build bridges between brands and retailers through impactful activations that drive visibility, engagement and growth.
“The Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar does exactly that – it enables consumers to discover exceptional products in a playful and premium way, offers Dubai Duty Free an innovative gifting solution for the festive season, and showcases the strength of our partnerships with leading global brands.” ✈
