Ready-to-Drink/Premixed Cocktails
Ready-to-drink or RTD cocktails got their start as so-called “alcopop” beverages, such as Smirnoff Ice, which are malt liquor-based beverages that approximated a cocktail experience through the addition of different flavorings, generally sugar- and fruit-heavy, plus a healthy amount of carbonation. As with most alcoholic beverages, RTD products have moved upscale in recent years, with numerous craft distillers producing genuine cocktails ready to drink out of the can or bottle. These are often made with the identical ingredients you’d get if you made the cocktail from scratch, though quality tends to vary considerably.
Top Ready-to-Drink Cocktail Posts:
Zima
Cutwater Spirits Whiskey Highball and Whiskey Lemon Tea
Truly Spiked & Sparkling Water
When Iâve got a hankering for a margarita, the Netherlands isnât the first country that pops into my mind, so forgive me if I was a little skeptical when a bottle of Dutch-produced Coppa Cocktails Margarita arrived at my door. Packaged in a stylish bottle wrapped in botanical imagery, this ready-to-drink margarita is eye-catching, to…
Read More
San Diego-based SouthNorte has introduced a line of ready-to-drink cocktails in time for summer, bringing its penchant for Baja-inspired flavors to the craft. We tasted the whole lineup, and found them consistently clean, light, and refreshing, if notably short on tequila flavor. SouthNorte Margarita – A classic blend of blanco tequila, triple sec, and lime,…
Read More
We previously covered the intense flavored vodkas of Black Infusions. The company also markets one canned cocktail, the Dirty Shirley, which is composed of its cherry flavored vodka, ginger, and lime. All the promised elements make an appearance here, but it’s the intense cherry notes that dominate, infusing the gently carbonated — and dark brownish-red…
Read More
Batch & Bottle launched as a new ready-to-drink cocktail concept last year from William Grant & Sons, the idea being that premium spirits — with their names appearing right on the label — could drive the experience. (Naturally, it’s all William Grant-owned spirits that show up in the bottles.) Four offerings hit the market at…
Read More
Filthy is based in Miami and is the latest contender in the cocktail kit arena trying to raise the bar (this pun was unavoidable) for the DIY home classic cocktail game. Filthy was founded by Daniel Singer because, well, accordingly to the website, “He loved cocktails but couldn’t understand why the best bartenders were using…
Read More
National Margarita Day is February 22, and true patriots of libation nation will be honoring their favorite tequila-lime traditions across this great land. For those whoâd rather crack open a can than shake up a home-built cocktail, weâve sampled 11 notable ready-to-drink options to help you with your celebrations. Whether youâre a traditionalist lean toward…
Read More
If your idea of a proper cocktail is one positively brimming with booze, Tip Top Proper Cocktails has one for you with its ready-to-drink margarita. Made with tequila, orange liqueur, and I can only assume the tiniest squeeze of lime, this stiff drink comes in at a heavy 26% abv, roughly three times the alcohol…
Read More
Made with tequila, triple sec, lemon-lime, honey, and a little salt, Oregon-based 10 Barrel continues its craft of ready-to-drink cocktails with this Classic Margarita. Aimed at the center of the bullseye for what we all think of when we think of a margarita, this RTD classic delivers a clean, though fairly sweet, citrusy sipper thatâs sure…
Read More
Margarita lovers looking for a ready-to-drink option thatâs USDA organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher will find a worthy candidate in Drakeâs Organic Boxtails Perfect Margarita. Eschewing all things artificial, Drakeâs Organic boxes up this ready-made marg with a blend of Drakeâs Organic Tequila, triple sec, and fresh citrus juice. Coming in at a boozier-than-usual…
Read More
Remember The Gold Fashioned, unofficially the most expensive ready-to-drink bottled cocktail on the market? Well, it’s back, reformulated — slightly — by adding a touch of 15 year old bourbon to the blend, joining the existing complement of 8 year old bourbon, 5 year old rye, and saffron bitters. The orange oil atomizer included for…
Read More