In the two years since we first surveyed ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, the space has gone from being dominated by canned, crushable drinks designed for coolers and picnics to an entire universe of products for which portability is not the primary concern. Now, the ever-expanding crop of RTDs includes a notably stronger showing of the spirit-forward, stirred variety, many of which are designed for at-home rather than on-the-go drinking. At liquor stores across the country, Martinis, Manhattans and Old-Fashioneds can be bought in large-format bottles, to be stored in the freezer or displayed on a bar cart, ready to be poured at a moment’s notice.
That doesn’t mean canned cocktails have disappeared, though. In fact, there are more iterations than ever, with multiple examples for nearly every classic cocktail imaginable—spritzes, Negronis, Espresso Martinis and more—on the market. But are any of them, well, good? Punch editorial staff gathered recently to find out. After tasting more than 40 examples, it became clear that more often than not, the most successful ones were made by spirits producers themselves, or with the help of professional bartenders. Here, now, are the best ready-to-drink cocktails to seek out.
