I love a good cocktail bar. The type of place with a mix of classic and contemporary drinks. The kind of establishment where the bartenders are allowed to let their creativity flow, adding different flavors to elevate well-known mixed drinks. But I’m pretty busy with everyday life and don’t always have time to spend an evening drinking contemporary takes on the Old Fashioned or Negroni at a cocktail bar. This is where ready-to-drink cocktails come in. And while there are many overly sugary, low-alcohol options available, some brands make RTDs that taste like my favorite drinks and have the same (or similar alcohol content).
I’ve spent years sampling ready-to-drink cocktails (especially as the category has expanded in recent years), and I’ve found quite a few that you can crack open, pour into a glass, and feel as close to your local cocktail bar as possible without actually leaving the friendly confines of your home.
What is a ready-to-drink cocktail?
As I mentioned above, the RTD (or ready-to-drink cocktail) is a pre-mixed alcoholic cocktail easily packaged in a bottle or can so you can simply crack it open and pour it directly into your glass without making it yourself (or having a bartender make it) and without needing any tools or ingredients to do so. As I briefly mentioned earlier, there are two clearly defined types of RTDS.
The first is the standard RTD. This is usually malt-based and is designed to be enjoyed instead of your usual beer or hard seltzer. Like beer, these are often sweeter and typically fall in the 4% to 8% ABV range. While there’s a time and place for these RTDs, I’m not interested in them today.
I’m all about the read-to-serve drinks. These are the spirit-based RTD cocktails that are made with a base of whiskey, tequila, vodka, or other spirits and include the ingredients you’d expect in a Margarita, Old Fashioned, or Negroni that you’d order at your local bar. You crack one of these bad boys open, and you’re met with a cocktail that closely resembles the actual drink as opposed to a cloyingly sweet, low-ABV copy. These are typically canned or bottled at 15%-30% ABV.
How do I pick my RTDs?
When I picked RTDs for this list, I looked for high-quality, flavorful drinks that most closely resembled the same cocktail you’d order in a bar. If I crack open a canned Gin & Tonic, I want to taste like the drink I’d get at a bar, have a similar ABV, and similar ingredients. The same goes for canned Margaritas, Palomas, Whiskey Sours, and every other canned cocktail.
The best RTD’s to bring the bar experience home
Now that you’ve learned a little about the background on RTDs, the different types, and how I picked mine, it’s time to let you in on the list of the best RTDS to bring to bar experience home. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Tip Top Bee’s Knees
There’s no need to add a slew of random flavors and ingredients when you’re crafting a well-made read-to-serve cocktail. Tip Top Bee’s Knees is made with simple ingredients like gin, lemon juice, and honey. That’s all you need to make a memorable drink that’s ready to be poured over ice and enjoyed at a moment’s notice. The result is a simple, elegant cocktail that balances botanical gin, fresh citrus, and sweet honey. Floral and juniper flavors are up front, along with crisp, tart lemon and sweet, sugary honey. It’s a perfectly balanced cocktail that clocks in at a bartender-friendly 52-proof.
Hochstadter’s Slow & Low Rock and Rye Old Fashioned
Fans of pre-mixed cocktails love the appeal of Hochstadter’s Slow & Low Rock and Rye Old Fashioned. This take on the Old Fashioned is made with straight rye whiskey, raw honey, Angostura bitters, orange peel, and gets added sweetness from rock candy (yes, you read that right). Available in bottles or single 100ml cans, the result is a boozy, warming, balanced cocktail that will make you feel like your favorite bartender painstakingly mixed it up for you. This 84-proof ready-to-serve cocktail is filled with flavors like spicy rye, candied orange peels, and sweetness from the rock candy and honey. Crack a can open, pour it into a glass with ice, and you’re all set.
Post Meridiem Daiquiri
When it comes to summery cocktails, few hit the spot on a humid, sunny day better than a classic daiquiri. But, if you don’t want to go to a bar or mix one up yourself, you can open a can of Post Meridian Daiquiri and know you aren’t missing out. That’s because this 52-proof ready-to-serve is made with silver Caribbean rum, 100% real lime juice, and cane sugar syrup. The result is a balanced, memorable daiquiri loaded with flavors like fresh lime, warming rum, and a gentle sweetness that ties everything together. Boozy, tart, sweet, and highly memorable, this is the type of RTD you’ll want to drink all summer long.
Golden Rule Margarita Original
If Margaritas are more your thing, you don’t have to travel to your closest Mexican restaurant to get that authentic flavor. Instead, you can open a can of Golden Rule Margarita Original. This 54-proof canned cocktail is made with premium blanco tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. Sipping it reveals flavors like roasted agave, tart citrus, and sweet orange. Drink it over ice in a glass for a simple sipper or pour it into a salt-rimmed Margarita glass and pair it with your favorite Mexican dishes any day of the year.
Tanqueray Negroni
On a hot summer afternoon, few cocktails are more refreshing than a classic Negroni. If you want that bittersweet flavor at home, you can open a Tanqueray Negroni. This 49.8-proof ready-to-serve cocktail is made with Tanqueray London dry gin, vermouth, and a bitter liqueur. Best served chilled or poured over ice, it features flavors like bittersweet herbs, juniper, citrus peels, and gentle spices.
