Canned cocktails are handier (and cheaper) than stocking a whole wet bar. But you need to choose carefully. Here are the best ready-to-drink (RTDs) beverages on shelf now that taste like they were shaken and strained just for you. Consider it your list of holiday cheer to grab now before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.
The H2 Hibiscus Spiritliss Non-Alcoholic Gin & Tonic flavoured beverage (LCBO $2.75/355 ml) is a pale, petal-pink cocktail that combines carbonated water and natural flavours to create an intriguingly innovative taste. The nose suggests heathy, green foliage — like sitting in a garden on a summer’s day — with hints of juniper and lime. The attack is clean, crisp and refreshing, with a sweet-bitter tang similar to that of tonic water with wispy notes of lime zest at play, too. With zero grams of sugar and a mere 0.5 per cent alcohol, this canned cocktail is a better-for-you option. Score: 90
Serve the H2 Hibiscus Spiritliss Non-Alcoholic Gin & Tonic with a wedge of lime, on the rocks, with classic shrimp cocktail for a nice, light treat.
Founder’s Original Grapefruit Tequila Paloma (LCBO $3.25/355 ml).
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Tequila lovers will enjoy the Founder’s Original Grapefruit Tequila Paloma (LCBO $3.25/355 ml), a carbonated blend of tequila, citrus bitters, grapefruit juice and lime. Each tart-sweet sip slides in with a grapefruit centre laced with allusions of mint, basil, lime and thyme. Then, on the finish, a note of pomelo pith lingers. This citrusy, well-balanced and grown-up tasting RTD with seven per cent alcohol is a smart buy. Score: 92
Serve this cocktail over ice with a wedge of grapefruit and pair it with fish or roasted cauliflower tacos.
Sandbagger Pink Grapefruit Hard Seltzer (LCBO $2.95/355 mL).
If you prefer gin to tequila, reach for the Sandbagger Pink Grapefruit Hard Seltzer (LCBO $2.95/355 mL). This simple blend of carbonated water, gin, cane sugar and natural pink grapefruit flavour shines water white in the glass and exudes the delightful scent of grapefruit and juniper. Then, it beams in light and bright tasting. The grapefruit and the gin are both understated — light brush strokes of each tease the senses — while an airy kiss of sweetness lends balance to the bracing centre of this hard seltzer with five per cent alcohol. Score: 90
Serve the Sandbagger Pink Grapefruit Hard Setzer with roasted, salted cashews.
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French 75 Gin Cocktail (LCBO $2.95/355 ml).
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If you like the flavour of fresh strawberries and lemon, the French 75 Gin Cocktail (LCBO $2.95/355 ml) will not disappoint. While a French 75 is traditionally a mix of gin and champagne with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of sugar, this take on it combines carbonated water, gin, Ontario sparkling rosé and natural strawberry and lemon flavour. So, no, it’s not traditional, but taken on its own merits, it’s a delight.
The drink is crystal clear and colourless with aromas and flavours of field-plucked strawberries, sugared lemon zest and that hint of juniper from the gin. Chiselled flavours, a tart seam of mouth-watering acidity and lovely purity keep the drink quenching and easy to enjoy, making it a bit of a crowd-pleaser. And each can has a moderate five per cent alcohol. Score: 91
Enjoy this French 75 with your mother’s cheese ball recipe made with cream cheese and grated cheese rolled in chopped nuts.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Lemonade (LCBO $3.50/473 ml).
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Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Lemonade (LCBO $3.50/473 ml) is a honey-sweetened, spritzy cocktail that shines pale amber and nods toward smoky Tennessee whiskey, as well as vanilla bean, toffee, honey and lemon zest. The drink is sweet but well-balanced with bracing acidity and six per cent alcohol. Will appeal to bourbon and non-bourbon drinkers alike — since that spirit is so understated. Score: 89
Spicy chicken wings with blue cheese dressing and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Lemonade are the perfect match.
Served neat or on the rocks, the new Carolans Peanut Butter Irish Cream Liqueur (LCBO $31.95/750 ml) certainly qualifies as an RTD — even if it doesn’t come in a can.
This blend of cream, Irish whiskey and honey tastes utterly indulgent. The aromas suggest vanilla cream, Irish whiskey and peanut butter. And each sip tastes rich and generous. If you’re the type to eat peanut butter straight from the jar, this drink is for you.
The flavours suggest Irish cream laced with honey and peanut butter, with the nut butter coming to the fore on the finish. This decadent drink with 17 per cent alcohol is delicious. And, if you or your guests are sensitive to peanuts, note that the label reads: “Does not contain peanuts.” Score: 92
Serve this sweet treat with a plate of good chocolate. Fabulous finish to a meal — or a treat as the clock counts down to midnight.
Carolyn Evans Hammond is a Toronto-based wine writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Wineries occasionally sponsor segments on her YouTube series yet they have no role in the selection of the wines she chooses to review or her opinions of those wines. All prices are subject to change. Please drink responsibly. Reach her via email: carolyn@carolynevanshammond.com.
Carolyn
Evans Hammond is a Toronto-based wine writer and a freelance
contributing columnist for the Star. Wineries occasionally sponsor
segments on her YouTube series yet they have no role in the
selection of the wines she chooses to review or her opinions of
those wines. All prices are subject to change. Please drink
responsibly. Reach her via email: carolyn@carolynevanshammond.com.
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