By Alex Darus - August 21, 2022
The explosion of ready-to-drink canned cocktails has led to booze companies putting inventive alcohol concoctions into a can. Whether it's hard seltzer or liquor-based cocktails in a can, drinking from a can has never been so versatile, especially for non-beer drinkers. You can find canned versions of wine, mixed drinks, and even hard kombucha at the liquor store these days. There are a whole lot of canned drinks that secretly contain a lot of liquor.
If you're someone who enjoys cocktails as your drink of choice, canned cocktails will make everything easier for you. They don't require any bar equipment or dirty glasses. There are also available in endless flavors, so you don't have to drink alcohol straight if you're looking for a low-effort drink that goes down easy. Some alcohol brands have gotten really creative, hiding insanely high-proof drinks inside cans no bigger than100ml.
The world of tiny cans filled with a lot of booze may be new, but it is steadily growing. It might be a category of drink that isn't even on your radar, so if you're looking for a boozy treat, it's definitely worth trying some of these drinks and their flavors.
Dashfire Lemon & Lavender Martini: 38% ABV
Vodka drinkers can expand beyond High Noons and other vodka-based seltzers with Dashfire's sophisticated lemon and lavender martini in a can. The brand originally started making crafted bitters to elevate its customers' home bars but has since expanded into the RTD arena with an impressive line of mini-crafted cocktails.
This fun-sized purple can contains vodka, sherry, as well as lemon and lavender bitters, so it's not your average martini. There's no gin, no vermouth, and nothing resembling an olive in sight. Before opening this can, you should forgo everything you think a martini should be and prepare to be open-minded about this intense drink.
Dashfire's martini is floral and zippy, with an added complexity thanks to the sherry. One can has 38% ABV, so this drink is definitely a sipper.
According to Drizly, one 100-milliliter of the Dashfire Lemon & Lavender Martini costs around $6 as of August 2022.
Dashfire El Presidente: 38% ABV
Dashfire also has a 38% ABV drink for rum drinkers: The puny and pink El Presidente. The brand's entire mission is to create products, especially ready-to-drink cans, that don't sacrifice quality for the sake of convenience, and El Presidente is a pretty well-executed example.
This little can contains a lot of flavors: It has white rum, dry vermouth, Curacao liqueur, and pomegranate grenadine, which is a richer flavor than the usual cherry version. The grenadine doesn't overpower the drink; rather, it serves as a supporting partner to the white rum flavor.
"It's really good as is the Martinez," one customer wrote about El Presidente on Dashfire Bitters' Instagram. Additionally, it's so small that you can shoot it down in one sip regardless of whether enjoy the flavor or not.
One can costs about $6 as of August 2022, so it's a reasonable price to try something new, even if you end up not being a fan (via Drizly).
Post Meridiem Espresso Martini: 22.5% ABV
An espresso martini can be more than just a delicious drink order. It's a beverage that sets the tone of your impending evening. It's one of few ways you can have caffeine with a bit of booze, and it certainly tastes better than a watered-down vodka and Red Bull.
Post Meridiem Spirits has made enjoying an espresso martini even easier with their canned version. It requires no shaking, stirring, or coffee brewing: Just crack open a can and poor. It might sound like it wouldn't hold a candle to a homemade espresso martini, but surprisingly, it is almost indistinguishable once poured into a glass.
Post Meridiem, based in Atlanta, Georgia, mixes 100% Arabica cold brew coffee with vodka and coffee liqueur for its recipe. The beverage has a 22.5% ABV. "I bought 3 packs of them! They're delicious," one satisfied customer wrote in a review of the espresso martini cans on Post Meridiem's Instagram.
As of August 2022, one can costs about $4.50 each, and a 4-pack costs $18. One can has enough booze inside to make you feel buzzed after one drink.
Post Meridiem Mai Tai: 23.5% ABV
Post Meridiem's entire lineup of tiny high-proof cans is worth trying out, but if you're having trouble narrowing down some options amidst its selection, the espresso martini and mai tai are two stand-outs. The 1944 Mai Tai is slightly stronger; it contains a 23.5% ABV. The recipe includes a blend of Caribbean rums, lime juice, orange Curacao, almond orgeat, and a little mint to channel the tiki vibes. The colorful paper umbrella, though, sadly, is not included with the cans.
The Mai Tai is a bit sweeter of an option than some of Post Meridiem's other drinks, but it's another solid example of a classic cocktail that is executed just right. "This is the best pre-mixed cocktail I've ever had. I decided to give the Mai Tai a try and was BLOWN AWAY," one Post Meridiem customer wrote in a review on the online shop. "You will not regret buying this."
As of August 2022, a four-pack costs $18.
Tip Top Daiquiri: 24% ABV
Tip Top Proper Cocktails is another brand pioneer in the tiny canned cocktail sphere, serving up simple takes on classic drinks in small packages. One of the stand-outs from the brand is the daiquiri can, which contains a balance of silver, Jamaican, and aged rums with a little lime and sugar. One can has 24% ABV, and it is a good option if you're looking for a slightly sweet daiquiri that really hits the spot.
For classic daiquiri fans, Tip Top's canned rendition is a pleasant surprise. "The Classic Daiquiri is my favorite cocktail, so I knew I had to try this one. It is LEGIT. It has a fresh, tart, funky lime taste but you still have the nice vanilla flavors from the rum," one Total Wine customer wrote in a review. "It's not too sweet and tastes identical to what you'd get at a high-end bar."
As of August 2022, Tip Top sells an 8-pack of its daiquiris for $40. Some variety packs also include the daiquiri can.
Togronis: 25% ABV
Negroni is another classic cocktail that never seems to go out of style. The only issue with the gin-based drink is that it isn't always easy to enjoy on the go. Negronis are a mix of gin, orange, sweet vermouth, and Campari that is sophisticated and endlessly satisfying. Togronis (Negronis to go) were born in 2020, when bars and restaurants we rethinking the idea of take-out, both in terms of food and craft cocktails.
The cans have a 25% ABV content. These cans can be sipped chilled or poured neat on the rocks. "Pop the cans in a cooler or just pour over ice. You can take them with you anywhere. So convenient," one customer wrote in a review of Togronis on the brand's Instagram page.
As of August 2022, Togronis are sold in packs of four for $19, or you can even stock up on a 24-pack for $103 if they quickly become your new favorite cocktail of choice.
Golden Rule Original Margarita: 27% ABV
Canned margaritas featuring real tequila are trendy these days, but Golden Rule sets itself apart by making a miniature version. This 27% ABV drink contains 100% agave tequila, lime juice, and triple sec to make a citrus-packed refreshment. It may sound like this high percentage of alcohol coupled with so few ingredients may lead to a drink that is too strong, but the flavors are shockingly balanced. It tastes like the kind of basic margarita you'd order at the bar with just the right amount of booze.
As with most cocktail cans, Golden Rule margaritas taste best over ice or at least served ice cold. "They are magnificent. After my first one I said I think that is the best margarita I have ever had," one Total Wine customer wrote in a review of the can.
A four-pack of Gold Rule margaritas sells for about $23 as of August 2022, which is a solid price for four cocktails that require little to no effort to come together.
Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey: 35% ABV
Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey is a whiskey for dessert lovers that has a well-deserved cult following. Even if you're not someone who typically drinks a lot of brown liquor, the peanut butter-flavored spirit is so tasty that it may very well appeal to you.
Unlike other cans with mixed ingredients, Skrewball sells a 100ml can that is straight-up booze. The whiskey is sweet and nutty, and it tastes good on its own and when mixed into innovative cocktails. It's a convenient way to enjoy some ice-cold peanut butter whiskey without lugging around a bottle or a flask. In total, one 100ml can of Skrewball contains 35% ABV.
When Skrewball debuted its new canned product, fans of the whiskey were excited to be able to stock the whiskey in their fridges. "Game. Changer. I must have these to carry in my purse for emergencies," one customer wrote on Skrewball's Instagram page.
A four-pack of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey sells for about $2p as of August 2022.
Tip Top Old Fashioned: 37% ABV
Tip Top also has options for bourbon drinkers, like its tiny take on an Old Fashioned that's a dead-ringer for the typical bar order. This 37% ABV can contains bourbon, orange bitters, and a bit of cane sugar for sweetness. It's sweet, spicy, and envelops your mouth upon every sip. It's another extremely balanced expression that would rival a homemade version.
Tip Top's Old Fashioned is a hit among even the most sophisticated bourbon palates. And, as a review from Thirty One Whiskey points out, this is a consistently good cocktail, whereas a handmade version from a bar can vary from amazing to poor. "I first tried these on a Delta flight and I couldn't believe it came from a can," one Total Wine customer wrote in a review. "They make them like I do at home- nice orange flavor and heavy on the whiskey. Really convenient to take to tailgates or out on the boat."
An eight-pack is available for $40 as of August 2022.
Stolen X Rock & Rye: 40% ABV
Rock & rye is one of those liqueurs that has its origins in medicine (via Whiskey Advocate). It's a blend of whiskey, sugar, and citrus that's peppery and sweet at the same time. While this high-alcohol liqueur shouldn't be an everyday sipper, Stolen X has a micro can of rock and rye that's a solid expression of the drink with its own signature spin.
Stolen X's 40% ABV can features American rye whiskey, raw honey, and a hint of orange peel to add some zest. It's smooth as can be: So smooth that while it's best over ice, it can also be downed like a shot straight from the can. "Not super sweet, but definitely fruity. Nice with seltzer or ginger ale," one Craft Shack customer wrote in a review of Stolen X.
If you're a fan of Rock and rye, then this is a must-try can that sells for about $7 apiece on Craft Shack.
Slow & Low Rock & Rye: 42%
Rock & rye may not be as popular as an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan, but that doesn't mean it should be totally overlooked by whiskey aficionados. In fact, a drink with such an extensive history should be thoroughly explored by anyone who claims rye whiskey is their drink of choice.
Hochstadter's Slow & Low Rock & Rye is a slightly boozier rendition than Stolen X that is equally as tasty. This 100ml can packs 42% ABV straight rye whiskey, which has notes of rock candy, raw honey, navel oranges, and Angostura bitters.
Slow & Low's pocket-sized drink tastes like a shot of Old Fashioned with a little added sweetness that you'd expect from a liqueur. "This is about the closest you can get to a true bar drink at home without having to make the drink on your own," one Total Wine customer wrote in a review.
A four-pack Slow & Low cans sells for about $16 as of August 2022.
Two Stacks Irish Whiskey Dram in a Can: 43% ABV
Rye isn't for everyone, so Two Stacks Irish Whiskey created its own 100ml "Dram in a Can" for Irish Whiskey drinkers. This beverage isn't playing around when it comes to its liquor level. Two Stacks first debuted its 43% ABV 100ml can in 2021, and since then, it has become a hit among Irish whiskey lovers who can enjoy their drink of choice without lugging around a bottle and a glass.
Irish whiskey might not sound like the most ideal liquor to put in a can, but Two Stacks proves that judgment wrong. The drink is light and refreshing while still maintaining the strong and full-flavored whiskey you would expect out of a bottle. "Just bought a 4-pack of Dram in a Can. Admittedly I wasn't expecting much but this blew me away," one customer wrote on Two Stacks Whiskey's Instagram page. "Will be a regular at my house from now on."
Corsair Barreled Gin: 46% ABV
Even a seasoned gin drinker may not be familiar with the world of barrel-aged gin, but Corsair has a canned option that can expand your palate into what the category has to offer. It has the spiced quality of an aged whiskey with the botanical nature of a well-distilled gin. According to Distiller, this 100ml can is a whopping 46% ABV, making it the booziest option of all the tiny cans on the list.
Even though it's strong, it is still extremely drinkable and well-balanced. Corsair Barreled Gin is a stiff drink of gin best enjoyed on the rocks and sipped slowly, possibly with a twist of lemon if you're feeling fancy. "Jesus what a great drink. The base gin is so wonderfully unique and the barrel aging adds such depth to the flavor," one Distiller user wrote in a review. "Absolutely amazing."
The price is unbeatable: As of August 2022, Corsair is selling these cans for just $4 apiece.