As a self-styled home mixologist and a Southerner, making a killer bourbon cocktail is a point of pride. I know when to shake (sours), when to stir (Manhattan), and when to muddle (never when it comes to fruit and old-fashioneds). But there are occasions, like when traveling or an impromptu get-together, when squeezing a pile of lemons or simmering a batch of simple syrup isn’t feasible. Sometimes you just want to pour and sip. Enter the ready-made whiskey drink—and no, we’re not talking bourbon over ice.
Ready-to-drink cocktails, or RTDs as they’re known, have come a long way since the early days of canned highballs (spirit plus mixer) and syrupy-sweet “alcopops.” A recent visit to my local big-box liquor store revealed an entire section of RTD concoctions—really, there’s a sign—offered in both classic and inventive varieties and many made with real, high-quality ingredients. About a shelf or so is devoted to whiskey-based options, which reflects the spirit’s modest-but-growing share among RTD cocktails.
Globally, spirits-based RTDs as a whole grew by 20 percent year-over-year, according to a recent Nielsen report, while whiskey-based RTDs represent just over 5 percent of the category. That spells opportunity for established whiskey brands that see ready-to-drink cocktails as a way to offer grab-and-go convenience and expand visibility “beyond the traditional bottle,” as Mary Beth O’Mara, brand director for Jack Daniel’s ready-to-drink portfolio in the U.S. and Canada, puts it.
Playing off the popular bar order, “Jack” and “Coke” officially teamed to launch a line of canned cocktails in 2022. And according to O’Mara, Jack Daniel’s RTDs now represent more than 50 percent of the total whiskey RTD mix. But other whiskey brands are also getting into the ready-made cocktail game. While I don’t plan to hang up my bartender’s apron anytime soon, after tasting through a number of options, here are several that balance convenience and consistency with craft-inspired flavors, no squeezing required.
Peanut Butter Whiskey Eggnog
Skrewball
This seasonal release from Skrewball rolls out in the fall and sticks around through the holidays. Made with real cream, it nails the rich texture and comforting spice of traditional ’nog, swirled with the brand’s signature peanut-butter flavor. I noted the alcohol content (14.75% ABV) but chose to ignore the calorie count. It’s delicious.
Spiced Pear Whiskey Sour
On the Rocks
This premium line of ready-to-drink cocktails from Suntory, the parent company of James B. Beam Co., includes classics such as an old-fashioned made with Knob Creek and a Manhattan with Basil Hayden. Feeling festive, I went for the limited-release Spiced Pear Whiskey Sour made with Old Overholt. It leans heavy into the flavor of a cinnamon-dusted poached pear—for a moment I imagined I’d wandered into a Hallmark store at Christmas—but it has enough body and complexity to keep it firmly in cocktail territory. I’d have one.
Ginger Infused Highball
Chattanooga Whiskey
Chattanooga Whiskey expanded on its line of liqueurs to offer a canned highball seltzer made with its flagship bourbon infused with natural dried ginger, citrus peel, lemongrass, and other flavors. This one tastes like something I’d mix up at home if I could—it tastes of real gingerroot and is more savory than sweet. At 8% ABV, it’s also light, refreshing, and crushable.
Barreled Manhattan
Handy & Schiller
This RTD line from Sazerac, parent company of Buffalo Trace, is named for Thomas Handy and John Schiller, who helped develop the Sazerac cocktail in 1850s New Orleans. Made with Sazerac Rye, sweet vermouth, and Peychaud’s Bitters, the bottled barrel-aged Manhattan isn’t quite as velvety and whiskey-forward as I make them—leaning a bit sweeter—but remains a solid take, with the oaky notes adding balance.
Peach Old Fashioned
Penelope Bourbon
Penelope’s ready-to-pour cocktails consist of three old-fashioned variations—peach, black walnut, and apple cinnamon—each made with a blend of the brand’s bourbon and rye. The peach version, which adds peach bitters and maple syrup, comes in at 80 proof and drinks more whiskey-forward than many of the others I tried. The peach notes reminded me more of the syrup from a freshly opened can, but the overall balance works.
Old Fashioned
Bulleit
With aromas of orange peel and cinnamon—maybe it’s the season, but there’s something unmistakably Christmas-y here—this 75-proof offering is a sturdy rendition of the classic cocktail. It tastes like ones I make (although I tend to have a heavier hand with the bourbon). My favorite detail is the label text addressed to those debating between a cherry or a lemon or orange twist as a garnish. “You’re the bartender now,” it advises. Pre-mixed cocktails just make it easier.
