We’ve put the best pre-made and canned cocktails to the test to see which ones will not only save you time and effort this festive period, but also taste delicious
With Christmas now less than a week away, if you’re looking for drinks to serve to guests at dinners, parties or festive get-togethers, then pre-mixed cocktails could be a great solution.
In recent years there’s been a huge increase in single serve, pre-made cocktails hitting the drinks aisles; a world away from super-sweet alcopops we probably remember from our youths, these are sophisticated drinks that you’d find in a posh bar, serving bartender-quality classics such as margaritas, espresso martinis and negronis in handy little cans or bottles. This makes them excellent for parties – and many can also be delivered in gift sets or letterbox-friendly packaging, making them also a great present idea for someone who loves good food and drink. Here are our favourites…
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Kocktail
The Classic Collection, £32 from Kocktail
Kocktail sells a range of different sized bottles, from 500ml bottles that’ll serve five to single-serve measures in letterbox packaging; we like that these include garnishes and recipe cards too. Passionfruit Martini, Cosmopolitan and Margarita are our personal picks for summer, and they also sell a party-perfect mixed case of six bottles for £140 instead of their individual value of £162.
NIO
Limited Edition Winter Cocktail Set (6 pack), £39 from NIO
NIO is arguably this market leaders in cocktails by post, delivering its recipes in their unique square packets. While the classics are great (and strong!), NIO also excels at limited-edition collections, including this winter set of six, and destination-based selections such as Postcards from Japan. They also take up very little fridge space.
Boxtails
Martini Cocktail Collection 12 pack, £75.99 from Boxtails
Perhaps the most ‘party suitable’ of the bunch, Boxtails’ are easy to drink and not too strong – ideal if you don’t want to peak too soon. The measures are also a little larger than most of the others here too.
Moth
Moth: Taster Pack, from £26 for 8 from Moth
You’ll probably have seen Moth cocktails-in-a-can; you’ll find them in supermarkets, and they’re what all the cool kids drink at Glastonbury each year. I like them for their ease (you can swig them straight out of the can), their stylish packaging and how well they do the classics, including my favourites: margaritas, palomas and negronis.
Moth sells lots of different bundles, and the Taster Pack is a great option if you want to try a bit of everything. (They work out as one of the cheapest too, at £3.25 a can).
Lockdown Liquor & Co
Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri 500ml bottles, £25 each from Lockdown Liquor
As its name suggest Lockdown Liquor was started during the pandemic, when proper, bartender-mixed cocktails were unattainable, and since then it has gone on to become one of the most fashionable pre-mixed cocktail brands to have on your shelf.
The taste really delivers too; Lockdown Liquor’s Picante is perhaps its most popular, but their two summery recipes are Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri, and they also do an excellent range of non-alcoholic options. Buy them in 500ml bottles or pick five minis in the Petite Liquor Box. Keep these at home for when you really want to impress guests.
Pimentae
Tommy’s Margarita Cans, £32 for 8 from Pimentae
If you’re a fan of margaritas, spicy or otherwise, you need to know about Pimentae. The brand only makes this cocktail – albeit in a few variations – but it does it really well; these colourful cans go down a dream. You’ll find lots of options on the website, including 50cl bottles, big bag-in-a-boxes and gift sets.
Edmunds
Build a Box, from £34.95 for 6 from Edmunds
I’ve got a soft spot for Edmunds cocktails as they’re from my home county of Suffolk, and I’m assuming its name is a reference to Bury St Edmunds, where I grew up. I love the little individual bottles with stoppers, and they deliver on taste too. You can build your own boxes, choosing from 11 different recipes, or buy ready-made collections.
Picante
Original Picante Spicy Margarita Fridge Pack, £32 for 6 from Picante
Trendy London fashion and lifestyle brand Picante has introduced its namesake spicy margs (the cocktail of choice for the fashionable crowd), and they taste as good as they look, made with fresh serrano chilli in with tequila, lime juice and agave.
Fever-Tree
Fever-Tree 0.5% Low Alcohol Italian Spritz, £1.90 each from Sainsbury’s
It’s not often that a low-alcohol drink tastes like its original alcoholic version, IMO, but this one really does – it’s sharp, bitter and refreshing, and not too sweet (a rare find with low- or no-alcohol cocktails). Pour into a large round glass with plenty of ice.
