What is the Best Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Cocktail?
Look, we love cocktails. Who doesn’t? With so much choice between fruity flavours, spicy sips and refined palate pleasers, cocktails are an abundant world of intrigue and experimentation. Not to mention a great excuse to get together with friends. And, when made with triple distilled Jameson Irish Whiskey, they’re nothing short of phenomenal to enjoy in the bar or at home.
That being said, we can’t pretend traditional cocktails don’t have their drawbacks. A night at a cocktail bar can rack up a heavier bill than you might be used to, and making cocktails at home can be fantastic fun, but… messy if you’re not an experienced mixologist with the tricks of the trade at your fingertips. What if there was a third way? What if you could enjoy bar-quality cocktails without shaking, stirring, zesting, or pretending to know what “muddling” actually means? RTD’s, i.e. Ready To Drink cocktails are here to help. These ready-to-drink beverages combine two unbeatable perks: convenience and flavour that tastes like it came straight from behind the bar.
Searches for the best canned alcoholic drinks, best alcoholic drinks in a can, best RTD cocktails, and even “RTD drinks meaning” have skyrocketed in recent times. Why? Because pre-mixed drinks are quickly being recognised as the portable, delicious, and easy-to-enjoy beverages they were always touted as being. From whiskey cocktails to hard seltzers, from bottled cocktails to the classic cocktail in a can, the market is booming with options. And Jameson has some of the best RTD drinks to choose from when you’re looking for cocktails with convenience.
Ready to Drink (RTD) Meaning
RTD drinks (or rtd drinks, depending on how fast you’re typing) are ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages that come already mixed and packaged, usually in cans, and sometimes as bottled cocktails. They’re a single-serve, no-prep solution for anyone who wants great taste without the bartending gear.
Now, before you scoff, this is not what you think it is. We’ve come a long way from the early days of alcopops and sugary wine coolers. Today’s RTD canned cocktails are premium, spirit-based mixed beverages designed for flavour, balance, and ultimate convenience. Their popularity comes down to 3 key essential ingredients (aside from great tasting whiskey, obviously):
• Minimal effort – crack, sip, enjoy responsibly.
• Consistent taste – a perfectly mixed drink, every time.
• Portable alcohol – ideal for festivals, picnics, BBQs, or a chilled evening at home.
What are the Best Alcoholic Drinks in a Can?
With such a variety of RTD cocktails available, finding the best alcoholic drinks in a can is a long and possibly never-ending process. While our own RTD cans are our own favourites (no surprises there), giving a general sense of what is sitting on the shelves of off-licenses may help you find your next favourite canned alcoholic beverage a little faster than conducting a detailed taste test of every RTD drink you come across. We can break the current segmentation of RTD cans into a few categories.
• Whiskey cocktails (like Whiskey, Ginger & Lime)
• Vodka sodas and flavour infusions
• Gin and tonic variations
• Rum punches
• Tequila-based margaritas and palomas
• Hard seltzers – for a lighter option
The best canned alcoholic drinks stand out because of high-quality spirits, balanced sweetness, natural flavours, and reliable consistency. These are the products that help define the top RTD brands in the market today.
Among all of these, whiskey-forward RTDs have carved out their own space, and yes, Jameson’s RTD Ginger Ale & Lime deserves attention (more on that shortly).
RTD Cocktail Trends
Let’s talk about RTD cocktail trends, because the category is changing fast and for the better.
1. Classic cocktails dominate
Today’s most popular RTD cocktails aren’t wild experiments; they’re classic cocktail recipes made convenient. Consumers want familiar flavours they know and trust: Gin & Tonics, whiskey highballs, margaritas, spritzes, cosmopolitans and of course, Jameson, Ginger & Lime. It makes perfect sense. These hassle-free, long-loved flavours are what RTD cocktails are all about. Sometimes there’s no need to reinvent the wheel; you just need a better wheel.
2. Whiskey takes the spotlight
Whiskey-based RTD cocktails have surged as people look for depth, smoothness, and character in a convenient package. It says it all, really. The people have spoken, and Jameson provides.
3. The “premium” movement
The “premium” movement is all about looking out for the best (that doesn’t mean the most expensive, mind you) of life’s little moments and allowing yourself to enjoy them. Really, it comes down to quality. Quality experiences, quality goods, and you guessed it, quality ingredients, which RTD cocktails are now delivering in spades. When you use a smooth, triple distilled, easy-to-enjoy Irish whiskey in your RTD cans, word gets around. Go figure.
4. Convenience-led lifestyles
Whether you’re hosting a BBQ, heading to a festival or even just sitting at home, a handy form of portable alcohol, canned cocktails offer unmatched ease and versatility.
Jameson, Ginger Ale & Lime Ready-to-Drink
We’ve mentioned it before, and we’ll mention it again, but one of the standouts in the world of whiskey RTDs is the Jameson, Ginger Ale & Lime Ready-to-Drink can.
Inspired by the beloved bar-serve, this nifty little cocktail in a can does exactly what it says on the tin, and combines life’s 3 essentials:
• Smooth Triple Distilled Jameson Irish Whiskey
• Crisp ginger ale
• A refreshing twist of lime
It’s a perfect showcase of how far RTD canned cocktails have come. Perfectly balanced, full of flavour, and refreshingly light, it’s an essential for anyone who wants a bar-quality cocktail without shaking or stirring. Just make sure those cans are chilled, as we haven’t figured out how to include ice cubes in RTD’s… at least not yet anyway.
