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These compact beverages deliver a delightful experience.

Food & Wine / Getty Images / Whitebox Cocktails / Straightaway Cocktails / Hochstadter’s Slow & Low

Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails represent one of the most rapidly expanding areas in the alcohol market, with an impressive consumption increase of 102% over recent years. Since their initial surge nearly ten years ago, the quality of these cocktails continues to improve.

Among the standout options are award-winning selections featuring classic recipes made with premium ingredients, sophisticated flavors, and crafted in small batches. Notably, the trend of single-serving, mini canned cocktails is beginning to gain recognition.

At a mere 100 milliliters, or just shy of 3 1/2 ounces, these charmingly compact cans offer a portable, single-serving experience, yet don’t let their small size fool you. With an average alcohol by volume (ABV) hovering between 25–40%, these pint-sized beverages are authentic cocktails that deliver a punch.

Here are our top recommendations for the best small but powerful canned cocktails that you can indulge in.

Food & Wine / Golden Rule Spirits

Based in San Francisco, Golden Rule Spirits was established in 2017 by cousins James Mauk and Hunter Sprole, both of whom have a rich history in the restaurant industry focusing on agave spirits. Their Margarita Original is made using 100% blue agave tequila, a unique triple-sec recipe, and a substantial amount of fresh lime juice. With an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 27%, this robust mini drink showcases high-quality ingredients, making it one of the finest ready-to-drink Margaritas available today.

The Cooper Spirits Co. is the independent beverage maker known for St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur. Since 2013, they have been producing Hochstadter’s Slow & Low Rock and Rye, a variation on the Old Fashioned inspired by the classic “rock and rye,” a whiskey cocktail popular before Prohibition, typically made with unaged whiskey and sweetened with rock candy. In 2016, they introduced these mini cans, adhering to the original recipe.

Slow & Low is a blend of straight rye whiskey, raw honey, Angostura bitters, orange peel, and a hint of rock candy. With a proof of 84, this cocktail is bold, spicy, and relatively dry — akin to one sugar cube for every two-ounce serving — delivering an explosion of flavor with each sip.

Food & Wine / Post Meridiem Spirits

The term Post Meridiem, which is abbreviated as p.m., translates from Latin to “after noon.” This Atlanta-based canned cocktail company made its debut in 2019, and in 2022, it introduced the Espresso Martini to its already successful range. This drink has quickly turned into the brand’s most popular offering.

Crafted with vodka, coffee liqueur, and 100% arabica cold brew coffee, this cocktail of the moment boasts a strength of 45 proof. The traditional variant from Post Meridiem is well-balanced, evokes the authentic taste of an Espresso Martini, and is perfect for those who truly appreciate a coffee-centric cocktail.

Food & Wine / Tip Top Cocktails

Tip Top Proper Cocktails, situated in Atlanta, has rapidly emerged as one of the leading canned cocktail brands in the United States. Since its inception in 2019, the company has crafted 16 unique cocktails, including the newly introduced Whiskey Sour.

Among their offerings is the vibrant and flavorful Jungle Bird cocktail, which combines rum, lime, pineapple juices, and red bitter liqueur, boasting a punchy 50-proof. With its bright and tropical profile enhanced by a touch of bittersweetness, it’s highly recommended to serve it over ice for a refreshing experience.

Moving on to Portland, Oregon, since opening its doors in 2018, Straightaway Cocktails has distinguished itself by emphasizing local and premium ingredients while collaborating with other Pacific Northwest brands. Their notable mini canned cocktail collection includes a Margarita, a gin cocktail called Lintik inspired by Filipino flavors, a Nitro Espresso Martini featuring cold brew from Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and a unique version of the Bees Knees cocktail.

This gin-based cocktail, presented at 50 proof, is a zesty blend featuring cold-pressed lemon juice, West Coast honey, and Straightaway’s Accompani Blue Dorris Liqueur. The addition of this floral liqueur introduces delicate herbal undertones of chamomile and citrus.

Food & Wine / Whitebox Cocktails

Whitebox Cocktails, a canned cocktail producer based in the U.K., offers unique concoctions. While sourcing many of their products may prove challenging, the Pocket Negroni can be found in the States.

This version, at 43.6 proof, closely follows the classic Negroni recipe with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and bitter red liqueur. It also offers the dilution typical of a craft cocktail bar’s ice, making it ideal for on-the-go enjoyment. While it’s perfectly acceptable to sip directly from the can, we recommend pouring it into a glass over a large ice cube and garnishing with a thick slice of orange peel for an optimal experience.

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