Best Canned Cocktails 2021: 20 Luxury Serves You Need To Try

You’ll no doubt have seen this little pocket rocket clogging up your Instagram feed (or annoyingly littering your local park), and there’s a reason it’s taken us al fresco drinkers by storm. It’s dinky but full-strength (so go steady), and is made with Porter’s cold-distilled gin, Campari and vermouth — just like you’d make at home.

If tequila is your jam, El Sueño brings the goods with this handy ready-made margarita. It’s made with the brand’s smooth silver tequila (the result of five generations’ worth of agave growing expertise), and is mixed with a touch of salt, and more citrus than you can shake a stick at. Just add sunnies. 

When celebrity chef Oliver Peyton announced he was bringing out a range of canned cocktails,  we knew it was going to be good. The idea came about as a way of making luxury more accessible, (he was on a British Airways flight at the time, and unable to get the ingredients needed for a bloody mary). 

Combining premium British vodka, botanical-infused black tea, juicy peach and lemon, at 8% ABV, it’s clear no corners have been cut, resulting in a refreshing and super smooth, expertly made drink on the go.

While tropical holidays are still TBC, we’re getting all the good time vibes with this fresh pineapple and rum number. Unapologetically sweet, creamy and fruity, we were totally won over (mainly because it tastes like dessert). As you open it the drink becomes infused with nitrogen, which makes it ultra-smooth, complete with the kind of frothy head you’d expect from a bar (and not your picnic basket). Impressive!

Using freshly pressed lemon and apple juice, elderflower, mint, Spanish vino and gin — this tastes like a cross between a zingy mojito and a refreshing white wine spritzer. Thirst-quenching and light, we like that it’s gluten free, doesn’t contain any nasties and is vegan-friendly too. And better still, 5p from every can goes to Great Oven, a charity providing giant community ovens in conflict zones and refugee camps in Lebanon.

We first took note of East London Liquor Company when they started selling top-notch spirits at rather reasonable prices. And now it’s even easier to get a slice of the pie, with these ready-to-drink fruity vodka mixes, made with 100% British wheat and natural, earthy rhubarb soda (which stops each sip from getting too sweet!). 

We’re not going to lie, a passionfruit martini is one of our guilty pleasures, and we love how ‘extra’ this tiger print can is. As the name suggests, just shake it to combine the juicy fruit juice and smooth vanilla-flecked vodka, for instant summer refreshment.

While drinking beer can be handy when out at festivals and the like, too much of it can cause bloating — and Sipful was created as an alternative to exactly that. Every bit as handy and ready to drink, these cans contain organic, lightly sparkling wine and naturally bitter blood orange juice, so you’ll still be able to do your high-waisted jeans up at the end of the day.

Mint, sugar, lime juice and rum; we don’t need to introduce a mojito to you. But if you’re looking for the ultimate premixed Cuban serve, we think Bacardi has nailed the refreshing classic cocktail, with its premium white Caribbean rum.

We are very fussy when it comes to our Bloody Mary, and frankly, it’s a faff to make. So it’s a wonder anyone was brave enough to take it on in a ready-to-drink format, but thankfully this canned version is better than we can manage ourselves. Using smooth tomato juice, vodka and sherry as a base, it’s loaded with fiery tabasco sauce, tangy pickle juice, lemon and a dash of Worcestershire sauce for good measure. Perfection.

We know what you’re thinking and yes, the paloma is normally made with tequila, however having tried this, we’re sold on the switch. The added flavour from the gin’s botanicals works great alongside the classic bittersweet grapefruit, and they’ve also snuck in a bit of thyme and bergamot too for a grown-up, vegetal undertone.

We first discovered Seedlip on a tee-total morning rave, but now we can’t imagine ‘not drinking’ without the non-alcoholic spirit. The addition of spicy cloves and grapefruit adds complexity, ensuring you don’t feel like you’re missing out, and the pre-mixed format is oh so handy.

Where once there was only Seedlip (above), now there’s a non-alcoholic option to match every full-strength serve. Made in Chelsea’s Spencer Matthews is to thank for this ‘clean’ version, which clocks in at just 57 calories a can. Ideal if you’re a fan of a classic juniper-packed G&T, minus the headache-inducing hangover.

When it comes to our skincare routine, CBD features pretty heavily, however we’re also partial to a drop in this refreshing alcohol-free fizz. Combined with uplifting mint and elderflower, it provides a dose of inner calm on a hot summer’s day.

What picnic basket would be complete without a classic gin in a tin? Having tried a lot, we’re confident this is the tastiest. It’s thanks to Brewdog’s flavour-packed gin, bursting with botanicals such as pink peppercorn, grapefruit and cardamom. Cheers!

Prefer a gin and slim? Sipsmith’s elegant copper-flecked cans contain a double shot of their punchy London dry gin, alongside a lighter tonic for a less calorific serve.

We’re so into the design of these cans, we’d be tempted to buy them as a print (good news, you can, geddit?!). They taste pretty special too, turning their back on sugary-sweet combinations in favour of earthy cardamon and bitter blood orange.

The moscow mule (vodka, ginger beer, lime and bitters) has had a millennial makeover. Sure, this type of cocktail would normally be served in a copper mug, but this bright green can complete with high-kicking Russian doll is much more convenient for the park.

Looking for a little pick-me-up? MOTH’s espresso martini in a tin tastes like it’s been freshly mixed, and even has a creamy foam head (how do they do it!?). A winning combination of vodka, cold brew and coffee liqueur, without the faff of measuring and shaking — hurrah!

Just when we thought we’d reached peak gin, Slingsby comes along with a fruity spritz to pique our interest all over again. Soda water replaces your go-to tonic, making this lighter and easier to drink in the sun.