Faking it: Party hosts ‘cheat’ guests with canned cocktails

NEW YEAR’S EVE hosts will be serving canned cocktails in fancy glasses as they try to impress guests without any effort.

Supermarket Sainsbury’s said that sales of “cheats’ cocktails”, which include canned martinis and margaritas, were up by a fifth compared with December last year. Ocado said sales were up 74 per cent month on month.

Waitrose said sales of espresso martinis were up 185 per cent this month, and passion fruit cans were up 357 per cent.

John Vine, drinks buyer for Waitrose, said hosts were choosing to hide the fact that they had bought cans pre-made.

He said: “The quality of pre-mixed cocktails has really leapt forward. They’re now indistinguishable from homemade drinks – just without the legwork or washing up.”

Searches for coupe glasses, traditionally used to serve champagne but now regularly used for cocktails, have also jumped 148 per cent this month, while sales of martini glasses have exploded, according to retailer John Lewis.

Mr Vine added: “Not wanting to ruin the ambience – or perhaps simply so as not to give away their secrets – we’re seeing them pair these with elegant glassware. Whatever way you dress it up, the new canny outlook is an ideal hack for an easier New Year.”

Cocktails in a can were popularised by Diane Abbott, who was criticised for drinking a tinned mojito on the London Underground, and Andrew Scott’s “hot priest” in the television show Fleabag.

Jenny Rea, cocktail developer at Marks & Spencer, said the retailer was selling 60 cans a minute, and sold enough “tinnies” each year to stretch from London to Greece, end-to-end.

She said: “Our M&S tinnies have quite the cult following up and down the country, whether you’re a politician on the train or even a hot priest.”

The “cheats’ cocktails” can be added with flavoured ice and garnishes such as citrus peel or mint leaves to make the drink look homemade.

The “designer ice” trend has taken off with online influencers making up different flavours in complicated moulds, including orange juice cubes for mimosas and frozen coffee for iced lattes.

Negronis had a renaissance after a Tiktok video featuring actor Emma D’arcy went viral and tequila-based margaritas are another popular option, retailer Selfridges added.

Andrew Bird, head of food at Selfridges said: “If you really want to get the party started this NYE serving these ‘cheats’ cocktails’ will be sure to go down a storm with your guests… and, with no faff to make them, hosts don’t need to miss out on the fun either.”