READY, SET, GO!
The growth of ready-to-drink gin
I’m often asked, “What’s the next big thing?”, with various individuals hoping that I have some sort of soothsaying ability. In reality, the future is nearly always a continuation of the past with just the odd nudge here and there, so looking at the present often gives the best indication of what’s to come. Something that is on the rise at the moment is the ready-to-drink (RTD) category, including bottled cocktails.
Long-time fans of Gin Magazine may recall that I wrote about RTDs in Issue 8 (August 2019). Looking back at this now, I largely focused on classic, pre-mixed Gin & Tonics; this was partly because it’s one of the most popular gin drinks and partly because, at the time, it made up the vast majority of gin RTDs on the market.
Oh, how times have changed! Both bars and brands have embraced innovation in recent months and looked beyond the classic tropical sundowner.
Bars have had a dreadful time since my last column on RTDs, but some have adapted and begun to sell bottled versions of popular cocktails from their in-house menus, allowing consumers to enjoy them at home. Examples include: Mothership Scotland, which sells a rotating selection of cocktails from the legendary gin bar, Bramble Bar & Lounge; Nightjar, which sells its Etruscan Negroni; and Bar Swift, which sells its Elderflower Gimlet (as well as a kit to recreate its fabulous Irish Coffee at home).
In May, to coincide with Chartreuse day, Hernö launched its first bottled cocktail: ‘The Hernö Word’. This is a mix of Hernö Navy Strength Gin, Green Chartreuse, and Maraschino. This forms ‘The Word’ cocktail – quite delicious in its own right – which becomes ‘The Last Word’ when mixed with lime juice. I imagine the lime juice wasn’t included here because it’s difficult to keep the flavours fresh and stable (a smart move, in my opinion).
Other classic cocktails, or twists on them, have been released by others. There are half a dozen Vesper Martinis on the market (if they ever release the next Bond film, there may be more). The Dry Martini also continues to be popular, despite the view of 20th-century writer Bernard DeVoto who said, “You can no more keep a Martini in the refrigerator than you can keep a kiss there” – I imagine his influence on drinking habits is not what it was.
Mr Lyan’s ready-to-drink Spotless Martini already contains a lemon and olive garnish (no need for you to add them yourself), whilst the new Batch and Bottle brand has released one with Hendrick’s, and The Distillery (Portobello Road) makes a “just add ice” Martini alongside a range of other gin cocktails. On the south coast, Dorset-based distillery Conker has released an intriguing Clean-Dirty Martini, which you can read more about in my feature on savoury drinks.
Conker Spirit has also embraced another classic gin and mixer combination (popular with hip-hop and funk): Gin & Juice. This takes its Conker Dry Gin and mixes it with apple juice and elderflower. A similar product with apple and elderflower has just been released by the Cotswolds Distillery as part of its new line-up of RTDs. The range also includes a spritz based on its Wildflower #1 Gin. I expect we’ll see some similar products be released in the next 12 months.
... drinking gin on-the-go has never enjoyed so much range, quality and innovation
Hard seltzers have also made a big impact in the RTD sector and gin has not been immune; Chase, 58 Gin and Forest Gin have all released variations, although some UK producers have now switched to the term Gin & Soda (sparkling water), as “seltzer” was found to be confusing to domestic consumers.
That’s not to say that nothing exciting is going on with Gin & Tonics. Some brands have launched or expanded their premixed Gin & Tonics, such as Beefeater and Bombay Sapphire, while other brands are preparing to enter the sector, such as Bathtub Gin and Mermaid.
Whatever your preference, drinking gin on-the-go has never enjoyed so much range, quality and innovation. There is surely something to suit every palate.