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13 best cocktail cans for summertime sipping

From gin in a tin to canned cosmopolitans, these are the tipples to know

Daisy Lester
Friday 19 July 2024 05:02 EDT
These cocktail cans are all about convenience
These cocktail cans are all about convenience (iStock/The Independent)
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Cocktail cans have experienced somewhat of a renaissance in recent years. From palomas to cosmopolitans, all the best bar drinks have been bottled up for our enjoyment, wherever we are.

Increasing glamorisation (see Kylie Jenner’s vodka soda brand Sprinter), far more choice and exciting new brands breathing fresh life into the industry explain the growing popularity for these tasty tinnies. 

We’ve come a long way from supermarket G&Ts; now, distilleries, ex-bartenders and restaurants are all getting in on the action. From unique takes on sangria or margaritas to classic negronis and espresso martinis, brands such as Moth, Vacay and Whitebox are all making cocktail cans a decadent affair.

While they’re just as enjoyable poured over ice with a slice at home, much of the appeal lies in their portability – whether you’re packing for a festival, heading to a picnic in the park or down to the beach. Elevating your drinking experience without the need for four different mixers, simply pick your poison, chuck it in your bag and you’re good to go.

How we tested the best cocktail cans

Considering flavour, quality, value, ingredients and the originality of the mix, we tasted offerings from leading brands, supermarkets and start-ups during festivals, evenings at home and more. From pocket-sized spicy margs to a bar-worthy bloody Mary, these are the canned cocktails to stock up on (and cool down with) this summer.

The best canned cocktails for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Moth paloma tequila grapefruit soda lime: £3.95, Sainsburys.co.uk
  • Best budget option – M&S margarita cocktail can: £2.50, Ocado.com
  • Best cosmopolitan – Whitebox cosmopolitan cocktail can: £5.20, Whiteboxcocktails.com
  • Best margarita – Pimentae Tommy’s margarita: £4.25, Waitrose.com
  • Best aperol spritz-style cocktail – Moth apertivo spritz cocktail: £3.99, Waitrose.com

Moth paloma tequila grapefruit soda lime

moth paloma.png
  • Best: Overall
  • ABV: 10%
  • Why we love it
    • Refreshing

Mix of Total Happiness (aka Moth) lives up to its name with its range of small but mighty cocktail cans. Our favourite has to be the paloma. While the history of the paloma recipe remains unknown (it’s thought the tequila-based drink dates back to the 1950s), the tipple is enjoying a resurgence in popularity this summer.

Smooth tequila is mixed with zesty grapefruit, soda and lime in Moth’s fresh and sharp take on the drink. Just as good over ice at home as it is straight out of the can in a park, the classic Mexican cocktail is premium tasting yet helpfully practical for summer socialising. At £3.95 a pop, it’s on the pricey end of the spectrum but still a fraction of the cost of a bar drink (and just as nice).

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M&S margarita cocktail can

margarita.png
  • Best: Budget option
  • ABV: 8%
  • Why we love it
    • Great value
    • Fresh flavours

Much-loved for good reason, M&S’s cocktail cans are staples of pre-drinks, festivals and train journeys. Costing less than £3, with a fairly high eight per cent ABV, the margarita is a standout in the pocket-friendly range.

Best served over ice with a fresh slice, the punchy marg is crafted from lime juice and two measures of smooth tequila. If you’re not jetting away to a Tulum beach club this summer, M&S’s cheap-and-cheerful margarita is your next best thing.

  1.  £2 from Ocado.com
Prices may vary
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Vacay Tom Collins canned cocktail, case of 12

vacay .jpg
  • Best: Refreshing cocktail can
  • ABV: 6.1%
  • Why we love it
    • Generous serving
    • Refreshing

Vacay’s cocktail cans taste just as good as they look. The range (£21.99 for a mixed pack, Haveavacay.com) includes margarita, palomas, vodka mules, mojitos, vodka orange soda and a Tom Collins (our favourite). All of Vacay’s cocktails are packaged in vibrant cans with playful illustrations – plus, the 330ml serving trumps most other offerings on the market.

A staple of beach clubs, country clubs and yacht clubs, the Tom Collins cocktail has its roots in 19th-century Manhattan – and Vacay has put a contemporary twist on the classic, with London dry gin, tangy Sicilian lemon juice, soda water and natural cane sugar. Refreshing, light and with a fairly high ABV, it’s the perfect chilled cocktail to sip during hot summer days.

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Pimentae Tommy’s margarita

Pimentae best cocktail cans 2024
  • Best: Margarita
  • ABV: 14.7%
  • Why we love it
    • Crowd-pleasing flavour
    • Pocket size
    • Fresh taste

Female-founded Pimentae has built an A-lister following, thanks to its pre-mixed cocktails that bottle up the feeling of summer. The mini serves are perfectly pocket-sized and blend Mexico’s finest flavours – tequila, lime and agave – for a sweet and sour kick.

A true classic, it’s best served cold – pour over ice and garnish with chillis, for a zingy twist. Whether starting or ending a party, the Tommy cocktail is as delicious as it is strong (be warned). Plus, it even comes in a 50cl bottle size (£29.95, Pimentaedrinks.com) that has you covered for hosting.

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M&S marksologist pink grapefruit paloma

m&s .jpg
  • Best: Sweet cocktail
  • ABV: 14%
  • Why we love it
    • Great value
    • Sharp and sweet taste

The cans in M&S’s latest cocktail collection boast a high enough ABV for you to only need one or two to feel suitably merry. From the negroni to the espresso martini, it’s safe to say these little tins are strong. For something a little less heavy, opt for the paloma. Delivering a kick despite its small size, the 14 per cent cocktail is crafted from tequila, pink grapefruit liqueur, pink grapefruit juice and agave syrup, with a lightly sparkling taste.

The sweetness of the grapefruit is balanced perfectly with the potent strength of the tequila. Perfect for packing into your bag for beach days or drinks in the park, M&S’s paloma is a holiday in a can.

  1.  £3 from Ocado.com
Prices may vary
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Whitebox pocket negroni

pocket negroni .jpg
  • Best: Negroni
  • ABV: 12.8%
  • Why we love it
    • Pocket-size packaging
    • Punchy taste

Don’t be fooled by the cute packaging of Whitebox’s pocket negroni, as the 21.8 per cent ABV cocktail packs a mighty punch. Crafted from one part Porter’s gin, one part bitter aperitif and one part sweet vermouth, it’s throwing it back to the Italian cocktail’s no-frills roots.

As its name suggests, it’s ideal for popping in your pocket for summer occasions – tasting just as nice on the rocks with an orange peel garnish as it does straight out of the can. Delivering a strong kick despite the teeny size, its premium price is matched by the premium quality.

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Bloody Drinks classic bloody Mary

bloody .jpg
  • Best: Bloody Mary
  • ABV: 6.3%
  • Why we love it
    • Pours perfectly every time
    • Bar-quality recipe

Originally referred to in early-20th-century Paris as a “bucket of blood”, bloody Marys have a marmite reputation – you either love them or are somewhat disgusted by them. Fortunately, we’re in the former camp – and Bloody Drink’s cocktail can is just as tasty as versions quaffed at a bar.

Blended with tomato juice and 58 Distillery’s triple-distilled vodka, it’s balanced with amontillado sherry, fresh lemon juice, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce and a dash of Kikkoman soy sauce, with Tabasco’s pepper sauce serving up the perfect amount of spice. Pouring a foolproof bloody Mary every time, the cocktail is seasoned to perfection.

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Bombay Sapphire gin and tonic

bombay .jpg
  • Best: Gin and tonic
  • ABV: 6.5%
  • Why we love it
    • Good value

If you’re keeping it classic, you can’t go wrong with Bombay Sapphire’s gin-and-tonic can. The bar-quality drink combines the brand’s signature vapour-infused London dry gin with botanicals for a subtle citrus flavour, mixed with tonic water for the perfect pour every time.

Light, refreshing and simple, Bombay Sapphire’s tinnie has a slight kick, thanks its six per cent ABV, and is best served over ice with lime or cucumber.

  1.  £2 from Tesco.com
Prices may vary
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Whitebox cosmopolitan cocktail can

cosmo .jpg
  • Best: Classic cocktail
  • ABV: 16.8%
  • Why we love it
    • Fruity and sharp flavour
    • Pocket-size serving

Another resounding success from Whitebox, the classic cosmo is everything you’d want Carrie Bradshaw’s go-to cocktail to be. The vodka-based tipple is balanced with cranberry, lime and orange triple sec notes, for a fruity and sharp flavour. Best served chilled with an orange or lime garnish, it’s still delicious if devoured straight out of the can.

The 100ml mix makes up for its small size with its 16.8 per cent strength. A stellar choice for elevating your barbecue or party drink of choice, cosmo consumers will find this canned cocktail to be well worth the wonga.

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Moth espresso martini

moth espresso .jpg
  • Best: Espresso martini
  • ABV: 14.9%
  • Why we love it
    • Rich taste
    • Bar-worthy foam

Canned espresso martinis are tricky to get right but Moth has come through with its vodka cold brew. Packaged into pleasingly portable cans, the smooth tipple blends Wood Brothers vodka with cold brew and coffee liqueur for a rich, chocolatey taste and creamy texture.

Shaking the can serves up a bar-worthy layer of foam and it’s best served over ice in a martini glass – but it’s equally drinkable straight out of the can for a boozy, caffeine-fuelled kick.

  1.  £3 from Tesco.com
Prices may vary
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East London Liquor Co grapefruit gin and tonic

east london liquor .jpg
  • Best: G&T with a twist
  • ABV: 5%
  • Why we love it
    • Flavourful
    • Refreshing

Founded in 2014, East London Liquor is one of the original boutique gin companies, and its distillery bar in E3 is a hotspot for cocktail-lovers. Highlights from the range include a pomegranate and vodka seltzer and a vodka and rhubarb can but the grapefruit gin and tonic is our new go-to for summer.

Putting a fruity spin on the classic, it’s mixed with the distillery’s in-house grapefruit-infused tonic and East London gin. Vegan-friendly with a five per cent ABV, the tinnie is flavourful and refreshing.

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Moth apertivo spritz cocktail

moth apertivo.png
  • Best: Aperol spritz-style cocktail
  • ABV: 10%
  • Why we love it
    • Fresh summer flavour

A crisp glass of aperol spritz is synonymous with summer and Moth has recreated that feeling with its apertivo spritz cocktail can. The 200ml serving is a thoroughly enjoyable mix of bitter orange and the botanicals of Tarquin’s Cornish gin, with a sweet, fizzy finish.

Bold and refreshing, it’s best served over ice in a wine glass with a slice of orange. Perfect for get-togethers when you don’t want to mix a drink yourself, the easy-breezy tipple is a summer staple (and is sure to impress any house guests).

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Mixology With Olly spicy Tommy’s margarita

Mixology With Olly
  • Best: Spicy margarita
  • ABV: 15%
  • Why we love it
    • Refreshing with a kick
    • Pocket size

If you love Soho House-style picantes, Mixology With Olly’s spicy Tommy’s margarita will go down nicely. Recreating the bar experience at home, the 15 per cent ABV tipple uses premium ingredients for the perfect pour every time. Made with a blend of smooth tequila, agave syrup for sweetness, lime juice for sourness and chili for that spicy kick, the margarita is the perfect balance of flavours. Whether you’re stocking up for drinks in the park or dinner with friends, it’s everything you want in a pocket sized cocktail.

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The verdict: Cocktail cans

Moth’s paloma tequila grapefruit soda lime is a fresh and zingy take on a classic that helps recreate the cocktail experience at home or on the go. All the brand’s pocket-sized tins are delightfully portable and the taste rivals drinks at a bar.

If you’re hosting, look no further than Vacay’s brightly coloured and varied selection of cocktail cans, while Whitebox’s Insta-worthy tiny tinnies pack a serious punch.

Want more recommendations? We’ve rounded up the best white wines to enjoy this summer

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