Ready To Drink Whiskey Cocktails For Your Spring Patio Time

By Richard Thomas

Raylan Givens, the Federal marshal of Justified, once aptly described bourbon as being like drinking a “warm summer day.” The problem with that, as us Southrons will tell you, is that downing that warm summer day on a warm day leaves you too warm. The coming of hotter weather in late springtime is the beginning of a transition to cocktails, mixers and imbibing the stronger stuff on the rocks. It was the sticky heat in these parts that made the mint julep become a staple of yesteryear’s Kentucky hospitality, and Kentucky is hundreds of miles north of sweatboxes like Florida and Texas.

Even most whiskey fans don’t maintain an extensive home bar, not unless they also regularly make cocktails for themselves. Speaking only for myself, I’ve found it a waste to make Manhattans at home except for a cook-out or party, because I can’t use up a good bottle of vermouth fast enough to justify having it. The bottle goes flat before I can make full use of it. Also, bar carts may be on wheels, but they aren’t exactly portable and don’t make for picnics, camping or tailgating. These niches are where the ready to drink (RTD) cocktail or mixer come into play. You don’t need to haul a cumbersome kit anywhere, just the one container. What is more, unlike something you mixed at home, RTDs aren’t going to go flat several hours later.

What follows are three RTDs you should give attention to and one you should pass on.

Bulleit Manhattan Cocktail
Bulleit got one thing right from the start with their bottled Manhattan: they made it with their rye whiskey, the way it’s supposed to be. The second thing they got right was in producing an RTD cocktail comparable to the benchmark bar offering, one that weighs in at 75 proof. Chill the bottle and you’re set to serve some good, but not crafty, cocktails on the spot.

Bulleit has an Old Fashioned bottled RTD as well. Both come in 375 and 750 ml sizes, with the larger of the two priced at approximately $30.

Bourbonola Bourbon & Cherry Cola
A problem with RTD mixers (as we shall see) is that they are often weaker than a mixer that you or a barkeep would make. That is not an issue with Bourbonola, which comes in at a wine-level of 24 proof. Lexington Brewing And Distilling have chosen an unknown vanilla and cherry cola and mixed it with their cask strength Town Branch Bourbon. It is a classic combination, so much so that it’s a wonder anyone ever gets it wrong, but Bourbonola gets it very, very right. The bourbon doesn’t get smothered, but is instead well-balanced against the cola, extra vanilla and cherry.

A four-pack of Bourbonola makes for a worthy substitute for any craft beer, and will run you $15.

Hochstadtler’s Slow & Low Whiskey Sunshine and Buck
Strictly speaking, Hochstadtler has been in the RTD business for several years, starting with their Rock & Rye. However, those were spirits-strength concoctions, clocking 84 and 100 proof. Last year, they introduced Whiskey Sunshine and Whiskey Buck, a pair of citrus-driven cocktails. These are made with Hochstadtler’s rye whiskey, and are more approachable than other RTDs in that they balance being light (which will appeal to the seltzer crowd) while having some whiskey flavor to them. Picking up on the last point, the Sunshine and the Buck both come in at 20 proof. I’ve seen the four-pack listed for $18 with online retailers.

Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers
There are some drinks that, in my opinion, are mislabeled as RTD cocktails or mixers, and this offering from Jim Beam is an example. Despite the name, the drink doesn’t use Jim Beam or any other bourbon. It’s a malt beverage. It’s also weak at just 10 proof, putting it on par with the average American lager. Instead of being what a whiskey drinker would think of as a mixer, the Kentucky Coolers instead better reflect the trend for hard seltzers.