Canned and bottled cocktails worth picking up from your local liquor store.
In partnership with Toronto’s Civil Liberties cocktail bar, Civil Pours produces bar-quality bottled cocktails through a process of low-temperature vacuum distillation. This brings freshness, vitality and shelf stability to their growing lineup of drinks. Their new release is the Polar Espresso, with balanced flavours of cocoa distillate and candy cane. $34.95/750 ml
With a name like Cinco Drink Co., you’d hope this Vancouver company’s Cinco Salted Margarita would remain true to the hand-shaken classic and you’d be correct… to a point. For while this Margarita does express quality blanco tequila, lime and a hint of salt, it does so in a carbonated, not-too-sweet and 7-percent-alcohol form, which comes together as superbly refreshing and eminently quaffable. $4.90/473 ml
While many canned Bloody Caesars are sweet enough to leave a film on your teeth, Eau Claire Dill Pickle Caesar from Alberta is refreshingly tangy and spicy, with just enough sweetness to balance its hot sauce and pickle juice. An all-natural original that can give any bartender’s Caesar a run for its money. $3.75/355ml
Distilled and blended in Toronto, Reid’s Gin & Tonic is a mix of 1642 Tonic from Quebec and Reid’s Gin, with no other additions or embellishments. The relative dryness of the gin allows the full juniper-forward flavour of the tonic to shine brightly. $3.15/355 ml
–Stephen Beaumont
Prices and availability vary across the country.
Photography: Courtesy of Civil Pours, Cinco Drink Co., Eau Claire Distillery, and Reid’s Gin.
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