The Proof is in the Can - Sagamore Spirit Turns to Bartenders

Canned Quality

SAGAMORE SPIRIT TURNS TO BARTENDERS TO CREATE ITS CANNED WHISKEY CREATIONS.

The ready-to-drink category’s mass success happened when people couldn’t go to their local bartender for a drink during the pandemic. But now, even as things are returning to normalcy, the RTD space is retaining its place in the spotlight. Consumers continue to enjoy their portability, while bars and bartenders are embracing the canned cocktails because of efficiency they promote, which allows sales to skyrocket.

But quality is always the biggest question mark when it comes to ready-to-drink cocktails. The earliest ready-to-drink brands were sugar-loaded and revolved around convenience. However, as the category evolves, canned cocktail creators have sharpened their game. Nowadays, the quality of an RTD can be indistinguishable from that of a freshly prepared cocktail thanks in large part to new recipes made with higher quality ingredients and spirits as the base.

Specifically, whiskey-based drinks are gaining momentum in the continuously booming RTD space, and brands that puts quality, flavor, and whiskey first, like Sagamore Spirit, will get priority behind the bar. Sagamore Spirit recently announced the national launch of its ready-to-drink canned craft cocktails in three vibrant flavors: Pineapple Ryegarita, Honey Paloma, and Lemon Tea Fizz. Made with its award-winning straight rye whiskey and co-created with the innovative mixology minds behind Baltimore-based CAnE Collective, Aaron Joseph and Ezra Allen, each recipe was carefully considered. In fact, the brand’s first three recipes took more than a year to perfect.

“The bartending community and our fans have shared that they love the innovative flavor pairings in each recipe and appreciate that we use straight rye whiskey as the base,” says Sagamore Spirit cofounder and president of distillery operations, Brian Treacy. “That was a conscious decision from the start. We wanted to give whiskey drinkers, new and experienced alike, a premium canned beverage with our straight rye whiskey that can be enjoyed wherever the day takes them. Our canned cocktails were developed to showcase the best of Maryland rye by being approachable and versatile while letting natural ingredients in classic cocktail combinations shine through, and the initial reception has echoed exactly that.”

Sagamore Spirit pairs its straight rye whiskey with organic juices to get its canned craft cocktails as close to the taste of a freshly mixed cocktail as possible. That attention to quality translates to a better tasting canned cocktail for consumers and one bartenders can feel good about cracking open.