13 of the Best Bottled Cocktails Compared

Bottled cocktails are the latest cocktail trend – but which are the best? We explore the best ready-to-drink cocktails available right now… including the best for whisky lovers, fans of gin, and tequila enthusiasts.

Why buy pre-bottled cocktails?

Okay. We at the Cocktail Society love cocktails. Obviously. We live and breathe them, in fact. But even we have days when we can’t face the shaker and need a quick and easy drink delivery system. That’s when the spotlight shines on bottled cocktails!

What are bottled cocktails?

Bottled cocktails have become increasingly popular since the first lockdown hit and people weren’t able to get their glitzy bar fix, but they’ve been around a long time.

Whether you’re looking for a hefty boozy hit, a refreshing citrus zing or the smooth caress of a carefully crafted tipple, bottled cocktails are the simple solution to your thirsty troubles! 

The beauty of a bottled cocktail lies in its simplicity. All of our bottled cocktails are delivered ready to drink – just chill or add ice and sip away.

All the complex calculations are made by expert bartenders and mixologists, all you need to do is choose which flavour you favour. 

What’s the best bottled cocktail?

An impossible decision to make! The best bottled cocktail is whichever bottled cocktail you’re in the mood for! There’s so much variety in bottled cocktails that you can get pretty much any drink you’re into.

At The Cocktail Society, we’ve got fifteen bottled cocktails and kits ready to order, from martinis so good they’d satisfy even the sassiest spy to a sloe negroni that’ll knock your socks off faster than you can say “yum”. 

It’s not just our bottled cocktails that we love, though. Check out the links below for some of our faves from our expert mixology team and fellow cocktail makers.

Don’t know which to try?

We thoroughly recommend trying a selection of different bottled cocktails next time you’re hosting. All the class, but none of the faff of preparing for a high-end cocktail party. Just maybe take some breaks between drinks!

Our Picks For The Best Bottled Cocktails

Best Bottled Cocktail if you Love a Mojito:

Hunter and Grey Mojito – from £19.99

Ah, the mojito. Always refreshing, but a hassle to make. If you’re struggling with time to chop limes, crush lime, muddle ingredients, and then build the drink, this bottled creation will be right up your street.

A crisp, clear design ensures it will look at home in any upmarket drinks cabinet. It comes in 500ml format, so it’s perfect for sharing.

Find out more: Hunter and Grey Mojito

Best Bottled Cocktails If you Love a Bloody Mary:

Bloody Drinks – from £13.00

Not strictly speaking a bottled cocktail, but these canned delights are bloomin’ delicious. We even featured them in our cocktail discovery box.

Find out more: Bloody Drinks

Bottle Bar and Shop Bloody Mary – from £20.00

We love a Bloody Mary so much that we created our own ultimate recipe.

So it’s safe to say our standards are high.

However this fiery variation has won us over. Smooth, with a citrus finish, this impressive pre-mix features Horseradish and wasabi infused vodka.

Find Out More: Bottle Bar & Shop Bloody Mary

Best Bottled Cocktails for Tequila Lovers

Mirror Margarita – Hacha – from £36.00

Deano Moncrieff from Hacha in London knows a thing or two about tequila. We’ve been a fan of the Dalston agave bar (which recently opened a Brixton site) for a while now, so we were excited to see the launch of a bottled version of their famous Mirror Margarita.

Find Out More: Hacha’s Mirror Margarita

Tommy’s Margarita – The Cocktail Society – from £14.00

Simply the best tequila recipe in the world (we think). The Tommy’s Margarita has entranced members of The Society for years, so when it came to making a margarita bottled cocktail we knew it had to be this one.

Find Out More: Tommy’s Margarita

Best Whisky Bottled Cocktails

NIO Manhattan – from £19.50

OK, so it’s not strictly speaking a bottle, but NIOs cocktail pouches make for a quick and easy serve. Bulleit whiskey and sweetness of Cocchi Vermouth combine in a riff on the classic Manhattan recipe.

Find Out More: NIO Manhattan

Smoked Old Fashioned – The Cocktail Society – from £14.00

Buffalo Trace Bourbon, infused with Oak Smoke. It’s the immortal Old Fashioned recipe, but as you’ve never tasted it before.

Coming in 200ml 0r 500ml format you can enjoy one as a treat with friends, or as the perfect whisky lover’s gift.

Find Out More: Smoked Old Fashioned

Mac & Wild – Dundee Sour – from £26.95

Created by Scottish restaurant, butchers, and farm shop Mac & Wild, this impressive sour and their other bottled cocktails are inspired by Scotland.

This one uses spiced gin infused with apricot and a spice blend similar to that found in a Dundee cake.

It does require shaking so it’s not technically ready-to-drink. But when it tastes that good, who cares?!

Find Out More: Dundee Sour

The Best Gin Bottled Cocktails

Negroni Rosa – Tinkture Clean Alcohol Company – from £15.00

Pleasant rose notes are the star attraction in this Negroni twist. We also love the bottle design – perfect to be reused to hold flowers or candles as a home decoration.

Find Out More: Negroni Rosa

Saffron and Rose Gimlet – World of Zing – from £13.00

Made with Tanqueray gin, rose infused liqueur and saffron. A delicious take on the popular Gimlet recipe.

This pre-mixed cocktail comes in either 200ml or 500ml so it could be the perfect gift or a treat to share with friends.

Find Out More: Saffron and Rose Gimlet

Best Bottled Cocktails for Martini Lovers

1826 Smoky French Martini – £23.55

The original French Martini recipe uses vodka, but the clever folk at 1826 have made a version using smoky Islay whisky. Just delicious.

Find Out More: Smoky French Martini

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

Our take on Dick Bradsell’s classic mix of coffee and vodka. We’ve enhanced the original recipe with infusions of salted caramel for an indulgent and creamy serve.

Find Out More: Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

Best Vodka Bottled Cocktails

White Russian – Buveur – from £7.90

This is a great pick if you’re looking to keep to a budget. The only downside – it’s small at 92.5ml, meaning it’s a single serve only.

However the balanced butterscotch and caramel taste which is combined with dark chocolate, coffee and cream flavours is well worth it.

Find Out More: White Russian

Bottled cocktail gift sets

Giving the gift of bottled cocktails is one of the most reliable ways to please your recipient, whoever they may be! We offer gift packaging for each of our bottled cocktails and cocktail kits, just add your gift message at the checkout and we’ll take care of the rest. 

If you want to give bottled cocktails as a gift but you aren’t sure what drink would be most appreciated, why not gift someone a subscription to the Cocktail Club? We’re the UK’s leading cocktail discovery box for good reason.

Can I get custom bottled cocktails?

We love creating custom bottled cocktails! The process of inventing, bottling and designing packaging for bespoke drinks is quite a long one, though, which means we only offer this as a service for bulk orders at the moment.

Every ingredient for our custom bottled cocktails is sourced thoughtfully, with a focus on top quality, mouthwatering flavour and responsible sustainability. The packaging is then lovingly designed by us to give a truly luxurious finish.

Can I buy bottled cocktails to give as wedding favours?

As well as making custom bottled cocktails for corporate gifting, we can help you level up your wedding favour game with personalised cocktails for your guests to take home!

We take care of everything from crafting the perfect concoction to match you and your new spouse to designing custom labels to create the deluxe look you’re looking for. Get in touch with the team to find out more. 

Making your own bottled cocktails

You could, of course, get all the ingredients for cocktails and mix them yourself, but there’s a long list of things your cocktail cabinet needs to be properly stocked. Bar cupboard staples to get you started are as follows: 

Liquors – the foundation for drink delectability

Good quality bottles of vodka, rum (spiced and white), tequila, whisky (rye, bourbon, and blended scotch) and brandy will give your cabinet a solid start. 

Liqueurs – fling some flavour in the mix

Basic liqueurs include amaretto, vermouth, Campari, triple sec, coffee liqueur, and elderflower liqueur – also known as “bartenders ketchup” because it’s so versatile!

Mixers – separating the dull from the delicious

Bitters are top of the list for any cocktail cabinet. You should also stock up on fruit juices like orange, cranberry, pineapple and tomato; as well as grenadine, simple syrup, tabasco, soda water and ginger ale. 

Garnishes – to feed your fancy side

If you’re serious about doing drinks right, you’ll need some standard garnishes on hand. Lemons, limes and oranges are the three most important tools in your garnish arsenal, but we also recommend getting some mint, nutmeg, coarse salt and maraschino cherries. 

With all this in mind, it’s definitely simpler to forget the faff and stick to pre-mixed bottled cocktails! 

Pop open a bottled cocktail

Whatever your tipple of choice is, there’s a bottled cocktail out there for you! We even have a non-alcoholic option if you’re looking to feel cocktail fancy but stay sober.

You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by how many great bottled cocktails there are on offer. Why not try a cocktail subscription? It’s the perfect way to discover a world of bar-quality cocktails from the comfort of your living room! 

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All prices correct at time of publication