Luxardo debuts canned cocktails

by Kate Malczewski

Italian spirits group Luxardo has unveiled its first range of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails in the US.

The cocktail cherry producer is kicking off its canned collection with three flavours, developed 'to meet the unmet need for artisanal, bartender-quality RTDs'. The canned Aperitivo Spritz is a mix of Luxardo's Aperitivo liqueur along with sparkling water and natural flavours, described as 'refreshingly sweet' with a note of orange zest. Next up, the Bianco Spritz brings together Luxardo Bitter Bianco liqueur, sparkling water and natural flavours for a 'drier, lighter and more bitter' cocktail. Rounding out the trio is the Sour Cherry Gin & Tonic, which combines Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin and sparkling water for a fruity riff on the classic. With its new products, Luxardo hopes to tap into the booming market for canned serves. Drinks market analyst IWSR recently revealed that RTDs experienced the greatest success of any beverage alcohol category in the past year, posting 26.4% growth. Matteo Luxardo, export director for Luxardo, said: "The canned cocktail market has been rapidly growing in the last year and it only made sense for Luxardo to introduce its classic recipes in the format that supports the modern consumers' needs for any on-the-go occasion." Each cocktail sits at 10% ABV and is priced at US$19.99 for a four-pack of 250ml cans. Produced by Hotaling & Co, Luxardo's San Francisco-based US importer, the serves are available exclusively at Whole Foods and Total Wine stores in select states. For more ready-to-drink products, check out our round-up of the best canned cocktails.