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News
Country Luau cans Dirty Shirley cocktail
Premium ready-to-drink (RTD) brand Country Luau has released a canned version of the ‘viral’ Dirty Shirley cocktail.
The ‘nostalgic’ Dirty Shirley cocktail is an alcoholic twist on the Shirley Temple cocktail traditionally composed of grenadine and lemon-lime soda. The non-alcoholic cocktail was originally created in 1932 for the actress of the same name.
It was named ‘the drink of the summer’ in the US by critics at The Washington Post, Business Insider and The New York Times after becoming a viral sensation on social media platform, Tik Tok. A video on how to craft the ‘spiked’ version of the non-alcoholic serve garnered 6.4 million views in spring of this year.
The traditional recipe is made ‘dirty’ with the addition of vodka.
Country Luau’s canned Dirty Shirley is presented at 5.5% ABV, and is made with four ingredients: An 11-times-distilled vodka, organic cherry juice, natural flavours, and pure sparkling water.
The brand made the decision to reduce the calories of a typical Dirty Shirley by removing the caloric high-fructose corn syrup found in grenadine.
“With Dirty Shirley, we’ve solved the problem that keeps consumers away from the original drink – its high calories and sugar,” said Adam Kost, founder and CEO of Country Luau Spirits. “With our recipe, we’ve reduced the calories of a typical Dirty Shirley by 50% and created a lower calorie, modestly sweet Dirty Shirley that still has the same familiar flavour.
“With this new release, we are capitalising on an opportunity based on existing consumer behaviour. Across the nation, the cocktail is gaining traction, but no convenient, health-conscious option existed until now.”
Dirty Shirley’s unique packaging design pays homage to the history of the drink and is inspired by classic Americana. It features retro-style red lettering, a small cherry decal and the phrase ‘tasty since 1932’, further adding to ‘the vintage look’ created to reflect the nostalgic taste of the drink.
Four-packs of Dirty Shirley will be available in bars, restaurants, and independent liquor stores across Tennessee, US, in November.
The cans will launch online in 32 states soon after, with plans to expand in-store to Texas, Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina in 2023.
In other RTD news, last week Lanique Rose Liqueur expanded into the pre-mixed category with the launch of its first canned cocktails.