Top 10 whisky RTDs
Spirits-based, ready-to-serve (RTD) cocktails are making an undeniable impact on the drinks market, attracting whisky producers from around the world to embrace convenience and meet consumer demand.
Spirits producers – whether small or large – are tapping into the growing demand for convenient cocktail solutions that promise bar-quality drinks every time.
For whisky and whiskey brands, this increased interest presents an opportunity to encourage more people to enjoy their spirits in various ways. RTDs not only showcase classic serves but also flavour experimentation, emphasising the versatility of their products.
Keep scrolling to find our top 10 picks for standout whisky-based cocktails. For more RTDs, check out our roundups of Tequila-based and rum-based cocktails.
Ballantine’s & Cola
One of the world’s best-selling blended Scotch brands, Ballantine’s, launched its first RTD in April 2025 with a classic combination of whisky and cola.
Francesco Ottaviano, global RTD portfolio director at Pernod Ricard, commented: “We are committed to bringing our brands ever closer to our consumers and meeting their ever-evolving needs. With Ballantine’s & Cola, we are offering a convenient solution that allows whisky lovers to enjoy a high-quality mix effortlessly, without compromising on the exceptional taste and heritage they expect from Ballantine’s.”
The carbonated RTD is offered at 5% ABV in a 330ml can and is now available in Poland and Spain. Hopefully, the concoction will soon make its way into other markets.
Two Stacks Fruit Drops
Country Down-based Irish whiskey producer Two Stacks has taken a different approach to drinks on the go with its 100ml cans. Instead of mixing its whiskey to create a cocktail, the brand has extended its Dram in a Can initiative to include its brandy cask-finished Fruit Drops series.
The Fruit Drops are available in three standout expressions at 50% ABV: Apricot Fruity Brandy Cask, Apple Fruit Brandy Cask, and Blackberry Fruit Brandy Cask. Each 100ml can retails for £6.50 (US$8). The three expressions are also available in 700ml bottles.
Cutty Sark & Ginger Ale
Cutty Sark’s Ginger Ale Highball marked the brand’s entry into the RTD space in June this year. Launching initially in the US, the 250ml cans arrived in Portugal and Bulgaria this summer.
According to Stephen Woodcock, master blender at Cutty Sark, the simple cocktail is “a refreshing, convenient way to enjoy the iconic taste of Cutty Sark.” At The Pre-Mixed, RTD & Hard Seltzer Masters 2025, the Gold-snatching Cutty Sark & Ginger Ale impressed the judges with its character of “bright ginger and balanced whisky”.
The RTD combines Cutty Sark’s flagship blended Scotch whisky with ginger ale, resulting in a cocktail with an ABV of 5%. A pack of four cans retails for US$9.99.
Batavia Highball
Hailing from Indonesia, Orang Tua’s Batavia Highball took home a Master medal at The Pre-Mixed, RTD & Hard Seltzer Masters 2024. The 180ml single-serve cocktail is made with local whisky aged in American and French oak casks and soda, carrying an ABV of 4.8%.
Orang Tua hopes to take the Batavia Highball to 39 countries worldwide.
The Glenlivet Manhattan & Old Fashioned
One of the standout releases from August 2023 was the Old Fashioned and New Manhattan cocktails from The Glenlivet, created using first-to-market technology. The Twist & Mix Cocktails are topped with a patented Vessl cap closure and mixing technology, which, once twisted, releases “a burst of natural flavours into The Glenlivet single malt whisky.”
The cocktails come in 375ml bottles, each containing eight servings at 40% ABV.
Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Cherry
Offering a cherry twist to the classic whisky and cola serve, the only whisky-based RTD Master medal winner at The Pre-Mixed, RTD & Hard Seltzer Masters 2025 combines two of the world’s most famous drink brands in one package.
The judges praised the serve for its aromas of “marzipan, almonds and some Cherry Drops on the nose,” and for its “nice, lingering, and harmonised flavours” that lived up to expectations.
Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Cherry debuted in the US in September 2024. Offered at 7% ABV, the RTD retails for US$13 for a 4-pack and US$3.50 for a single 355ml can.
Bulleit Whiskey Sour
Diageo took ready-to-serve (RTS) cocktails to new heights with a Bulleit Whiskey Sour in August this year. Released in celebration of National Whiskey Sour Day in the US on 25 August, the cocktail joined the company’s RTS range, The Cocktail Collection.
Bulleit Whiskey Sour combines the brand’s whiskey with lemon juice and honey, ready to enjoy chilled or over ice at 25% ABV. All you need is an orange slice and an Amarena cherry to create a perfect serve.
Available now nationwide in the US, the cocktail comes in two sizes: 350ml for US$13.99, which serves four cocktails; and 750ml, which serves eight, for US$25.99.
Starward Whisky Negroni
Starward’s bottled RTS cocktail offers an Australian twist on the Whisky Negroni, also known as Boulevardier. Made with the brand’s red wine barrel-matured whisky, local sweet vermouth, and orange bitter liqueur, the cocktail is offered at 32% ABV in a 500ml bottle, which serves 10.
Starward Whisky Negroni is one of three RTS cocktails from the Australian producer. The range also includes the (New) Old Fashioned and a Coffee Old Fashioned made with Mr Black liqueur.
Bols Very Old Fashioned
For Netherlands-based Lucas Bols, good things also come in small packages. The brand’s Very Old Fashioned offers a classic combo of whisky, sugar and Angostura bitters in a 200ml tube at 30% ABV. What makes this cocktail stand out is the addition of Bols Barrel Aged Genever.
The innovative take on the classic was awarded a Gold medal at The Pre-Mixed, RTD & Hard Seltzer Masters 2025.
Johnnie Walker Black Ruby Blackberry & Soda
As Johnnie Walker Black Ruby makes its way into markets worldwide, Australia got the first taste of the expression’s canned RTD cocktail. Created exclusively for the Australian market, Black Ruby Blackberry & Soda combines blended Scotch whisky with blackberry, elderflower, and soda at 6% ABV.
Described as a twist on a classic Tom Collins, the sparkling Whisky Spritz was introduced in late August at an event at Chin Chin in Sydney.
The RTD is offered in a 375ml can exclusively at Dan Murphy’s and BWS. Hopefully, it will soon be available worldwide.
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