Quarter Hoop, Irish Whiskey & Cola, 5%

RTD – Ready To Drink – offerings seem to be everywhere.

Quarter Hoop was available in my local Aldi.

I found the can visually attractive & thought ‘Why not?‘

Now I don’t normally add coke to my whiskey – I tend to find it ‘drowns out’ the whiskey flavours.

Perhaps that’s the whole point of RTD’s?

As it is Quarter Hoop provides a richer, wholesome & fuller style of coke drinking experience.

Still wouldn’t leave it lying around for my young teenage grand-daughter to consume though!

Sláinte

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Aqua Vitae, Honey & Ginger, 4.5%

Yet another Ready To Drink – RTD – from the Poitín Now event.

This Aqua Vitae is a ‘Designer Drink’ modelled on an original recipe from the early 1300’s.

Wasn’t sure what colour this one would pour – turns out to be a kind of light cloudy green!

There’s a healthy & welcoming ginger spice on the nose.

A fizzy mouthfeel augmented by a soft sweetness contrasts with an earthy ginger.

Very palatable,

Very refreshing &

Highly entertaining!

I’d have gladly had a few of these in the 14th Century!

Sláinte

For more information on Aqua Vitae see www.offthecuffe.info

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey & Cola, 5%

The problem I have

With whiskey & cola

Is all I taste

Is the cola

Even if Jack

Gives this RTD

A warm feeling.

Sláinte

Little & Green, Sneaky Orchard, 5%

Poitín Now was a while ago – but I still have a few samples hanging around from the event.

Little & Green Sneaky Orchard is an RTD – Ready To Drink – poitín based cocktail made with Mad March Hare Irish Poitín & the folks at Bar 1661 are behind this creation.

Now I freely admit I’m not the target audience.

I’m very happy to enjoy my poitín neat.

Having said that I do recognise poitín has an ‘old man’ image – so hats off to the crew at Bar 1661 for attempting to popularise poitín for the younger generation!

So how did an ‘old man’ find Sneaky Orchard?

Pours pale green in colour with a noticeable fizz & clean aromas of fresh apple orchards.

Very refreshing on the palate!

Reminds me of something like an appletiser – yet Sneaky Orchard packs a potent 5% ABV.

Didn’t detect any obvious poitín elements – although there is a decent body to the cocktail which leaves with a dry apple sensation.

Actually really enjoyed this one.

Trouble is – it’s too easy to drink!

Sláinte

Original blog for Poitín Now here.

Bar 1661 website here.

Little & Green website here.

Dundalgan Irish Whiskey Ginger Ale & Lime RTD, 5%

Dundalgan is an exclusive brand for Lidl made by West Cork Distillers.

They’ve branched out into the Ready To Drink – RTD – cocktail market with this Irish Whiskey Ginger & Lime.

Despite RTDs not being my ‘drink-of-choice’ – I’m happy to try them out.

I was pleasantly surprised by a pronounced & clear ginger aroma on the nose.

Lime came through on the palate too.

But I still find it a trifle difficult to detect the Irish Whiskey element.

Dundalgan Ginger & Lime does make for a very easy going & highly refreshing drink however.

A pleasing little offering.

Sláinte

Púca Irish Whiskey Mint Julep & Whiskey Mule, 5%

You can’t keep the Púca down!

Aldi’s exclusive Irish Whiskey brand has risen again as a pair of Pre Mixed Drinks – otherwise known as RTD’s, Ready To Drink.

The RTD market is growing fast so it’s great to see Blackwater Distillery venture into this arena.

I can’t say it would be my cup of tea – but I’m willing to sample what all the fuss is about.

Púca Irish Whiskey Mint Julep, 5%

A very pale coloured fizzy offering.

Definitely getting the mint influence – but struggling to pick up any whiskey elements out of the lemonade-y fizz.

Púca Irish Whiskey Mule, 5%

Pours like a fizzy whiskey – golden brown.

Deeper, darker aroma & taste. I do like a ginger ale myself but found the expected punch a bit muted & again – more lemonade like.

Thoughts

Ermmm – this is not how I enjoy my whiskey.

I’m so far off the demographics for these kind of drinks my palate is giving out to me.

When you actually love the taste, flavour & warm feeling experienced with whiskey – these RTD just leave me cold.

Púca Irish Whiskey c/o@WhiskeyPundit

I’ll stick to my Púca Irish Whiskey neat in future!

Sláinte

Spirits Business report into RTD growth here.