The 10 Best Ready-to-Drink Cocktails for Summer Sipping

This article is a part of Classic Summer Drinks Week, a week of content celebrating the arrival of summer. With its tank-top weather and long days, Summer can be one of the best seasons of the year. However, the scorching heat can make it tough to spend your days outside — even if you want to bathe in the sunlight before the cooler months confine you to the indoors. A refreshing, ice-cold drink can be of great assistance when it comes to bearing the sun rays. That’s why, from July 7–11, we’re celebrating Classic Summer Drinks Week with a series of recipes, recommendations, tips & tricks to help you beat the heat. Check out more Classic Summer Drinks Week content here!

Summer is high season for ready-to-drink cocktails — let’s be real, in the sweltering heat, sometimes you just want to crack open a can or pop a bottle, not go to work mixing up a cocktail. And with more options than ever in coolers and on shelves, not all are created equal. The best RTDs are refreshing without being cloying, creative without trying too hard, and convenient without sacrificing quality. These 10 cocktails below deliver all that and more, including a few unexpected standouts from celebrity collabs, craft producers and even a zero-proof contender if you’re doing a sober summer or just need a break from the booze.

Whether you want tequila with a kick, a reimagined whiskey sour, or something botanical and booze-free, this year’s list has you covered — ranked from good to excellent.

10. Owl’s Brew Chelsea Handler’s Lemonade Pink

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Price: $20.99 per 8-pack (355ml cans)
ABV: 5%

Actress and comedian Chelsea Handler’s take on vodka lemonade is more refined than the packaging might suggest. The Pink Lemonade flavor leads with bright citrus and a subtle floral lift, while cranberry brings a tart, dry edge. It’s not your typical sugar-loaded pink drink — the crisp finish and light botanical notes make it a grown-up take on a summer classic.

9. Absolut + Ocean Spray Vodka Cran-Mango

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Price: $20.99 per 12-pack variety (355ml cans)
ABV: 4.5%

Mango-forward and lightly sparkling, this canned cocktail from Absolut and Ocean Spray tastes like summer juice for grown-ups. Mango sherbet vibes dominate at first, followed by a pleasant hit of cranberry tartness and just a touch of hibiscus complexity. Not too sweet and definitely crushable, it’s a standout in a variety pack that also includes Cran-Pineapple, Cranberry and Cran-Peach flavors.

8. Yacht Water Jalapeño Ranch Water

(Photo: Yacht Water)

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Price: $15.00 per 6-pack (355ml cans)
ABV: 5.8%

Rapper Lil Yachty’s spicy spin on Ranch Water doesn’t hold back. The jalapeño flavor is bold and vegetal, as if fresh slices were muddled straight into the can. Paired with bright lime juice and a whisper of sea salt, it’s bracing, dry and refreshing. There’s very little sweetness, which makes this a dream for fans of savory cocktails — and one of the most memorable flavor profiles of the season.

7. VMC Tamarindo Hard Seltzer

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Price: $10.99 per 4-pack (355ml cans)
ABV: 5.5%

From Mexican boxing legend Canelo Álvarez, VMC’s Tamarindo flavor brings something new to the U.S. RTD scene — a tangy, tart and slightly nutty take on tamarind that tastes more like a honeyed hard candy than the sour candy paste of childhood. Light molasses and citrus notes ride in on subtle bubbles, and while the tequila stays in the background, the overall effect is a unique seltzer with a ton of personality.

6. Cutwater Gin Collins

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Price: $12.99 per 4-pack (355ml cans)
ABV: 9%

Cutwater’s Gin Collins is built on the brand’s vapor-distilled Old Grove Gin. It layers juniper and lemongrass with sharp lemon and a touch of sugar for a balanced, bold drink that still manages to be highly drinkable. At 9%, it’s strong compared to many light canned beverages but drinks clean and bright enough for a hot day.

5. On The Rocks Sparkling Lime Margarita

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Price: $10.99 per 4-pack (355ml cans)
ABV: 11%

This sparkling take on the classic margarita comes canned but doesn’t compromise on quality, thanks to Tres Generaciones Plata Tequila and house-made triple sec. It’s bright, tequila-forward and citrusy, with a hit of sweet lime juice up front that quickly gives way to bitter orange peel and a pleasantly tart finish with bitter lime rind. The balance between sweet and dry is spot-on, making it ideal for easy sipping — especially beachside, where its crisp, bubbly character shines. This is a well-crafted marg that feels more hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant than convenience aisle.

4. Dillon’s Gin Cocktail Tangerine, Lemon & a Hint of Mint

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Price: $18.99 per 8-pack variety (355ml cans)
ABV: 5%

Fresh citrus and mint come together beautifully in this Canadian-made gin cocktail. The tangerine is tart and juicy, the lemon zippy and the mint impressively natural — no artificial spearmint flavor here. A light fizz and dry finish keep things crisp, making it one of the most genuinely refreshing RTDs on the list.

3. Curious Elixirs No. 7 (French 77)

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Price: $49 per 4-pack (355ml bottles) or $108 per 12-pack
Non-Alcoholic

If you’re going booze-free but still want complexity and class, Curious No. 7 delivers. This riff on the French 77 blends chardonnay grape concentrate, elderflower, lavender, green tea and lemon zest into a sparkling, wine-like drink with serious floral and citrus character. It’s delicate, balanced and elegant — one of the best in the non-alc space.

2. Mission Craft Cocktails Mai Tai

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Price: $13.99 per 375ml bottle
ABV: 25%

Crafted in California and bottled with care, Mission’s take on the Mai Tai feels downright luxurious. The blend of West Indies coconut-infused white rum, California orange liqueur, orgeat, cardamom and vanilla is rich, layered and tropical without being sugary. At 25% ABV, it’s a true cocktail-strength pour that’s best served over ice — ideally with a view.

1. Thomas Ashbourne The Perfect Cosmo by SJP

(Photo: Thomas Ashbourbe)

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Price: $11.99 per 375ml bottle | also available in 4-packs of cans
ABV: 20%

A cosmopolitan worthy of Carrie Bradshaw herself, this vodka-based cocktail from Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Ashbourne Craft Spirits is fruit-forward but balanced, with cranberry and strawberry notes accented by a bright burst of lime. It’s refined without losing its playful charm, and the 20% ABV gives it real cocktail weight. With slick packaging and real flavor integrity, this is one celebrity RTD that fully lives up to its star billing.

The RTD space keeps evolving, and this summer’s selections prove the category has grown far beyond basic seltzers and sugar bombs. From tequila-and-tamarind to pear-and-rye, today’s best canned cocktails show off flavor, depth and a welcome sense of creativity. Whether you’re skipping booze or going all in, there’s something cool in the cooler for everyone.