Vermont’s Biggest Distillery is Joining Canned Cocktail Train

The new cocktail-in-a-can release from WhistlePig, the PiggyBack Rye Smash, comes in three flavors. (Photo: WhistlePig)

Ready-to-drink cocktails in a can have been all the rage lately. Wild Turkey, Siponey, Jim Beam and Smokehead are among the whiskey-based cocktails that have popped up. The latest distiller to throw its hat in the RTD ring is WhistlePig, with its PiggyBack Rye Smash, which the distillery is calling “the first-ever, super-premium, ready-to-drink craft Rye beverage.”

PiggyBack Rye Smash debuts with three flavors: Blackberry Lemon Fizz, Session Citrus Mint and Fresh Ginger Lime. The 12-ounce cans contain 8% ABV.

The canned cocktail will be available in four-packs for a suggested retail price of $17.99 in Georgia, Missouri, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and is expected to expand across the U.S. in 2022.

The small-batch canned cocktails are crafted with barrel-aged ingredients and 100% Estate Rye grown on the WhistlePig Whiskey Farm. In a news release, WhistlePig called PiggyBack Rye Smash “a bolder, more balanced and full flavored take on a seltzer.”

Tasting notes

Blackberry Lemon Fizz: Slightly sweet and naturally carbonated. The perfect balance between fruit and freshness. Turn up the music, then turn up a can and let the blackberry and barrel-aged lemon take your senses for a spin.
Session Citrus Mint: Features the sweetness and tartness of a farm fresh lemonade balanced with notes of WhistlePig PiggyBack 100% Rye and a hint of mint.
Fresh Ginger Lime: Inspired by the Moscow Mule, it strikes a unique balance between the spicy warmth of ginger, a juicy citrus hit, and a hint of 100% Rye.

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