Trader Joe’s intros RTD cocktails
Trader Joe’s is certainly known for its affordable own brand wines like its Charles Shaw “Two-Buck Chuck,” but the retailer is adding to its alcoholic offerings with two ready-to-drink cocktails — Trader Joe’s Whiskey Sour and Trader Joe’s Old Fashioned.
The pre-mixed cocktails come in 750 ml bottles and were released at the end of 2020. Due to the pandemic, many closed restaurants have been offering pre-mixed cocktails for delivery that could have influenced a trend around ready-to-drink cocktails. TJ said in its announcement of the products that not all consumers are natural-born mixologists so the products are an easy way to make a drink — simply pour over ice and stir.
Both ready-to-drink cocktails are made for the retailer by a small, craft distiller using bourbon whiskey, cane sugar and a custom blend of spiced orange bitters. The whiskey sour also has lemon juice and a lemon oil. They retail for $16.99.
The retailer said the old fashioned has a balanced taste between the sweetness of muddled sugar and caramel notes of bourbon and can be served with an orange slice or amarena cherry.
The whiskey sour is recommended to be chilled with a little ice or mixed with an equal part of sparkling water and garnished with an orange slice.