An 84-Proof Cocktail In A Can? It Exists, And It's Awesome

Canned or bottled cocktails tend to have a reputation for being sugary, low-alcohol knockoffs of real cocktails, usually flavored "premium malt beverages" masquerading as the real thing. But there's a new canned cocktail on the market, Slow & Low Rock and Rye, and there's really nothing else like it out there.

These 100-milliliter cans contain a real-deal craft cocktail made with Cooper Spirits Company straight rye whiskey, honey, navel orange, real rock candy, and a dash of Angostura bitters. At 84 proof (42 percent alcohol), it contains slightly more alcohol than most straight liquors, so while the can might seem small, it actually contains the equivalent of nearly three and a half 1-ounce shots. Though you can certainly drink it right out of the can (or as a shot, chased with a beer), we actually suggest you serve it in an Old Fashioned glass, on the rocks, treating it like the quality cocktail it is.

Rock and rye is about as old-timey a cocktail as it gets, taking its name from nineteenth-century saloons that would serve harsh straight unaged rye along with some rock candy to mellow the burn. Over the years, the term began to encompass any combination of rye whiskey, rock candy, citrus, and spices, and the one you'll find in this can is smooth, flavorful, and more than the sum of its parts, with the orange and bitters nicely complimenting the spiciness of the rye, and the sugar lending it just enough sweetness to take the edge off.

If you happen to spot this at your local liquor store (it's also available in 750 ml bottle format), you won't be disappointed by it if you appreciate a good brown spirits cocktail. And at a suggested retail price of $4 a can, it's a lot cheaper than what you'll find at your local cocktail bar!