Heritage's canned cocktails review: They actually hit their moving target

USA Today

21 hours ago

Canned cocktails are a mixed bag. For years, the bar for these drinks was "well, it's better than nothing." A rising tide of hard seltzers and a general market shift away from beer helped improve quality, but there's still a hit-or-miss quality to the genre.
That's especially true if you're trying to go beyond the classics. That's the line Heritage Distilling Company is walking. The Washington-based booze maker has put its craft spirits into custom cocktails in hopes of expanding its reach and making its vodkas, gins and bourbons easier to bring to a tailgate or beach.
Did they hit that moving target? Let's see what we've got.
Peachy Bourbon: A-
I'm tackling this one in the ideal canned cocktail scenario; on a hot summer day at the pool. With a quick toss upside-down, we're ready to drink. The can is lightly carbonated. The smell off the top is peach rings and a little oaky goodness.
The first sip is all those things. Bright peach, a little sweet bourbon and just enough bubbles to move things along. The fruit juice is tangy and sweet but feels more authentic than you'd get in a seltzer. The whiskey is minor, but blends well with those flavors.
It's refreshing and crushable. If there's a downside, it's a sugary sweet finish that lingers a touch too long. A drier ending would be nice, but this remains a vibrant, easy to drink cocktail.
That could be a bit of a problem since each can clocks in at 6.9 percent alcohol by volume. Three of these and swimming would be an issue. But, all said, it's a very solid drink -- especially for the summer.
Gin Jam Fizzzz: B+
I'm drinking this one in another classic summer situation; post grass-cutting on a 90 degree day (and, admittedly, after crushing an Urban Chestnut Zwickel while standing barefoot on a freshly mowed lawn with two happy dogs around me. This was Dad Valhalla). I'm gonna try this one over ice, which leads to a surprising revelation. Gin Jam Fizzzz (cool name, I hate it) pours almost transparent with just a hint of earthy brown to it.
That's weird for a drink that talks up its berries and jam content, but sure. It smells sharp, with the acid of the raspberries inside cutting through the gin wafting off the top. The first sip is... well, there's a lot going on. That jam flavor is front and center, mixing with the gin to give off refreshing summer vibes. Toward the end you get a little bit of herbal mint -- that's not on the cocktail description, but it sure feels like it's there. It's not overwhelming, but it signals the shift from "taste" to "aftertaste."
You're left to linger on that a while, but it's pleasant and welcomes you back in for more. It's sweet but instead of balancing things out with dry or sour, you get just a hiccup of fresh herbs to bring everything together. It's a layer I didn't expect, especially considering how straightforward the Peachy Bourbon was (in a good way).
That finish does dent the replay value a bit. This isn't a crushable hot day cocktail. It's a refreshing sipper. But Heritage managed to make it feel like a multiple step cocktail fresh out of the can, and that's no small challenge.
Blood Orange Vodkarita: B
Like the Fizzzz, this pours with an effervescent blast of carbonation. It's a light orange color and smells exactly as advertised with orange juice and vodka flavors. That combo is its own, different cocktail, so hopefully this vodkarita is bringing something new to the table.
There's a little bit of Grand Marnier/margarita vibe, but I'm picking up more thin screwdriver/fuzzy navel from this than your standard Cinco companion. It's fruity, sweet and boozy. That's about all there is to it, but it's never excessive in any one direction, doesn't burn and is a can you could put down in about four minutes on a hot day.
The label hangs its hat on being "extra refreshing" and that's a fair assessment. It's not reinventing anything despite an intriguing label, but it grows on you. While it lacks some of the complexity of Heritage's other canned cocktails, it still holds up fine on its own.
Bonus! Heritage Blood Orange and Huckleberry flavored vodkas: B
It's tough to judge flavored vodkas on anything more than their ability to a) taste like candy and b) hide the booze within. That's not throwing shade. Lord knows I've drank more whipped cream vodka and Mountain Dew cocktails than any grown man should (it tastes like Sour Skittles. No, I do not understand why).
The Blood Orange brings bright, sweet citrus flavors that blend seamlessly with a powerful mixer or stand alone against the backdrop of tonic. In fact, that's a pretty breezy two-step summer cocktail on its own; I'm just mad at myself for not having tonic on hand. Or limes. Huh.
The Huckleberry hits a blueberry/blackberry/grape center point that brings more sugary sweetness but lacks the fuller flavor of the orange. It's a little more boozy but, again, blends easily into a lazy person's cocktail. Both are easy sells for simple, crushable drinks. But both clock in at only 60 proof, which could be a deal breaker for some.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's?
This a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I'm drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That's the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm's. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Heritage's canned cocktails over a cold can of Hamm's?
Yes. Heritage has something for both my drinking modes -- more complex craft cocktail vibes and crushable, boozy drinks. It hides its ABV well and brings bright, crisp flavors to the table. There's a lot to like here.
This is part of FTW's Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.