What is the easiest way to enjoy delicious, consistently mixed cocktails? Buy them pre-mixed and enjoy On the Rocks.
On the Rocks (OTR) is Beam Suntory’s line of premium ready-to-drink cocktails, which are crafted with natural ingredients and high quality spirits brands. There are currently six different varieties, several of which are made with Beam Suntory’s popular liquor brands.
OTR’s mission is to “bring the bar to you,” with cocktails “delivering all the complexity and craftsmanship you would find at your favorite bar,” according to the company’s website.
Consumers can enjoy an Old Fashioned made with Knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey, the Aviator with Larios London Dry Gin, the Mai Tai with Cruzan Rum, the Cosmopolitan made with Effen Vodka, and two different flavors of margaritas – the classic Margarita with Hornitos Plata Tequila, and the daring Jalapeno Pineapple Margarita featuring Tres Generaciones.
The award winning cocktails are all created by top mixologists. Each 375 ml. glass bottle holds two servings, while most of the drinks contain 20% ABV (the Old Fashioned clocks in at 35% ABV).
Hospitality industry veterans Patrick Halbert and Rocco Milano founded OTR in 2015. Beam Suntory acquired the ready-to-drink (RTD) premium cocktails in September of last year, giving the beverage company an instant foothold in the burgeoning pre-made cocktail market.
“We have an ambition to become [number one] in the spirits-based ready-to-drink market, and On the Rocks will be a key growth platform that we’ll build along with our fast-growing premixed highball products” said Beam Suntory president and CEO Albert Baladi at the time of the acquisition.
“We see tremendous opportunity to expand the OTR brand to new occasions, formats, cocktail recipes, and the low-ABV space.”
RTD Trends
The RTD segment has expanded over the last year, particularly as bars and restaurants faced safety restrictions due to the pandemic. While drinking moved from on- to off-premise, many customers sought out bar and restaurant quality cocktails that could be enjoyed from the safety and comfort of home.
Beam Suntory doesn’t expect this trend to change anytime soon. “At-home cocktailing and cocktails to-go have obviously accelerated, and we think that will be long-lasting,” said Greg Hughes, president of Beam Suntory North America.
“The trend toward convenience and quality isn’t going away.”
The spirits company’s Hornitos tequila – which is featured in OTR’s Classic Margarita – recently released its own RTD. The new tequila seltzer, made with blue agave and real Plata tequila, is available in either Lime or Mango.
“The tequila and ready-to-drink cocktail segments are two of the fastest-growing segments in the spirits category right now, with hard seltzer retail sales up 225% in the last year alone,” said Rashidi Hodari, managing director of tequila at Beam Suntory.
Jim Beam, one of Beam Suntory’s titular brands, also entered the RTD space with two new bourbon-based drinks: the Classic Highball and Ginger Highball.
Lighter than an OTR, both the Highballs and Tequila Seltzer contain 5% ABV. Whether you are looking for something light and sparkling, or something more formal like an On the Rocks, RTDs make the perfect companion for all of your summer adventures.
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