Drifter Craft Cocktails ready-to-drink (RTD) premixed cocktails have officially found their way to store shelves. “Inspired by global spirits and drink traditions,” the unique canned sparkling cocktails with international inspiration are now available in the US at select alcohol retail locations as well as online via the brand’s website.
Drifter cocktails were created in partnership with hand-picked notable bartenders, and highlight underrepresented spirits and the distillers who produce them. Drifter’s cocktails feature international flavors, real spirits and all-natural ingredients.
“Drifter Craft Cocktails leads with flavor and the quality of ingredients makes it an exceptional product,” said Nico de Soto, the mix-master behind Drifter’s Spicy Margarita. “Drifter Craft Cocktails highlights spirits with unique identities driven by a sense of place. The diversity in origins, distilleries, and spirits from independent producers are unique on the market today.”
Drifter RTDs Launch in Three Varieties
Drifter Craft Cocktails are available in three worldly flavors including Moscow Mule, Passion Fruit Caipirinha and Spicy Margarita.
Moscow Mule
Drifter’s Moscow Mule was created by Master Bartender Michael J. Neff of the Cottonmouth Club in Houston. Neff channeled his more than two decades of experience behind the bar to develop the balanced, gingery drink.
The cocktail features Griffo Pot Distilled Vodka (Petaluma, California), ginger juice (Assam, India), lime juice (North Aurora, Illinois), and jalapeño flavor (Oxnard, California).
Passion Fruit Caipirinha
Drifter’s Passion Fruit Caipirinha is the fruit of Mariena Mercer Boarini’s labor. Boarini, the Resort Mixologist at the famous Wynn Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and an alchemy-enthusiast, utilized exotic flavors from five countries to create a bright twist on the classic Brazillian cocktail.
The drink contains Avuá Prata Cachaça (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil), lime juice (Guangdong, China), passion fruit juice (Bukidnon, Philippines), vanilla flavor (Long An, Vietnam), cardamom extract (Oxnard, California) and lemongrass oil (Oxnard, California).
Spicy Margarita
Drifter’s Spicy Margarita was developed by Nico de Soto of Mace in New York and Danico in Paris. The internationally-recognized bartender and DJ has become a staple of the nightlife scenes in Paris, New York City and Dubai, among other destinations.
The bold cocktail contains Paladar Blanco Tequila (Jalisco, Mexico), triple sec flavor (Saumur, France), pineapple juice (Long An, Vietnam), orange flavor (Oxnard, California), and chipotle extract (Oxnard, California).
Drifter Craft Cocktails all contain an ABV of 7% and are available in 4-packs of individual flavors.
A Brand with a Mission
Drifter’s Co-Founders, Pete Nevenglosky, Nate Whitehouse, and Jeff Diego, believe in honoring the people and traditions that make their beverages possible as well as the lands from which their ingredients are sourced.
“Drifter Craft Cocktails uses high-quality ingredients and is transparent on where we source every element,” said Nevenglosky. “From Vietnam, to India, to the Philippines, the ingredients are shared on every can with a story about the producers.”
We are proud to highlight Avuá Cachaça, produced by third-generation master distiller Katia Espirito Santo in the hills four hours from Rio de Janeiro; Paladar Tequila produced by the Orendain family, who have made tequila since 1844 and are the last of the independent founding families of tequila; and Griffo Pot Distilled Vodka produced in Petaluma, CA showcasing the beauty and bounty of Sonoma County. Wherever you roam, we hope Drifter Craft Cocktails are along for the ride and inspire the discovery of new flavors,” he continued.
Drifter Distilled Spirits
Drifter’s canned craft cocktails are the company’s first RTD beverages but not its first foray into the beverage alcohol industry. The globally-inspired brand is home to Avuá Cachaça, a lineup of eight thoughtfully distilled, single-sourced cachaça offerings made in Brazil.
Many Avuá products are aged in local and regional wood. Cachaça is a white rum-adjacent spirit crafted from the juice of fermented sugarcane. It is a uniquely Brazillian product with a rich history dating back to the 16th century. Avuá is produced in a traditional manner utilizing a waterwheel. Avuá is featured in Drifter’s Passion Fruit Caipirinha.
Drifter is also the maker of Svöl Aquavit. Aquavit is a neutral Scandanavian spirit born in the 15th century. The spirit is typically distilled with grain or potatoes and like gin, it is infused with botanicals. Aquavit, which means “water of life,” was named for the healing properties it was believed to contain. Svöl produces a Danish and a Swedish-style aquavit.
Both are caraway-forward and, keeping with the brand’s global vision, they are infused using botanicals with origins all over the world including Egypt, Finland and Peru to name a few.
Drifter believes “each can is a stamp on your passport” and the company is eager to invite consumers along as it embarks on this new journey.
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