Progressive Islay distillery Bruichladdich has dipped its toe into the UK ready-to-drink category for the first time, launching a limited run of full-strength canned cocktails in collaboration with bartender-founded RTD drinks specialists Whitebox.
The four-SKU range – spanning a Dry Martini and White Negroni made with The Botanist gin, alongside a Whisky Sour built on The Classic Laddie and a Penicillin using Port Charlotte – has been developed to replicate classic serves as closely as possible in both composition and strength, rather than adapting recipes to suit format constraints.
Each cocktail has been structured to reflect the unique flavour profile of its base spirit, with ABVs significantly higher than typical RTD benchmarks.
The Dry Martini, made with The Botanist, is bottled at 33.9% ABV and designed to be stored in the freezer prior to serving, delivering a cold, highly controlled serve. The White Negroni, also based on The Botanist, is bottled at 21.8% ABV and emphasises citrus, herbal and bitter notes.
The Whisky Sour, made with Bruichladdich’s unpeated Classic Laddie, is bottled at 19% ABV and offers a balanced combination of citrus, sweetness and texture, while the Penicillin, built on the heavily peated Port Charlotte, is bottled at 22.5% ABV and combines peat smoke with honey, ginger and lemon.
The range has already been recognised at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC), where the Port Charlotte Penicillin secured Gold with an outstanding 97 points. The Botanist Dry Martini received silver (90 points), with both the Whisky Sour and White Negroni awarded bronze (86 points).
For Bruichladdich, the launch forms part of a broader innovation strategy in its 25th anniversary year, extending its focus on provenance, transparency and flavour into a new format.
Gareth Brown, Global Marketing Director at Bruichladdich, said the distillery’s approach had been shaped by changing consumer expectations around quality and authenticity.
He said: “The ready-to-serve category has evolved significantly, and there’s now a clear opportunity at the premium end for products that genuinely reflect the quality of the underlying spirit. What’s exciting about this range is that it allows us to showcase The Botanist, Classic Laddie and Port Charlotte in a completely new context, without compromising on flavour or integrity.
“Working with Whitebox was critical – their understanding of cocktail structure and balance, combined with our focus on ingredient provenance and distillation, has enabled us to create drinks that feel authentic to both worlds.
“We are known for our innovative approach to spirits, and in our 25th anniversary year, this has the potential to add a new chapter to our story.”
Whitebox, founded by bartenders and known for its focus on classic cocktail formats, has largely avoided brand partnerships to date. The collaboration marks its first with a distillery and reflects a shared approach to quality and production.
Josh Rennie, co-founder at Whitebox, said: “We turn down almost every collaboration opportunity, so for us this had to be about more than putting a name on a can. With Bruichladdich, there was a genuine alignment around quality, provenance and doing things properly.
“There’s historically been a disconnect between distilleries and the RTD category. Most ready-to-drink products are made far away from the source of the spirit. What we’re doing is bringing those worlds back together.
“The category is evolving quickly. Consumers are becoming more discerning, and there’s less tolerance for products that don’t deliver on quality.
“If someone orders a Martini, it has to taste like a Martini. That sounds obvious, but it’s something the category hasn’t always got right. What we’ve done here is focus on precision and recognisable flavour – you can taste the botanicals, the peat, the citrus. That’s what brings these drinks closer to a proper bar serve.”
The initial release will be limited to approximately 5,000 cans of each cocktail , with distribution focused on Bruichladdich’s website bruichladdich.com and in its distillery shop.
The range will retail at £6 per can (distillery only), or £20 for a four-pack via bruichladdich.com.