Introduction: When Speed Meets Spirit

In a world where our smartphones upgrade quicker than we drink a glass, the way we drink alcohol is evolving as well. Welcome back to the age-old debate in 2025, RTDs vs Cocktails.

Are we exchanging the craft and art of the cocktail shaker for the convenience of a can? Or are we simply evolving our drinking culture to meet a contemporary, set-to-go lifestyle? 

From the popularity of ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) to the ritual of made-to-order cocktails, this evolving experience and process is about more than just new tastes; this is about time, culture, creativity, convenience vs. craft, and a revised drinking experience.

The Rise of RTDs: A Revolution in a Can

The worldwide pandemic could have provided the initial catalyst, but the RTD movement has since gone explosive. With bars closed and home entertaining on the rise, consumers began seeking bar-quality RTDs that don't require the same effort. 

The IWSR Drinks Market Analysis indicated RTDs were the only segment of alcohol to show volume and value growth in 2023, rising both 2% in volume and 6% in value. By 2025, the acceleration to alternative forms of RTDs has only increased.

Why the RTD Boom Makes Sense

• Convenience at Its Core: No bartender required. Just chill, open, and sip.
  
  
• Perfect Consistency: Every can tastes exactly like the last one, no risk of a bad mix.
  
  
• Affordable Luxury: A fraction of the price of a bar cocktail, yet increasingly premium in quality.
  
  
• Portability: Ideal for outdoor events, picnics, or impromptu get-togethers.

Today's consumers aren't just selecting convenience, they're selecting dependability. The convenience of bringing their favorite beverage anywhere with guaranteed taste and zero inconvenience aligns perfectly with the convenience drink trend that has consumed urban life.

The Craft Cocktail Culture: Where Art Meets Alcohol

Conversely, the craft cocktail movement is alive and well, especially with its purists and drinkers who focus on drinking as an experience, not just a transaction.

Every cocktail tells a story - a dance of creativity, chemistry, and craftsmanship. From the first shake of a Boston tin to the last sprinkle of citrus for garnish, Mixology is art, honoring individuality and emotion that can never truly be replicated through pre-prepared goods.

Why Craft Cocktails Still Matter

• Creativity and Customization: You can’t ask a can to “make it a little less sweet.”
  
  
• Sensory Experience: From aroma to texture, cocktails engage all your senses.
  
  
• Connection and Ritual: Watching a bartender mix your drink adds social and emotional value.
  
  
• Cultural Identity: Many iconic cocktails (like Negroni or Old Fashioned) represent eras, cities, and styles that RTDs can only imitate.

This is why the cocktail vs. RTD comparison isn’t about superiority, it’s about what people seek in their drinking experience. RTDs deliver convenience; cocktails deliver connection.

RTD vs Cocktails: What Gen Z Is Choosing

The younger generation of consumers, specifically Gen Z and millennials, is creating a new wave of drinking norms. As summarized in Gen Z Alcohol Trends 2025, this generation is drinking fewer alcoholic beverages, is more health-conscious than previous generations, values experimentation, shares their drinking experience on social media, and cares about meaningful consumption. 

They prioritize authenticity, flavor, and experience, but they also want portability and transparency. RTDs provide that experience for today’s consumers.

• Low-ABV options for mindful drinking.
  
  
• Natural ingredients and clear labeling.
  
  
• Instagram-worthy packaging that doubles as social content.
  
  
• Eco-friendly and recyclable cans align with sustainability values.

However, Gen Z is also a fan of craft cocktail culture, especially if it feels bespoke and special. To support this tendency, many bars are starting to blur the lines and offer quality RTD cocktails to go while still having handcrafted cocktails specifically for on-site experiences.

The India Angle: Best RTD Beverages Shaping the Market

The world of alcohol in India is changing quickly. Urban drinkers, especially in major metro cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, are choosing ready-to-drink alcohol brands that embrace innovation alongside a local flavor.

Here are a few of the top RTD products taking center stage in India in 2025:

In A Can

A homegrown favorite known for its creative takes like Rum Latte, Whisky Collins, and Gin & Tonic. InACan has successfully brought bar-quality RTDs into mainstream retail.

Salud Beverages

Their Gin & Tonic refreshers and wine-in-a-pint have redefined casual drinking. Salud focuses on Gen Z’s social lifestyle, offering light, refreshing, and ready-to-sip options.

Off Script

Famous for its sparkling rice wines, including flavors like Mango Peach and Guava Chilli, this brand embodies the blend of traditional craft and modern innovation.

Misfit by Grover Vineyards

Grover's collection of sparkling seltzers in flavors such as Cranberry and Mimosa captures the modern drinker looking for the trifecta of flavor, fizz, and lightness from one can.

These brands show how canned cocktails in India are following the global trend of convenience, combined with India's diverse palate for flavors.

Taste and Quality: Can RTDs Match the Bar?

One of the primary conversations in the RTD versus cocktail world is one of quality. Can a canned cocktail take the place of a handcrafted cocktail with all its nuance? Traditionally, the cocktail wins. 

From fresh-squeezed juices to aromatic bitters to hand-carved ice, the experience of each sip is simply enhanced. However, technology and innovation have substantially narrowed this gap.

How RTDs Are Leveling Up

• Premium Spirits: Many brands now use high-quality gin, vodka, or whisky as their base.
  
  
• Natural Ingredients: No more syrupy sweetness - natural juices, herbs, and spices are becoming standard.
  
  
• Carbonation Control: Advanced carbonation ensures a crisp mouthfeel similar to freshly made cocktails.
  
  
• Cold Chain Storage: Improved logistics mean that flavor profiles are better preserved.

While handcrafted cocktails still reign supreme in terms of complexity, premium RTD brands are fast earning respect for their consistency and surprisingly refined profiles.

RTD Beverage Market Growth 2025: A Look Ahead

The RTD beverage market growth in 2025 will continue to exceed expectations. Globally, the category is expected to grow at over 10% CAGR through 2028, driven by younger consumers and innovation in packaging and flavor.

In India, the segment is gaining traction thanks to:

• Expanding urban middle class with disposable income.
  
  
• Post-pandemic social drinking habits are shifting toward home consumption.
  
  
• E-commerce expansion is making alcohol delivery easier.
  
  
• Premiumization trends across the spirits industry.

This growth signals a clear message: RTDs aren’t a fad, they’re a reshaping of the drinking experience itself.

Mixology vs RTD Drinks: Can They Coexist?

The conversation doesn’t have to be divisive. In fact, mixology and RTD drinks can coexist wonderfully. 

Many higher-end bars and distilleries are now creating their own house-brand RTD cocktails, giving customers the ability to taste their bar at home. In some cases, brand RTD cocktails are collaborating with master mixologists to prove product authenticity. 

This combination is the future of RTD cocktails, where innovation and divine crafts combine. A Negroni might still belong on the marble countertop, but a canned spritz could be your new go-to road trip or rooftop party cocktail.

The Modern Cocktail Experience: Evolving, Not Replacing

We’re not witnessing the death of the cocktail, we’re watching its evolution. The modern drinker’s world is both fast-paced and experience-driven, and both categories play vital roles.

• Cocktails are for celebration, connection, and craft.
  
  
• RTDs are for spontaneity, mobility, and ease.

Together, they reflect how drinking culture is expanding, not simplifying. You can spend Saturday night at a cocktail bar and Sunday afternoon with a chilled RTD by the pool. Both have their place in the modern drinking narrative.

Final Pour: The Future of Drinking

In the end, RTD vs cocktails isn't a competition. Rather, it is a meeting of the minds between the past and the future. Craft cocktails are a reminder that some moments deserve a little creativity and slowing down. 

RTDs are a reminder that some pleasures shouldn't keep you waiting. And the future of drinking isn't about deciding which is better or which side to choose; it is about celebrating both sides. 

Because ultimately, it doesn't matter if it's in a can or coupe, it's about the story inside the sip.