BY TOM FIRTH AND LINDA GARSON

True story – we are completely aware that the act of making most well-loved classic cocktails isn’t that hard to do, yet it’s rarely something that many derive any joy in making. A Negroni is simply gin, Campari and some sweet vermouth. An Old Fashioned is simple syrup, bitters and whisky and so on. These classics are really quite simple to make, yet out of reach of so many.

Time is, of course, of the essence, but just like starting out cooking at home, assembling the basic ingredients or tools can be a little daunting. “Am I buying the right vermouth?” or “I don’t know the first thing about bitters” and on and on. Getting started on that first step is a doozy.

Ready-to-drink cocktails have been around for a while, though most would be more in the “cooler” camp, fizzy or sweet, or perhaps both, and generally not too serious. Lynchburg Lemonades or the like were often served ice cold and meant more for enjoying at the ball diamond or campsite straight out of the can or wee bottle that came in a four-pack.

We’ve generally been over the moon at this relatively new crop of premium, quality (and even craft) focused, ready-to-pour, convenient cocktails gracing our shelves these days. There’s no arguing the care and quality, and as consumption trends continue to change, being able to more closely enjoy what you pour rather than mixing from a recipe, these drinks are here to stay.

Park Classic Negroni, Alberta

One of the best, locally made, ready to pour negronis, and a nice treat to pick up if cruising the streets of Banff. Made with Park’s Alpine Dry Gin (with locally sourced spruce tips), and all the right amount of barrel aging, Campari, and most importantly, a taste of this classic cocktail with a nod to a more modern approach.

$40 (375mL) at the distillery

Olmeca Altos Margarita (Classic Lime), Mexico

This one might seem like a “no-brainer” but all those traditional, nothing but sugar, and bring your own tequila mixes were pretty awful (remember them gathering dust on those liquor store shelves? Olmeca is made with premium tequila, the right amount of lime, and some actual agave syrup to sweeten, this is precisely what the doctor ordered when the heat comes and you have a small quantity of crushed ice to use up. So good!

CSPC 884817 $25-28

Romero Distilling Smoked Old-Fashioned, Alberta

Full marks to Romero Distilling. To come up with this absolutely delicious, smooth and lush, Smoked Rum Old Fashioned, absolutely ready to pour into your glass (add your big ice cube or a couple of smaller ice cubes first) is genius, and we’ll happily offer it to our guests (and pretend we made it) any time! From their amber sugarcane spirit along with some demerara simple syrup, a little aromatic bitters, and the crown jewel – smoke from their rum oak barrel staves!

CSPC 117369 (473 mL) $21-33

The Glenlivet Old Fashioned, Scotland

A twist with a twist! Another genius idea, this time from Scotland (from where many innovators hail – think television, telephones, and tires!), The Glenlivet have poured their 12 year Single Malt Scotch into a bottle – and then in the cap, added bitters and simple syrup, with a little orange, so when you twist off the cap it releases into the whisky and makes a rather wonderful Old Fashioned! We think it’s like one of those magic tricks, where your whisky becomes an Old Fashioned with the sleight of your hand – but then what do we know, we drink whisky for a living!

CSPC 111003 (375 mL) $28-37