Drinking a Jack and Coke is about to become, somehow, even easier.
Coca-Cola is partnering with Brown-Forman to make a new canned cocktail combining Coke and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. The drink, which also will be available in a zero-sugar option, is hitting shelves in Mexico later this year before expanding globally.
Mexico was picked as a launch market because both brands are popular there and the country has a well-developed ready-to-drink market, a Brown-Forman spokesperson told CNN Business. A U.S. launch is intended for sometime in 2023.
The combination brings together "two of the world's most recognizable and valuable trademarks," the companies said in a press release, and will include "clear responsibility symbols" to indicate the beverage is for legal-aged drinkers. It will typically have 5% alcohol by volume, but that will vary depending on country.
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Coca-Cola has been aggressively expanding its alcoholic drink options as the trend grows. Jack and Coke joins Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and Simply Spiked Lemonade, both made in partnership with MolsonCoors. The company is also scheduled to launch Fresca Mixed later this year, a spirit-based cocktail created in conjunction with Corona brewer Constellation Brands.
Sales of canned cocktails have exploded as drinkers look for convenience and new flavors beyond wine and beer. The beverage category grew 53% last year and is projected to grow another 29% over the next three years, according to data from IWSR Drinks Analysis.
Punchier flavors and drinks from recognizable brand names might also help companies break through in the quickly growing sector. Brown‑Forman said in a recent earnings release that Jack Daniels is experiencing a "resurgence" in sales, and the company has plans to grow the whiskey even more this year.
Meanwhile, rival Pepsi is also eying the trend: HARD MTN DEW, a sugar-free canned cocktail with 5% alcohol by volume, hit shelves a few months ago.
Book and cocktail pairings for Dad for Father's Day
Old-fashioned dad
Old Fashioned
You can’t go wrong with a classic old fashioned recipe, and the timeless drink doesn’t have too many rules. Your dad can mix it just like Don Draper does with this recipe from “The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook.” Muddle together one sugar cube and two dashes of bitters. Mix with 1 ½ to 2 ounces of a whiskey of your choosing. Serve over ice in a classic whiskey glass, garnished with a Draper-esque orange twist.
Hip dad
Aperol Spritz
Your hip dad can make a trendy cocktail from Manhattan speakeasy Death & Co.’s recipe book. It includes more than 500 recipes, including their take on an Aperol Spritz. Shake together ¾ ounce each of mezcal, yellow chartreuse, Aperol and lime juice.
The fruity notes of Aperol with the herbal yellow chartreuse harmonize perfectly for a refreshing, citrusy drink.
Classy dad
Vesper martini
For a dad with class, shake up (not stir) a Vesper martini, James Bond’s drink made famous in “Casino Royale,” from the Bond-themed “Shaken” cocktail book. Shake together 3 ounces of gin, 1 ounce of vodka and ½ ounce of lillet. Garnish with a lemon twist for a potent mix that 007 would approve of.
Foodie dad
Sparkling punch
Your food-lover dad will appreciate the more than 400 pages of The Aviary’s cocktail book that includes one-of-a-kind insights from the Chicago bar. One of their most popular cocktails is a sparkling punch with 1 ½ ounces of orange syrup, 1 ½ ounces of cognac and 4 ounces of champagne. Serve over ice topped with grated nutmeg.
Bon vivant dad
Hemingway daiquiri
If your dad loves a historic drink with global flair, whip up a daiquiri a la Ernest Hemingway from “A Drinkable Feast.”
This cocktail calls for ½ ounce of maraschino liqueur (instead of traditional cane syrup, due to the writer’s disdain for sugary drinks), 2 ounces of light rum, ¾ ounce of fresh lime juice and ½ ounce of grapefruit juice.
Coffee-drinking dad
Tennessee julep
Keep your dad caffeinated with “The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails,” featuring ways to mix coffee and liquor. Their Tennessee julep is easy yet sophisticated. Mix together 2 ounces of coffee-infused whiskey (mix regular whiskey with coffee to achieve the same effect), a bar spoon of apricot liqueur, ¹/³ ounce of light corn syrup and 12 chocolate mint leaves.
Beer-loving dad
Beer accessories
While your brew-loving papa probably has his favorite beers, the comprehensive compendium “The Oxford Companion to Beer,” by acclaimed brewer Garrett Oliver, will delight and inspire. Pair it with quality pint glasses for an awesome brew gift set.
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