Served by a bartender, cocktails are a refreshing favourite, so why do they disappoint in a bottle or can? This is the question Love Can co-founder James Bruce constantly asked himself. The answer? No one was paying enough attention to both elements of the mix – if the spirit was quality the mixer was often sub-par and vice versa. What the premixed drink category needed was expertise from both sides, what it needed was a collaboration – so Love Can was born. Overseeing spirits would be Poor Toms, the Sydney distillery started by housemates Jesse Kennedy and Griffin Blumer that brought us Sydney Dry Gin. Meanwhile, the mixers would be created by StrangeLove, the Melbourne-based soft drink innovator founded by James Bruce and Stafford Fox.
So, has Love Can really redeemed the premixed drink? We think it’s off to a great start. With spirits and mixes literally made for each other, Love Can is serving up premium canned cocktails that everyone can enjoy. Their first three offerings are gin and tonic, with a juniper-gin mix with subtle hints of bergamot and grapefruit, vodka yuzu’s reinvention of the vodka, lime and soda featuring apple and chamomile distilled vodka and yuzu, and the spirtz – a negroni-style beverage made from strawberry gin, orange aperitivo and Mildura lemons. Love Can’s brightly designed tinnies allow drinkers to enjoy premium flavours without the fuss of glassware but with enough style that you’ll proudly show it off at your next Sunday session. Thirsty? You can find Love Can at one of their stockists or learn more about the brand on their website.