Handpicked: The Best Ready-to-Drink Margaritas

Although we’ve reviewed tequila and other straight spirits for many years, this is the first time we’ve reviewed ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. Considering the enduring popularity of tequila, perhaps it won’t be surprising that our debut focuses on RTD margaritas.

So how are they? The divide is quite wide. The best ones honor the drink’s tequila base. Just like a marg at your favorite bar or restaurant, a good RTD margarita frames tequila’s agave sweetness and peppery bite with the sweet-tart balance of lime juice and agave nectar and/or orange liqueur.

A key tip: Unfailingly, we found that RTD margaritas are better over ice. They improve when chilled and given a little dilution—which makes sense, considering that classic margs typically are shaken drinks, most often served on the rocks.

While we focused on classic margaritas (including flavored versions like strawberry and mango), RTD canned cocktails are often carbonated, so we expanded the boundaries a bit to include tequila-based spritzes, mules and other bubbly variations.

Further, although all tequila is made in Mexico, classing origins for RTDs often isn’t straightforward. Tequila isn’t always the primary ingredient in the bottle (or can, etc.—more on that in a moment), so for RTD reviews, we designated the origin based on where the producer says the cocktail is composed and bottled or canned.

Expect to see more RTD reviews here. After all, the category has been growing quickly. Most likely, you’ve already spotted these premixed drinks at hotels, airports and train stations, or concert or sports venues—not to mention on the shelves at liquor stores. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, spirits-based RTDs grew by a whopping 37.4% in 2022 in terms of volume, making it the fastest-growing industry category last year.

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