Welcome back to FTW’s Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.
Once again, we’re diving into the ever-expanding chasm of celebrity-branded booze. A boutique kingdom once ruled by the likes of Sammy Hagar and Dan Aykroyd has seen an influx of invaders fight over an expanding territory and the hearts and minds of drinkers across the world.
In this column alone we’ve hit branded offerings from Guy Fieri, Kendall Jenner, Blake Lively and many others. Today, since this is a sports site after all, we’re headed to the ring to see what Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has in store. His VMC line of drinks — short for Viva Mexico Cabrones, which I *think* I can write here without getting dinged by Gannett’s standards and practices — taps into his Mexican roots with local tequilas and classic recipes.
But it’s a crowded landscape when it comes to 12 ounces of carbonated cocktails to-go. Does a world class boxer have what it takes to stand out?
Paloma: A
Cracking the can unleashes a rush of bubbles and grapefruit flavor. It’s much heavier on the juice than the booze, at least from the smell. But it’s also inviting, like a fresh breakfast on a warm Saturday on vacation.
The can promises 5.5 percent alcohol but you barely notice it from the first sip. You get bubbly grapefruit soda up front, a sweeter version of the mixer you might get from Fever Tree. Drinks from the can or poured into a glass taste the same; sweet, effervescent and refreshing. It’d be a great tailgate drink, crushable but packing more of a punch than your typical canned cocktail or hard seltzer.
The citrus is crisp and ends each sip with just a hint of sourness that keeps the paloma from being cloyingly sweet. The tequila factors in only mildly, with no burn and just a touch of agave. It’s kinda great.
Much better than I’d expected. Hot damn.
Margarita: A
This smells exactly like you’d hope; lime, a little tequila and a touch of salt. It profiles similar to the paloma; loaded with juicy fruit flavor and a tinge of agave that reminds you you’re dealing with a boozy drink but nothing that serves as a distraction.
The one element you can’t smell, simple syrup, floats in without weighing down the drink. A slight current of seltzer bubbles lifts the drink up, making this easy to come back to sip after sip without fatigue. The sweetness and citrus are well balanced, making this a canned cocktail that would stand up as a soda if it didn’t clock in at 5.5 percent ABV.
Jamaica HIbiscus Cocktail: B-
OK. Huh. Without an ingredient list on the can all I can tell from this one is that it’s tequila, hibiscus and carbonated water. Searching for “Jamaica cocktail” suggests it’s just a typical margarita mixed with hibiscus iced tea which … sounds kinda great! Put that on the can!
It pours a lovely lavender and smells sweet and, I swear to god I don’t have a better term for this, *purple*. Like a nebulous jug of dollar store sugar water. Trust me, this only makes me want it more.
But instead of sugary grape you get floral hibiscus, which is totally fine and only disappointing if you grew up with a wicked case of poor brain like I did. The carbonation is more muted here than with the other cans, leaving behind a thicker, more syrup-y impression. The tequila remains smooth and without any semblance of harshness, which is great. How much you enjoy it may rely on how much mileage you can get from hibiscus.
For me, that’s not much. But I appreciate the effort. VMC has clearly put in the work to make a canned cocktail a step above the typical. Well, mission accomplished.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's?
Sure. Probably not the hibiscus, but the paloma and margaritas were smooth, easy-drinking cocktails that brought 90 percent of the freshness of a homemade drink at 10 percent of the effort. Easy win there.
