YOU can’t beat ringing in the New Year with a cocktail in your hand – and even better if it’s an easy-peasy pre-mixed one!
Whether you are hosting a party to welcome 2025, or just need to supply something to sip at midnight so you don’t arrive empty handed then ready-made tipples are the ideal solution.
From minimum effort Martinis to sip straightaway sophisticated
Cosmopolitans, discounter Aldi has even launched a brand-new cocktail range just in time for Auld Lang Syne.
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Here, drinks expert HELENA NICKLIN is on hand to give her verdict on a range of supermarket made mixologist classics to ensure you have a very Happy New Year.
3/5 – M&S Marksologist Vanilla Espresso Martini, 50cl, 17.5% ABV, £18
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Buy it here.
The Marksologist range from M&S is proper, well considered stuff so naturally this pre-mixed cocktail has spawned some cheaper dupes.
Read More (*Hic*) Features
But what you get in this bottle is the real deal, even if it does taste slightly different to what you might be served in a bar.
With a punchy kick of booze and quite heavy on the vanilla, this is full on, creamy, sweet and rich at the same time.
Not a classic Espresso Martini but it’ll be for you if you’re not that much into a bitter caffeine kick.
It now looks expensive next to the competition though with lots of cheaper comparisons on other supermarket shelves.
5/5 – Aldi Infusionist Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, 50cl, 17.5% ABV £8.99
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With its identical ABV and similar shaped bottled, this is going for the same market as the M&S Espresso Martini is, but it’s on the shelves at half the cost.
So does it win? On both price and taste, you betcha.
This is a classic tasting caffeine-fuelled tipple that’s silky smooth to slurp with just a hint of salted caramel and the perfect hit of coffee.
Serve well chilled, having shaken it with ice in your cocktail shaker if you have one, and you’ll get a small amount of characteristic ‘crema’ on the top too – just like a fancy bar would make!
Great value and guaranteed to keep you awake and dancing at any New Year celebrations.
Glug this and you’ll ensure that you make it to midnight – and probably well beyond!
2/5 – Asda Extra Special Spiced Clementine & Cranberry Cosmopolitan, 70cl, 10% ABV, £8
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The Cosmopolitan – forever associated by many with Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City – is a usually made with vodka, cranberry, Cointreau and a twist of lime.
It’s generally a lighter cocktail for those not wanting a big boozy hit and this sleek looking black bottle and festive name fits the bill and promises a fun drinking experience.
In the glass, it’s light and fairly simple with a fab, fresh orange note but almost too subtle spice.
Very subtle, it’s the refreshing choice for enjoying alongside
a rendition of Auld Lang Syne and it’ll look very pretty served in a posh cocktail glass.
But for the price tag, I would really like a bit more punch.
4/5 – Lidl Deluxe Negroni Cocktail, 50cl, 20% ABV, £8.99
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Buy it here.
The bitter Negroni, made with gin, Campari and Vermouth, remains a favourite tipple in the UK and this punchy 20% abv is a great ready-made option that offers a real step up in quality for Lidl’s cocktail range – super news for New Years Eve parties when it’s such a purse-friendly price.
With a sleek bottle and premium feel, this goes head-to-head with Aldi’s selection in my eyes and does an excellent job.
In the glass, this is quite a sweet Negroni and certainly less boozy than one you’d make at home.
BUT should you want to perk up your party even more you can build on it with another shot of gin or Campari if preferred.
Impressive for the price!
1/5 – M&S Christmas Cosmo 75cl, 8% ABV, £6
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This Cranberry, pomegranate and vodka concoction is a much lighter style of pre-made cocktail for M&S and I would suggest that’s reflected in the lower price.
Fun enough and frothy, this festive themed sip tastes like sweet and simple. It’s essentially just cranberry juice with a little bit of spiciness.
Just about okay for a 2025 party perhaps if you enjoy the flavour, you have to be polite to your hosts, or you don’t want anything that tastes especially boozy, but it’s not best the thing you’ll drink
this year.
Palm oil is also listed in the ingredients which in a drink, for me, feels
wrong on many levels.
Better tasting options with better ingredients are available.
3/5 – Iceland Pomegranate Gin Fizz, 75cl, 3.4% ABV £2.75
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For just £2.75 for a bottle I wouldn’t expect much more than a super light and simple tipple – and that’s what this frothy ready made gin-fizz is.
The bottle is actually extremely pretty and it screams party with it’s ‘pop me now’ pink cork.
And it doesn’t just look good, what’s inside is still very drinkable, even though it’s more like sparkling blackcurrant in flavour than pomegranate but that probably doesn’t sound as posh!
This is a good one to stock up on if you’re wanting to keep the booze levels lower this NYE and are watching the pennies – or if you just want something celebratory to open for a little taste of some bubbles at midnight without wasting money unnecessarily.
3/5 – Morrisons Mulled Amaretto, 70cl, 10% ABV, £6 (in store only)
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This unique sipper gets full marks for presentation and innovation as it’s rather a sophisticated and ambitious ready mixed tipple.
It’s just a shame that what’s inside doesn’t quite deliver what I was hoping for.
There’s lots of the classic almond, marzipan type flavour as you’d hope from the inclusion of Amaretto but somehow it all feels a bit synthetic.
I definitely think that the mulled spiced element really could
be dialled up to give it more dimension.
Still, it gets points for offering something quite different at a good price, and the alcohol level is well judged.
Would be good as a nice, ladle it up, party punch when served warm.
4/5 – Aldi Infusionist Smoked Pineapple Daiquiri, 50cl, 17.5% ABV £8.99
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Buy it here.
Aldi has really been on form with its ready-made cocktail offerings so I was keen to try this rum-based number – and yet again it’s a pour and sip tipple that doesn’t disappoint.
Quite sweet up front, this is much better served chilled with its subtle smokiness and real pineapple flavour.
It’s concentrated and viscous too, so feels very indulgent.
For the price point, this offers brilliant bang for little buck.
Tasty stuff and fun to serve with a chunk of pineapple and even a bit of blowtorch action if you happen to have one (or just whack some fruity slices under the grill!)
A fabulous party drink to stock up on for your celebrations that tastes as good as a mixologist made offering in a fancy bar.
It’ll slip down a treat. And you’ll get a whole bottle for
less than the price than just one cocktail on a night out would probably cost you!
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