Diageo's premade old fashioneds, Manhattans and margaritas aren't reinventing the wheel and that's fine

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 (or food) that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.

As a lazy, lazy man, I can appreciate the rise in canned and bottled cocktails. While I’m happy to mix whatever I have at home into a glass, any drink that requires a thought-out trip to the grocery store beforehand generally doesn’t pop into my field of vision before it’s too late.

Diageo is betting I’m not the only one. While the super-brand’s lineup of premixed, bottled cocktails generally trends toward the simpler side of mixed drinks — old fashioneds, Manhattans, margaritas — there’s something reassuring about classic cocktails from trusted spirits like Ketel One and Tanqueray. It probably won’t rival what you’d get at your trusted local bar, but it’ll still be solid enough with a lower price and minimal effort.

The first iteration of the conglomerate’s pre-made drinks run six deep. Let’s see if it’s worth it.