Long Drink Traditional Cocktail 6PK

Long Drink Traditional Cocktail 6Pk is a ready-to-drink, gin-based citrus cocktail sold as a six-pack of 12 oz cans at 5.5% ABV. A Gold Medal winner at the 2019 New York International Spirits Competition, this expression revives the classic Finnish long drink — a category born during the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics — for the American market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: Ste Genevieve, Missouri, USA  |  Style: Ready-to-Drink Gin & Citrus Cocktail  |  Producer: The Long Drink Company

Production & Heritage

The long drink category traces its roots to Finland's 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, when bartenders needed a way to serve large crowds quickly. Their solution was a premixed cocktail combining gin with citrus soda, which became a national staple known as "lonkero." The Long Drink Company, headquartered in New York, produces its Traditional expression using actual distilled gin rather than a fermented malt or cane sugar base. This distinction matters: the use of real liquor delivers a cleaner mouthfeel and a more authentic botanical backbone than the hard seltzers and flavored malt beverages that dominate the RTD category. Production takes place in Ste Genevieve, Missouri, and the resulting liquid earned Gold at both the 2019 New York International Spirits Competition and the American Distilling Institute Proof Awards.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: A bright, delightful white grapefruit nose opens immediately, followed by subtle herbal gin botanicals. It reads fresher and more natural than mainstream citrus sodas, with a clean juniper undercurrent.

Taste: The first sip delivers immediate carbonation and a sharp, tart grapefruit bite. The mid-palate broadens into smooth, herbal gin character with juniper and citrus working in tandem. The overall impression is crisp and dry rather than sweet — balanced and restrained where many RTDs lean sugary.

Finish: Surprisingly long and warming for a 5.5% ABV drink, with lingering grapefruit pith and dry botanical notes. The carbonation carries the finish cleanly, leaving a refreshing dryness that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Long Drink Traditional

The Traditional is designed to be enjoyed straight from the can, well chilled. Pour it over ice in a highball glass if you prefer a more deliberate drinking experience. While complete on its own, it also serves as a versatile base: add a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprig of rosemary for an elevated highball; float it over muddled cucumber and mint for a refreshing garden-style spritz; or use it as a topper in a Paloma riff, replacing grapefruit soda to add real gin depth to the tequila-citrus combination.

Best For

• Summer barbecues and outdoor gatherings where speed of service matters
• Introducing friends to the Finnish lonkero tradition
• Stocking a home fridge with a lower-ABV alternative to full-strength cocktails
• Tailgates and sporting events where glass bottles are impractical

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Long Drink Traditional taste like? It delivers a bright, tart grapefruit flavor supported by dry juniper and herbal gin botanicals, with a crisp, clean finish that avoids the sweetness common in many ready-to-drink cocktails.

How does Long Drink Traditional compare to hard seltzers like White Claw? Unlike White Claw and similar products made from fermented cane sugar or malt with added flavoring, Long Drink Traditional is built on actual distilled gin, which gives it a more pronounced botanical character and a fuller, cleaner mouthfeel. The flavor profile is also drier and more citrus-forward, leaning into real grapefruit tartness rather than neutral sweetness.

Is Long Drink Traditional good for sipping on its own? Yes — it is specifically formulated as a complete, ready-to-drink cocktail meant to be enjoyed straight from the can or poured over ice, with no mixing required.

Where is Long Drink Traditional made? Long Drink Traditional is produced in Ste Genevieve, Missouri, by The Long Drink Company, which is headquartered in New York. The brand draws its inspiration from the Finnish lonkero cocktail tradition that originated during the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics.

What foods pair well with Long Drink Traditional? Grilled shrimp or fish tacos complement the citrus-forward profile; smoked salmon echoes the Scandinavian heritage; sharp aged cheddar contrasts the dry grapefruit notes; fresh ceviche mirrors the brightness of the drink; and spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes benefit from the carbonation and citrus acting as a palate cleanser.

What sizes does Long Drink Traditional come in? The Traditional is available in 12 oz cans, most commonly sold in six-packs, though single cans and variety packs may also be available depending on market.

Is Long Drink Traditional worth the price? Long Drink Traditional positions as a premium RTD cocktail within the ready-to-drink category, justified by its use of real distilled gin rather than a malt or sugar base, plus multiple gold medals from recognized spirits competitions — a meaningful step above the average hard seltzer in both quality and complexity.

Why Long Drink Traditional?

In a crowded RTD market flooded with malt-based seltzers and sugar-fermented spritzers, Long Drink Traditional stands apart by using actual gin as its foundation. That single production choice changes everything — the botanical depth, the mouthfeel, the dry finish. The 2019 Gold Medals from the New York International Spirits Competition and the American Distilling Institute confirm what the palate already suspects: this is a more serious, more flavorful take on the canned cocktail. For anyone tired of cloyingly sweet or flavor-neutral ready-to-drink options, the Traditional delivers the kind of crisp, grapefruit-driven character that the Finnish have enjoyed for over seventy years.