Deepavali 2026: How ready-to-drink cocktails are changing India’s festive drinking scene

Deepavali parties are as much about the dining and drinking as the dress-up. Setting up a snazzy bar with sophisticated flavour pairings, garnishes and sleek ice can be tedious if freelance bartenders are booked for the season, or you do not have the bandwidth for it. This year, if you are hosting a soirée, you can take the guesswork out of bartending with Ready-to-Drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages, serving familiar flavours across a range of spirit profiles (high or low ABV- alcohol per volume of beverage).Flavour experimentation is a key driver in this market, according to the 2026 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report, “40% of consumers say rich flavour makes for an impressive experience, while 22% are actively seeking intense and bold tastes”.The IWSR twice-yearly Bevtrac survey of consumer behaviour also shows the drinking rate among Gen Z legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers has stabilised at 74%, up from 66% (2023), while in India, consumption among Gen Z adults over 21 was 80% (up from 60% in 2023). Rasmalai RTD makes a festive play BuzzBallz | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT As the name suggests, BuzzBallz, launched in India (late 2025), comes packaged in colourful ball-shaped cans, with a flavourful buzz. Established in 2009 in Texas, founder Merrilee Kick, was inspired by a keepsake votive and a can of tennis balls to create a cocktail-in-a-ball concept. The brand launched four flavours to suit India’s penchant for fruity and tart drinks — chilli-guava, jamun mint, berry lemon and strawberry variants. Jess Scheerhorn, president, BuzzBallz, says Indians are gravitating towards the easy-drinking format. “In India, we are developing flavours specifically with the local consumer in mind. This has led us to explore profiles such as guava and chilli, and more recently, jamun with mint. We are also working on something special for Deepavali (a rasamalai flavour) that takes inspiration from a flavour deeply associated with Indian celebrations,” states Jess. BuzzBallz Rasmalai features a distinctive flavour profile of kesar, pistachio and cardamom, inspired by the Indian dessert. (15% ABV).Available at ₹100-125 for 180ml (15% ABV), in Goa, Puducherry, UP, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The rasmalai flavour will be available at licensed alcohol retail stores across Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, priced ₹100 -₹120.Bold flavours and higher ABV at the Bar Breezer Bold | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Most millennials were initiated into bar culture with a Bacardi Breezer with low alcohol content at 4%. Today, the brand is reinventing itself with Bacardi Bold, an RTD with a higher ABV profile (8%) and India-coded flavours, to adapt to shifting consumer trends.Goodies Narayanan, director marketing, India, Bacardi explains the pivot with local flavours. “Anyone who has had guava with a sprinkle of chilli and salt knows how naturally sweet, tangy and spicy flavours come together. We’ve taken that familiar taste and given it a contemporary expression in a ready-to-drink format with the Guava-Chilli, while the Lime & Lager taps into the growing interest in crisp and refreshing flavour profiles and the Grapefruit Yuzu brings together juicy grapefruit with the floral and herbal notes of yuzu.” Available at ₹130-165 (275 ml at 8% ABV) across Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Daman.Indobev Brocode & F*Bomb Brocode | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Brocode is nostalgia-coded, an initiation for many millennials, according to Geetika Mahandru, president and cofounder, New Delhi-based Indobevs that owns Brocode. “Gen Z, more than millennials, are seeking out a simpler way of life, when it comes to drinks, they’re looking for flavours that belong to a simpler era too: the kaala khatta popsicle, the kairi from the school-gate cart, and the jamuns and raw mangoes you picked off the tree yourself,” says Geetika.Brocode, which is closest to a carbonated wine in terms of composition, has been reinvented with new flavours — Red (based on red wine flavours), Bolt (energy drink flavours) and Sun of a Beach (based on rosé wine) at 15% ABV. The new range of cheeky RTDs called F*Bomb has Jamun All Night, Tang Me Slow (raw mango with mixed spices), Peach Me Daddy (peach ice tea), Oh My Grape (black grape), Mangoes Hard (passion mango chilli) and Cran Me Baby (tart cranberry) packaged in a grenade-shaped bottle designed to comfortably fit in a palm.F*Bomb (12% ABV)Pricing: ₹100 across Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.Brocode (15% ABV) Available at ₹120-300 across 11 markets. INCAN cocktails launches Hector, Buzzfuel INACAN cocktails | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT In 2020, when the world was forced indoors due to COVID-19, bars were shut in Pune, so Sameer Mirajkar with Viraj Sawant decided to craft their own cocktails in a can. Aptly named INACAN, it was India’s first cocktail in a can format. Professional bartender Varun Sudhakar joined the duo to create blends that use in-house extra neutral spirit (ENA), adding craft cocktail flavours to the drinks (8% ABV).Their Gin &Tonic uses in-house tonic water, rosemary sprigs and lime; the Rum Latte employs rum with aromatic coffee; the Vodka Mule is a zesty fusion of vodka, ginger, and lime; the Whiskey Collins comprises bourbon whiskey, angostura bitters, apples, and earthy cinnamon, while the LIIT(Long Island Iced Tea) is made with vodka, gin, light rum, tequila and triple sec.This year, the brand, seeing the uptick in RTD sales, has launched Hector in mango chilli and watermelon flavours at 10% ABV (priced lower for Tier 2,3,4 cities) and Buzzfuel, at 15% ABV “we see the demand for a higher ABV drink with a vodka and energy drink profile without the caffeine. Contrary to perception, in consumer research Gen Z is looking at higher ABV options, hence the push,” explains Sameer. Inacan (8% ABV) ₹ 140. Available across Goa, UP, Uttarakhand and J&K.Hector (10% ABV) ₹ 100. In Goa and Jammu Buzzfuel ( 15% ABV) ₹130. In Goa and JammuRASCAL RASCAL bottles | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT September 2026 marked the launch of Great Galleon Ventures’ RTD category in New Delhi with five flavour-led expressions at 8% ABV: Mango & Chilli, Cranberry & Apple, Lime & Mint and Jamun & Mint and Coffee & Caramel. The flavours mirror the brand’s cheeky moniker and playful vibe with complementary notes that pair well with festive bites that are rich and indulgent. Founder, Utsav Kedia says the proposition suits community events, “This generation doesn’t wait for occasions, we see that with the fake sangeet party. It’s more event and community based socialising, and for this RTDs are the perfect pick. Bars also use RTDs as mixers since we have finetuned the flavours, especially the jamun & mint does well with white spirits.” Priced at ₹150 in MP, Delhi and Rajasthan. Sober cocktails in a can Sober, founded by Vansh Pahuja in 2020, is known for its 0 ABV rum, pink gin and whisky variants, but a Sober Picante (launched May 2026) and Sober Gin and Tonic, Whisky Ginger and Rumcola variants launched in September this year, are a hit with those who want the social experience of drinking cocktails, minus the buzz and hangover. “Instead of a zero proof tequila we use the Sober gin, with similar brine notes and a kick from the spice, without the burn and bitterness of a cocktail. It is best enjoyed chilled from the can or rim a glass with spices, and you can enjoy a 0 ABV picante,” says the founder. Based on a survey with 200 Sober consumers, the brand picked new combinations using their zero-proof spirits as the base, with a tagline: 0 proof, 0 sugar, 0 calories. “We use sucralose, since both stevia and monk fruit sweeteners have an after taste. We forgo any artificial colouring,” adds Vansh. The Sober cocktail cans are available on Amazon and quick commerce apps priced at ₹180 (250 ml) each