The Aldi's Cosmopolitan Cocktail That's Shaking Up Happy Hour On A Budget

We love shopping at Aldi for surprising finds from its many private labels and exclusive brands. And among the gems to discover on Aldi shelves is a brand of ready-to-drink cocktails that are life changing for anyone who loves a great beverage without putting in much effort. They come from a company called Zarita, and these cocktails are hard to find anywhere except your local Aldi grocer. At Aldi, you can find the bottles lined up on the shelves, including the bright pink Zarita Ready-To-Drink Cosmopolitan, a strikingly delicious and budget-friendly answer to happy hour.

Zarita's premixed cosmo isn't always available at every Aldi and isn't widely advertised. The cosmopolitan variety also comes in a smaller bottle and is a little more expensive than Zarita's popular margarita version, with a price tag of about $11 (other Zarita's ready-to-drink cocktails are priced from around $7). Zarita's cosmopolitan comes in a thick glass bottle and packs a punch alongside the sassy and citrusy combo of vodka, cranberry, triple sec, and lime juice. It's an easy-drinking, sweet cocktail that is great straight out of the bottle and doesn't skimp on the vodka.

A Zarita Cosmopolitan is the easiest cocktail in the world to put together (literally pour it into a glass!), and the bottle looks sophisticated sitting out. It's not that far off from the higher priced ready-to-drink cosmo from On the Rocks, which retails at Target for $12.99 for a 375-milliliter glass bottle. Both have enough vodka to be noticeable without tasting overwhelming and offer a great balance of bitter, sweet, and citrusy tart flavors. A Zarita Cosmopolitan is also very much like drinking the Thomas Ashbourne SJP Perfect Cosmo, just a couple of bucks cheaper and without the pretty pink label and baked-in reference to the TV show "Sex and the City." Of course, it doesn't have the Sarah Jessica Parker endorsement, either.

SJP and Thomas Ashbourne's cosmo comes in a can, too, and is one of several canned versions of the cocktail on the market that go great alongside perfectly prepped BBQ meats at a summertime backyard party. Whether you prefer a high quality canned cocktail or premixed from a bottle like you get from Zarita depends on the setting and your preferences. That said, Zarita's Ready-To-Drink Cosmopolitan bottles are sure to be a hit with your guests whether you're lounging in your backyard or organizing a DIY happy hour.