A Smashing Canada Day Gift for the Fourth of July

With sales of canned cocktails expected to be at an all-time high this Fourth of July, Canada shares its legendary fireworks-watching beverage with the US: Georgian Bay Smash

NEW YORK, July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Happy Canada Day! The border may still be closed, but America's next-door neighbour is sharing their favorite Canada Day cocktail with their border-sharing bestie – just in time for Fourth of July celebrations.

The Georgian Bay Gin Smash and Vodka Smash have sparked a cultural phenomenon in Canada surrounding craft cocktails in a can, and now they're launching in the US!

Deemed by Canada's top spirits journalist as "the best pre-mixed cocktail to ever grace the shelves of the LCBO" [the world's largest beverage alcohol retailer], more than 42M cans of Georgian Bay Smash cocktails have sold in just five years, competing head-to-head with global behemoths and winning multiple industry awards.

Not bad for a small craft distillery from Canada!

"What sets us apart is our own, award-winning gin and vodka that's used as the base spirit versus heavy malts and we only use premium quality natural flavors," said Georgian Bay Spirits Company co-founder Denzil Wadds. "We're also intentionally less sweet than other ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, but much more flavorful!" 

The fourth of July is to Americans what Canada Day (July 1st) is to Canadians, and during both holidays, consumption of canned cocktails is at an all-time high.  According to the IWSR (International Wines and Spirits Record), in 2020, RTD sales increased more than 20% over the Fourth of July weekend, with a greater increase expected this year. 

"The Georgian Bay Smash collection has been the ideal Canada Day companion for years and we hope Americans will give it a try this Fourth of July too," added Wadds.  "It comes highly recommended from your Canadian neighbors, and the fact that it's made with the best spirits in the world means we're confident you'll taste the difference," Wadds concluded.

The Georgian Bay Smash collection is launching along the East Coast of the US with two original recipes:

Georgian Bay Gin Smash - A blend of Georgian Bay gin, natural lemon, lime, tangerine, and mint flavors. Sold as 4 x 355mL multi-pack for $11.99 (suggested retail price) ; 5% ABV

Georgian Bay Vodka Smash -  A blend of Georgian Bay vodka, natural lemon, lime, grapefruit, and mint flavors. Sold as 4 x 355mL multi-pack for $11.99 (suggested retail price ; 5% ABV

Georgian Bay Gin Smash and Vodka Smash are available from select liquor retailers across the Northeast. High-res product images are available for download here.

ABOUT GEORGIAN BAY SPIRIT CO.
Inspired by the clear waters, white pines and rocky shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Georgian Bay Spirit Co. (GBSC) is the passion project of ad agency partners and long-time friends Denzil Wadds and Tim Keenleyside. Using pure ingredients such as hand-harvested wild juniper from the Thirty Thousand Islands GBSC produces finely crafted small-batch spirits. Award-winning spirits like Georgian Bay Gin, Georgian Bay Vodka, and Georgian Bay Whisky, as well as bestseller Georgian Bay Gin Smash, are favored among craft spirit enthusiasts across the region. Most impressively, Georgian Bay Vodka was dubbed Canada's Best Vodka two years in a row by The London Spirits Competition and recognized by Forbes as one of the top 10 vodkas in the world by the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

SOURCE Georgian Bay Spirit Co.