Bottled Cocktails are Sippable Works of Art

The idea of a luxury ready-to-drink cocktail might seem an oxymoron to some, but Chicago-based Hoste has earned rave reviews from Bon Appétit, the New York Times, and others. The line, priced from $65 to $150 a bottle, includes four varieties: The Martini, Gold Fashioned, Perfect Manhattan, and Mezcal Negroni Martini.

The latter two varieties, introduced in recent weeks, continue the company’s aesthetic to bring these cocktails to life in both formulation and packaging. The Mezcal Negroni provides a fitting example. It blends artisanal mezcal, sweet vermouth, tamarind liqueur, and mole bitters to create an authentic taste experience; and packaging that pays bold tribute to the rich culinary artistry of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, one of the official origination points for mezcal.

The carton pays cultural tribute.

The secondary carton makes an immersive visual impact with custom-commissioned artwork by Chicagoan Roland Santana. The Mexican-American painter drew inspiration from the vibrant colorscapes of Oaxacan food and culture, adding nods to the Negroni’s ingredients using vivid colors and patterns.

“Roland's work is full of texture and in our pursuit to build a home for the bottle and liquid that is thrilling to touch, we wanted to work with someone who would bring a sense of life and vitality to the box, both with color and texture,” says Damiane Nickles, Hoste’s brand manager and activation lead. He adds that the collaboration is a cornerstone for the company, including “everyone from bartenders, artists, and writers to vermouth makers, spirits producers, and spice purveyors” in product development, which “gives our creations their unique perspective.”

Related:Cocktails Mixed On-Demand with a Packaging Twist

Mezcal Negroni: Pour ice and spritz with orange zest using the atomizer included in the package. Image: Daniel Delgado

Hand labeling, a custom stopper, & a spritz.

The Mezcal Negroni bottle itself is elegantly triple-wrapped in a salmon-colored paper ribbon with gold copy comprised of three separate labels. At present, these are painstakingly hand-applied via tabletop applicator. “It took a lot of tweaking and practice on our end, but thankfully for us, Orlando Zapata, our production lead, has really nailed it down,” says Jordan Tepper, Hoste co-founder.

The bottle is topped with a glass stopper from Vinolok that incorporates a small silicone seal to keep the cocktail fresh after its initial opening. Tepper says that while the stopper is not currently custom, Hoste is considering future customizations.

Like Hoste’s other ready-to-drink cocktails, it comes with a gold-colored atomizer that invites imbibers to “simply pour over ice, zest & savor” by giving their drinks an aromatic spritz. The Mezcal Negroni’s atomizer is pre-filled with orange zest and can be refilled and reused by consumers.

“The most impressive and creative reuse we've seen to date is someone who re-filled their orange zest atomizer with the Gold Fashioned cocktail itself, and then zested their oysters with it - quite the decadent experience,” Tepper says.