Easy Cocktails with Straightaway Cocktails

Have you ever wanted to just relax with a cocktail at home after a hard day – but then you don’t want to deal with the hassle of concocting it by pulling out the multiple bottles, the fresh juices, the shaker, the measuring and mixing? And then you have to start all over again after you finish that one drink when you want your next? Now you can make easy cocktails with Straightaway Cocktails, who wondered why can’t having a cocktail be as easy as opening a bottle of beer or wine – and then created 5 answers for the question.

I didn’t know what to expect when I went to their tasting room on the near East Side to try their mini cocktail flight with snack pairings for an influencers event last week (I was not paid to promote them). I thought these pre-made cocktails in a bottle may lean on the sweet side, or not be very alcoholic so that I’d end up with more “mixer” then cocktail. I was impressed when I was proved wrong, I really liked the experience and the products, and that’s why I’m sharing the story with you. Their tasting room is part of Distillery Row, and part of the Portland Distillery Row passport program too. They are new to the Portland drink scene – they just opened in December 2018.

I didn’t know what to expect when I went to their tasting room on the near East Side to try their mini cocktail flight with snack pairings. I thought these pre-made cocktails in a bottle may lean on the sweet side, or not be very alcoholic so that I’d end up with more “mixer” then cocktail. I was impressed when I was proved wrong.

Here’s what it will look like if you try one of the mini cocktail flights with pairings at the Straightaway Tasting Room. The snacks may vary from my favorite pairing, which were the hazelnuts with the Old Fashioned, to ginger popcorn with the Cosmo or more.

Each bottled cocktail is available in three sizes: 750 ml bottles (10-12 cocktails), 200 ml bottles (2-3 cocktails), and 50 ml bottles (single cocktail).

The labels are a nod to the cocktail recipe inspirations, which come from almost 100 year old recipes. Although Straightaway Cocktails does not distill their own alcohol base, they do age the cocktails for flavor and balance, mash their own cranberries, juice all their own fresh lemons and limes, make their own simple syrup, brew their bitters in-house, and are hand labeling, packing, and numbering each batch.

The current line-up of cocktails they offer includes:

• Lintik (50 proof) – Gin aged with Lemon, House-Made Simple Syrup and Bitters. Inspired from the Manila Hotel, circa 1930’s. Very light and refreshing – I could imagine just dropping in a little bit of herb for garnish and sipping this lemony libation all spring and summer long. The label Lintik here is Tagalog for “lightning”, and you’ll see the lightening strike on the label.
  

  

• Martini (62 proof) – Gin, Vermouth, House-Made Orange Bitters, simple and solid base ready for you to add your olives or twist of lemon or whatever you’d like.
  

  

  

• The Cosmos (50 proof) – Vodka aged with Lime, Lemon & Orange, House-Made Cranberry Shrub – they have their own aging process and house-made shrub for this take on the Cosmopolitan with its inspiration from the version created by Cheryl Cook, Miami Beach.
  

  

  

• Oregon Old Fashioned (83 proof) – Tennessee Rye Whiskey, House-Made Simple Syrup and Bitters of Filbert & Fir. If sometimes like me you balk a little at adding simple syrup and bitters to your good whiskey you have at home (or to friends who maybe are not as experienced with whiskey), this is the answer as you can pour this straight without that inner turmoil, and I like that touch of the nuttiness of the hazelnut (thus the squirrel on the label).
  

  

  

• Negroni (72 proof) – Gin, Bitter Liqueur, Sweet Vermouth – A Negroni for those of you who don’t like Campari. The label with the cowboy here is a nod to how the Negroni was invented by Camillo Negroni, an Italian dignitary disguised as an American cowboy.
  

  

I showed off the larger format bottles above because of what a great value they are – think of the math of <$50 for 10-12 cocktails from that bottle – I also love the smallest bottles. They would perfect for gift baskets, or to pack away for a picnic or camping, or maybe a staycation, since each of these bottle is 1 cocktail.

If you are stunned by the cheese board you see in the background of some of my photos, that is a cheese and charcuterie board by Lena’s Kitchen Blog – follow her and learn how to build your own expensive looking board even as you are filling in ingredients from Costco!

If you are ok giving me up the experience of the cute mini flight glasses and snack pairings ensemble, try the cocktails for free at two upcoming events in the next two weeks. They’ll be pouring and selling their cocktails at Snack Fest (the new snacking event presented by the folks behind Portland Night Market) this coming weekend, March 29 & 30. Free attendance. They’ll also be hosting a Happy Hour at Jacobsen Salt Co. on April 5 from 5-7pm. Free attendance.

Which is your favorite go to cocktail that you think you would enjoy at home?

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary tasting event where I got to try the beverages and I know Lena as a fellow food blogger, but I really like the Straightaway product. I was not paid or asked to write this post. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.