A Windsor-made whisky and one of Canada's most recognizable soft drink brands are joining forces to enter the rapidly growing ready-to-drink cocktail segment.
J.P. Wiser's and Canada Dry ginger ale are launching a whisky and ginger ale premixed cocktail, which will be showing up on shelves across the country this month in the signature green Canada Dry can.
Senior Brand Director for J.P. Wiser's George Skarpathiotakis says they're excited to launch this partnership with Canada Dry.
"Whisky and ginger ale is one of Canada's most recognizable serves, and when you have two iconic brands like J.P. Wiser's and Canada Dry, two brands that are deeply woven into Canadian culture with over a century of heritage each, I think it was a no-brainer for us to come together," he says.
Skarpathiotakis says this doesn't happen overnight, and it took time to bring this together to make sure they did it right.
"We wanted to ensure we delivered the best-tasting liquid possible," he says. "One that reflects the genuine J.P. Wiser's whisky taste but also the crisp and refreshing nature of Canada Dry ginger ale. So that also took time."
According to the LCBO, ready-to-drink sales, both LCBO retail and grocery store sales, from January 5, 2025, to January 3, 2026, increased by more than $160 million. The figure represents 20.3 per cent of year-over-year growth.
The number of available ready-to-drink products also rose significantly, up 165 products, or 27 per cent year-over-year.
Ontario-produced products also reflect a 27 per cent year-over-year increase.
Skarpathiotakis says this is a pretty substantial step for the Wiser's brand in terms of trying to tap into the ready-to-drink market.
"The ready-to-drink market is exploding in Canada; there's no denying that. We've seen success with various brands and various categories. We noticed a gap in the Canadian whisky portfolio of a true standout branded whisky and branded ginger ale," he says.
The new J.P. Wiser's-Canada Dry ready-to-drink cocktail will be available in a 473 mL single-serve can, with four-packs offered in select provinces, and will have a 7% ABV (alcohol by volume).
Established in 1857, J.P. Wiser's Whisky is one of Canada's oldest continuously produced Canadian whiskies. Hiram Walker & Sons Limited currently produces it at its Windsor distillery.
Canada Dry Ginger Ale began in 1904.