Marks & Spencer’s £2.10 canned mojito is awarded best premixed cocktail in Which? taste test

Marks & Spencer has beaten rum juggernaut Barcardi to be named the best pre-mixed mojito maker in the UK. 

The upmarket supermarket’s £2.10 version of the popular Cuban cocktail was awarded the top prize in a Which? taste test when it was tried against versions made by Barcardi, Asda, Aldi, and Tesco.  

A hugely popular ready-to-drink tipple, it reached cult status in 2019 when then-shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott was pictured drinking it on London Overground – a breach of TfL rules.

While she apologised after the snap was widely published, the publicity from the story spurned a huge spike in sales of the tin, with M&S shops across the country selling out in the following weeks.

And Abbott clearly has good taste, with Which? tasters praising its punchy flavours, including its sharpness and strong hints of lime and mint. 

Asda's £1 mojito can finished in second place, with tasters noting how the mint and lime flavour came through, but some felt it was 'too sweet' and one commented that it 'slightly resembled mouthwash with a peppermint flavour.'

Marks & Spencer has beaten rum juggernaut Barcardi to be named the best pre-mixed mojito maker in the UK. The upmarket supermarket’s £2.10 version of the popular Cuban cocktail was awarded the top prize in a Which? taste test when it was tried against versions made by Barcardi, Asda, Aldi, and Tesco. Asda’s £1 mojito can finished in second place, with tasters noting how the mint and lime flavour came through, but some felt it was ‘too sweet’ and one commented that it ‘slightly resembled mouthwash with a peppermint flavour.’

Despite being a renowned rum brand, Bacardi's Mojito Rum Mixed Drink (£1.60) finished near the bottom, in fourth place.

Despite being a renowned rum brand, Bacardi’s Mojito Rum Mixed Drink (£1.60) finished near the bottom, in fourth place.

Out of the 13 tasters, four said M&S’ premixed mojito was better than a homemade version and 12 people said they would buy it again. 

Although it was the priciest mojito tested, the M&S drink was the only can with two measures of rum, which may explain why tasters likened it to a classic mojito. 

Which? put five premixed mojito cans through a blind taste test to find the best.

The consumer champion asked a panel of 13 testers to rank the canned drinks in order of which tasted the most like a homemade mojito and their thoughts on each can. 

Asda’s £1 mojito can finished in second place, with tasters noting how the mint and lime flavour came through, but some felt it was ‘too sweet’ and one commented that it ‘slightly resembled mouthwash with a peppermint flavour.’

When compared to the homemade mojito, two tasters said Asda’s premixed can tasted better and four said they would buy it again.

In third place was Aldi's Old Hopking Mojito Cocktail can (£20.40 for a pack of 24 or available to buy in-store individually), which along with Tesco's was the cheapest mojito tested. It received mixed reviews from testers who described it as 'too sweet' and 'oddly gingery' - not a flavour usually associated with mojitos.

At the bottom of the rankings was Tesco's House of Cocktails Mojito (85p) which was universally disliked by the tasters.

In third place was Aldi’s Old Hopking Mojito Cocktail (left) can (£20.40 for a pack of 24 or available to buy in-store individually), which along with Tesco’s was the cheapest mojito tested. It received mixed reviews from testers who described it as ‘too sweet’ and ‘oddly gingery’ – not a flavour usually associated with mojitos. At the bottom of the rankings was Tesco’s House of Cocktails Mojito (85p), right, which was universally disliked by the tasters.

In third place was Aldi’s Old Hopking Mojito Cocktail can (£20.40 for a pack of 24 or available to buy in-store individually), which along with Tesco’s was the cheapest mojito tested. It received mixed reviews from testers who described it as ‘too sweet’ and ‘oddly gingery’ – not a flavour usually associated with mojitos.

Two people said it was better than a homemade mojito, and just one said they would consider buying it again.

Despite being a renowned rum brand, Bacardi’s Mojito Rum Mixed Drink (£1.60) finished near the bottom, in fourth place. 

It received mixed reviews but most tasters felt it tasted nothing like a real mojito with some describing the flavour as similar to ‘boiled sweets’ and ‘chemically’.

At the bottom of the rankings was Tesco’s House of Cocktails Mojito (85p) which was universally disliked by the tasters. 

A hugely popular ready-to-drink tipple, it reached cult status in 2019 when then shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott was pictured drinking it on London Overground - a breach of TfL rules

A hugely popular ready-to-drink tipple, it reached cult status in 2019 when then shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott was pictured drinking it on London Overground – a breach of TfL rules 

It was described as ‘lemony’, ‘gingery’, ‘too sweet’ and one taster mentioned that it was very watery. Only one person said it tasted better than the homemade mojito and that they would buy it again.

Matthew Knight, Which? Product Testing Expert, told FEMAIL: ‘Nothing beats enjoying a refreshing minty mojito in the sunshine, and while premixed cans have made it easier than ever to get your hands on one, our taste test shows when it comes to flavour and taste M&S’ mojito can is miles better than the own-label and branded competition.

‘For an affordable yet tasty mojito, people could also consider picking up an own-label can from Asda or Aldi rather than Barcadi’s premixed can, which tastes nothing like the real deal.’       

The UK market for Ready to Drink cocktail is worth £440 million a year, according to analysis by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

That’s more than ten times the market’s £40 million value a decade ago and equates to around £15 for each of Britain’s adult drinkers.