We Try It is a regular column where we test the latest off-beat food and drinks
Three Shanghai-based entrepreneurs have teamed up with The Cannery's mixologist, Michael Chen, to create the 'ultimate pregame companion:' six bottled cocktails, delivered to your door between 12pm-12am with ice, garnishes, cups and other drinking accoutrements.
The name, Laiba, means 'come here' (láiba, 来吧), and 'ba' can also mean 'bar.' To our feebly calibrated Chinese it sounds like you're saying 'Come, bar!' which is kind of cool.
The black box has everything you'd need to commence a night of regrettable decisions, including napkins and straws. The six-pack set (RMB198/six drinks) reveals a gang of pretty-colored pre-mixed cocktails that look like juice cleanse set, except literally the opposite.
After cackhandedly breaking one of the plastic cups, we busied ourselves assembling them into cocktails.
1. I've Got Passion
This low-calorie option swaps the simple syrup for natural zero-calorie sweetener Stevia. The flavor comes from cucumber-infused Absolut vodka, lime juice, green apple juice and passionfruit purée. At 14% and just over 123 calories, it's an alternative to drinking vodka sodas.
2. In Love with Rose Mary
Using Strawberry and rosemary-infused Beefeater gin, Aperol, lemon and green apple juice, plus rosemary syrup.
3. Laiba Sour
Jameson Whisky, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and Angostura bitters. A surprisingly spicy whisky sour.
4. I Am Coconuts
A personal favorite; reminiscent of a piña colada without the thickness of coconut cream. Contains red chili and kaffir lime-infused Havana Club rum, lime juice, green apple juice, coconut syrup, egg whites.
5. Espresso Martini
Vanilla-infused Absolut vodka, black rum, cold brew coffee. A milder coffee kick than your standard Espresso Martini, AKA vodka Red Bull for the over 25's.
6. Earl's Old Fashioned
The heavy hitter of the pack: Earl Grey tea and burnt orange-infused bournon, vanilla syrup. Note this is our own shitty freezer ice not the fancier, Laiba issued stuff.
Pros:
The drinks don't look strong, but not gonna lie we're a little buzzed right now after drinking the I Am Coconuts. Erica the Arts Editor said the same about the Earl's Old Fashioned, so expect a few typos in this week's party planner.
As for the flavors, each one had its detractors and proponents among our testers. Luckily, you can mix 'n' match which cocktails go into the box, so it's not like you have to drink each one.
Will this be the next big delivery start-up? The experience of making the drinks, and the quality of them is just good enough to warrant a future purchase. Perhaps a post-6pm office happy hour, or pregaming with discerning drinkers who don't fancy going to Family Mart for Stolichnaya and green tea mixer.
Cons:
Could have included more ice.
In a city where other online delivery platforms and booze-vending convenience stores are just seconds away, the problem will be remembering Laiba exists when the 'what should we drink?' moment arises. Look at the storm of marketing and offline events Bottles XO keeps up to get at the forefront of people's minds.
Ultimately Laiba is a cool concept and a good-quality product that deserves to take off – we hope their marketing game is as strong as their drinks.
See a listing for Laiba
Read more We Try It articles
0 User Comments