Fresh Victor Craft Cocktail Mixers (Photo by the brand)

The key to a great cocktail is fresh ingredients, but that can become complicated if you want to make a drink with multiple elements. Then there’s the time factor involved in assembling and preparing everything properly — not everyone has a juicer! And if you’re having a party, who wants to spend the entire time in the kitchen, slicing, muddling, and squeezing? Meet Fresh Victor mixers. Their motto — “Craft Cocktails Made Easy” — is not mere hype. With each 16 oz. bottle, you too can become an expert bartender; all you’ll need is a shot glass and (sometimes) a cocktail shaker.

Ken MacKenzie, Fresh Victor’s founder, has extensive experience in the spirits industry. Before Fresh Victor, he and his wife Paulina (she hails from Guadalajara, Mexico) launched Republic Tequila. As he traveled the U.S. giving tequila seminars, he had what he calls his “a-ha moment:” “I thought if I could take away the pain points of sourcing and preparing fresh ingredients, it would be a whole lot easier for anyone making drinks.” And guess what? He did it!

Fresh Victor mixers are made with pure ingredients: cold-pressed juices, organic agave nectar, organic cane sugar, and filtered water. There are no artificial sweeteners or preservatives (so pay attention to the expiration dates on the bottles). His mixers are so tasty and flavorful that they’re good enough to drink on their own; just add water instead of alcohol. And Fresh Victor makes it easy to get started by providing simple recipes on each bottle. Here’s the recipe for the Three Citrus & Mint Leaf mixer (the mixer includes lemon, lime, and orange juices, agave nectar, mint leaves, and sugar): Pour 1.5 oz. of white rum, 3 oz. of Fresh Victor, and 1.5 oz. of soda water into a tall glass with ice. Stir gently, and add mint sprig for garnish. Done!

Three Citrus & Mint Life is highly refreshing; a great choice for those hot summer days. But I especially enjoyed the mixers with more varied flavors, such as Pineapple & Ginger Root (mixed with vodka) and Cactus Pear & Pomegranate (mixed with vodka and triple sec). They include ingredients many don’t keep readily at hand — where do you get a cactus pear? It’s fun to be able to create cocktails so easily. And the flavors used in the mixers complement each other nicely. For example, the ginger adds a bit of zing to the pineapple juice. They also use high-quality ingredients — the Strawberry & Lemon (mixed with vodka) was made with strawberry puree, not juice, giving it a smoothie-like body. I’m sure it would go very well with rum.

There’s a Mexican Lime & Agave mix for a sweet margarita (just add tequila; no triple sec needed). Tequila is also the suggested spirit for their Grapefruit & Sea Salt mixer, along with soda water (another refreshing combo). Then there’s a variation on a gin and tonic in the form of the Cucumber & Lime mixer, a lighter flavor if you don’t want a sweet or highly fruity drink. By the way, be sure to add soda or tonic water if the recipe calls for it — the end result will be a perfectly balanced cocktail. And note that the recipes on the bottle are designed for simplicity; you can find more detailed recipes on Fresh Victor’s website or use them as the stepping-off point for your own creations.

Fresh Victor mixers can be found in a few retail stores in CA, ID, IL, and MO, but they’re also available for order online, individually, and in variety packs (they’re sent refrigerated). And with eight flavors to choose from, there are many cocktail possibilities to explore. The verdict: these mixers get a big thumbs-up for their ease of use and delicious flavors. It’s the quickest way to become a top mixologist right in your own home!