Cutwater's Banana Mudslide Canned Cocktail Will Have You Feeling Like A Tipsy Minion

Sometimes you're in the mood for a light, cutesy cocktail, and other times, you're seeking something that balances flavor with alcohol intensity. If the second is what you're craving, you may want to check out Cutwater Spirits. It offers a range of potent, ready-to-drink cocktails, such as the Tiki Rum Mai Tai — the top pick in a previous Cutwater cocktail ranking. I've sipped on several of its cocktails, but I set out to try a new summertime creation: the heavy-hitting 13% alcohol by volume Banana Mudslide.

The Valentine's Day-inspired Chocolate Espresso Martini was considered a decadent sipper, so I was intrigued to see if the banana-flavored beverage could compete. I like banana drinks and cocktails, so I had high expectations going into my taste test. Is it an enjoyable libation, or is it something to avoid altogether? 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I tasted this can-cold, straight from the fridge. I've had many Cutwater drinks, so I have a good baseline for what the brand offers, as well as its general flavor delivery and quality. I've also had a lot of mudslides in my lifetime, as it was probably the first alcoholic beverage I recall liking. 

Granted, I haven't had many banana mudslides, but I'm quite familiar with an array of banana beverages — alcoholic and not. I wanted the drink to provide both elements of its name: the banana flavor and the mudslide cocktail. There should be strong notes of banana, cream, perhaps a whiff of chocolate, and vodka to round it all out.

A mudslide typically has a combination of vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, heavy cream, and ice, but you may catch some variations with chocolate shavings or syrup. Cutwater's version uses Cutwater vodka, coffee cream liqueur, and natural flavors, the latter of which includes the banana portion of the product name as well as chocolate. The banana is the most prominent element; you can smell it right as you open the can, and it's quite discernible on the taste buds, too. 

The sip tastes like an alcohol-infused creamy banana; each can has two shots of vodka to account for the 13% ABV. It's clear there's alcohol, but the vodka comes across as incredibly neutral and palatable. This is likely because the spirit is distilled six times and then carbon-filtered. There's a clean alcoholic taste mixed in with the banana and cream, which lets you know you're indeed drinking an alcoholic beverage. But it doesn't come across as harsh. 

There's a barely there hint of chocolate. To be honest, it could use a smidge more because it falls to the wayside next to the other stronger notes. And the coffee liqueur doesn't seem too obvious either. The drink is moderately thick from the dairy inclusion and needs to be served ice-cold or over ice; otherwise, it feels heavy on the palate. The cocktail is balanced, tasty, and gets my stamp of approval.

If you're even remotely interested in this drink, it's likely because you like banana beverages. If that's the case, then this Cutwater canned cocktail is a safe bet. It delivers everything it says it will. The main elements work together well, and it's tasty to boot. Of course, you have to like three things to appreciate this beverage: vodka, banana flavors, and cream. The banana comes in via natural flavors, whatever those are, so it's not as though you have a real banana blended in your cocktail. 

The drink contains dairy, so it may be better to skip this if you're lactose intolerant. This could be a fun option for a celebratory occasion when you want to break out from your average dessert cocktail. Mix things up by trying it blended with ice; you could even add in a fresh banana to play up the banana flavors. It's still pretty new, so there aren't a lot of online reviews yet, but the ones I found are quite positive. That said, I doubt a banana-hater would touch this with a 10-foot pole. Banana lovers, on the other hand, should try to get their hands on a four-pack.

Pricing varies by location and store. Total Wine & More in the San Diego area sells a four-pack for $10.99 while BevMo! lists it at $13.99. It doesn't appear to be widely available at grocery stores quite yet; it's only at select liquor stores. Keep an eye out for it, or use the store locator function on the Cutwater Spirits website to find it near you.