The San Francisco Ready to Drink Competition is The Tasting Alliance's dedicated evaluation for the fast-growing world of canned cocktails, hard seltzers, hard teas, and ready-to-drink beverages of every format. Like its counterpart the SFWSC, the RTD competition uses a rigorous blind judging process, every product evaluated without brand, label, or price, ensuring that what wins is purely what's in the can. Here are details about the 2026 winner for Best Hard Seltzer. 

The Icy Island Variety Pack by Smirnoff Ice — launched in March 2026 as the follow-up to the previous year's popular Sunny Days lineup — is the brand's summer 2026 centerpiece. Inspired by sun-soaked escapes and tropical flavor profiles, the pack includes four expressions including the, now award-winning, Watermelon Wave. 

In a category where restraint and balance are the hardest things to get right, that profile — accurate fruit, proper carbonation, acid in check — is exactly what earns a Best of Class award.