Remember UDLs? Well they’re back looking bolder and brighter, in an impressive bevy of new flavours

By creammagazine, October 8, 2021

I’ve just turned 18. I can drink properly and legally now. It’s Friday night. I’m off to the drive-ins to see Beetlejuice with friends. Actually, I don’t care much about the movie. I’ve just turned 18 and I can now drink alcohol legally and my main concern is stocking up on UDLs.

Such was life when I was a teen in the late 1980s. UDLs really were the drink for the weekend then. Ready-mixed and clearly labelled, you could enjoy a voddie, lime and soda, or a scotch and cola, without any fuss and with full flavour.

But then UDLs took a back seat for the social drinking set, who instead indulged in ready-mixed libations by Stoli, Absolute and the like. Now, the brand is back: bolder, brighter and broader in variety.

Umbrella company Diageo recently unveiled a redesigned look for its UDL range of fruity flavours, available in 6-pack and mixed 10-pack offerings, bringing together the best of the past, with a bright retro-looking design.

The new-look cans come in 12 flavours, including the UDL Vodka range of passionfruit, lemon lime and soda, raspberry, orange, pineapple, green apple, mixed berry zero sugar, watermelon, lime and soda, tropical and strawberry lime zero sugar. It also comes in UDL ouzo and cola.

Also recently landing on bottle shop shelves is an array of cocktail inspired UDLs. We’ve tried the Blue Lagoon (vodka and flavours akin to blue caracao and lemonade), and Pina Colada (vodka and flavours of rum and coconut) and we must say both are DELISH!

There may not be many (any?) drive-ins left in Australia to enjoy Friday night drinks in the back seat of your mates’ old Holden. But at least we can down a few UDLs and relish the memories.

Antonino Tati

UDL is available in 375mL cans from liquor stores across Australia for RRP $24.99 per 6-pack and $37.99 per mixed 10-pack.