Nick Gillett: The spirit of 2026 – a cocktail of contradictions and thirst for value?

By Nick Gillett

Published: 22 December, 2025

Looking back, 2025 was another stinker of a year for the spirits and hospitality industries; a rollercoaster ride punctuated by a bad business environment, consumers having less disposable income, and venues closing their doors at an unprecedented rate. With that out the way, it’s time to look ahead to 2026 – as we thoroughly cheer the fact that 2025 is over and done with. So, with just a dash of optimism and foresight, what will be pouring into our glasses and being enjoyed in-venue next year? I have a few ideas.

A complicated landscape

Before I get into my element and wax lyrical about the bottles and tipples that will have us swooning in 2026, I’d be lying if I said the real story wasn’t in the bigger forces that are shaping how we drink. The tides of consumption are shifting, and not always in ways bartenders or brand owners might wish. We’re watching the late-night revelry dwindle, replaced by earlier, almost civilised drinking; afternoon tipples and that delicious 5-7pm pre-dinner window where a good cocktail can still change the trajectory of your evening. It’s all tied to the age of ‘balance’: moderation and the quest for drinks that let you live well without getting bored. And frankly, I can’t fault anyone who wants to follow up their evening run with a negroni.

Moving swiftly on, sustainability is still the noble flag many brands are proudly waving but the impact this is having on consumers’ decision to buy is waning. Cost-of-living pressures will do that. Sustainability is still appealing to the public if the liquid is great and the price is right, but it’s not enough to win the hearts of drinkers. It hasn’t disappeared from our values entirely, merely taken a graceful step back while people figure out how to afford their weekly shop.

Following yet another budget that wasn’t great for our industry, 2026 is the year where we all face the very real threat of the dreaded £10 pint. I don’t know what that will do to the national psyche, but I suspect nothing good. Still, amidst the wreckage, there are bright sparks: experiential venues, competitive socialising, those wondrous places where cocktails meet activities and people actually look up from their phones long enough to enjoy themselves. These operators understand something crucial: guests don’t just want to drink; they want to feel something; to be part of something. To have fun that doesn’t require Wifi.

Now onto the booze…

If press coverage was the sole determiner of ‘what’s hot’, tequila and low and no would come out on top this year. Yes, they’ve been flexing some impressive growth, but when you look at actual volumes sold, the stalwart spirits are still coming out on top. Gin, rum, vodka remain stallions of success trotting confidently into 2026, proving once again that familiarity doesn’t breed contempt – it breeds sales.

By my count the UK is only about a year into its great love affair with tequila. As people come to understand and appreciate its nuances – the earthy, vegetal complexity of a good blanco, or the soft caramel swagger of a reposado – we’ll see a rise in premiumisation. After all, once people understand what they’re drinking, many become more willing to invest in better.

World whiskey continues to prolong its ‘moment’ in the sun. Far from a single moment, this is a category that’s carving a place in the hearts of whiskey lovers across the world. Success, however, varies wildly depending on region and market. What is clear is that drinkers are increasingly willing to drop serious cash on whiskey that isn’t Scottish. And frankly, who can blame them? Many of these world whiskeys are extraordinary liquids at prices that are appealing. Value is a powerful thing – and its appeal is translating into sales.

Talking cocktails

Clearly, 2025 belonged to the Margarita and the Paloma – and tequila and mezcal were the obvious beneficiaries. According to the Bacardi Trends Report the Margarita isn’t going anywhere in 2026; especially if its spicy. But I’m also watching a different current gathering momentum, namely savoury flavours. Out with the sweet and easy to drink and in with the culinary and challenging.

Expect twists to the old classics tied in to venue style and culinary trends, meanwhile showcasing the sheer craftsmanship of mixologists. This may be the year to wave goodbye to the espresso and pornstar martinis as they’re replaced by fresher, livelier serves like the mojito, which is poised to be a star again after a few years on the back burner.

Cocktails, broadly, are still booming. Forty percent of drinkers say they had more cocktails in 2025 than in the previous year. And this growth is happening everywhere: at home, on the sofa with an RTD and in bars, where people want a moment that feels like an occasion. That’s the key – the occasion. The emotional setting. Get that right, and people will happily order another round. And for venues heading into peak festive season, it will be appealing to this sense of occasion that will make the difference between a good and great quarter’s takings.

At first glance my predictions for 2026 might appear to be a cocktail of contradictions: thirst for value at every tier, an appetite to drink less but drink better, and a continued tug-of-war between staying out and staying in. Yes, the wider landscape has looked rough at times, but I’ll tell you this: the brands and venues that rise to the top in 2026 will deserve every ounce of their success. May the cream of the crop rise to the top.

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