Bacardi Limited has released its seventh annual Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report, produced in partnership with The Future Laboratory (TFL).
The 2026 edition identifies five defining trends that are set to shape cocktail culture and the spirits landscape in the year ahead. Drawing on Bacardi-led and third-party research, consumer surveys, bartender insights, and TFL’s trend forecasting, the report uncovers the forces influencing flavor innovation, evolving drinking behaviors, and the rise of more intentional, experience-driven cocktails. It also spotlights the drinks expected to dominate 2026, along with key trends among younger Legal Drinking Age (LDA) consumers.
“Gen Z isn’t drinking less, they’re simply drinking earlier, lighter, and with more intention,” says Sean Kerry, Vice President for Global On-Trade for Bacardi.
“Around the world, we’re seeing a move towards more meaningful drinking moments whether that means in-person get-togethers with friends, discovering flavors rooted in local culture, or embracing new forms of creative expression through cocktails.”
“Consumers are moving from curating experiences to cultivating connections. The pendulum has swung from digital convenience to human creativity, and the drinks industry sits at the center of that shift,” says Martin Raymond, Co-Founder of The Future Laboratory.
“In 2026, value will be defined not by scarcity or status, but by depth: the provenance of ingredients, the stories behind serves, and the ability to transform a moment into meaning.”
Here are the macro-trends defining the spirits industry in 2026:
1. Afternoon Society
Happy hour is having a glow-up as earlier-day sipping replaces the old late-night grind. “Daycaps,” those late-afternoon cocktails that wrap up the workday, are becoming the new mini-celebration. Consumers across markets are heading out earlier to drink, snack, and unwind, with younger LDA drinkers setting the tone. According to the Bacardi Global Consumer Survey, 51% of younger drinkers in France and 34% in the U.S. are embracing earlier evenings. Spritz culture, mood-based cocktails, and petite serves are shaping daytime drinking in a way that fits real life. It’s about creating small, joyful moments that match your energy and your schedule.
2. Rewilding Connection
With so much of life happening through screens, drinkers are craving experiences that feel real again. Eighty-four percent of consumers say technology has made interactions feel less personal, and bars are responding with moments that encourage presence. Screen-free spaces, shared serves, analog entertainment, and small rituals are helping spark actual conversation. Whether it’s martini flights or intimate micro-gatherings, “Rewilding Connection” is about slowing down, being in the moment, and rediscovering what makes sharing a cocktail special.
3. New Localogy
As transparency and sourcing reshape the industry, bars are turning into labs of regional flavor. This trend isn’t about replacing global spirits but amplifying them with what’s grown close to home. Micro-farms, local ecosystems, seasonal garnishes, and culinary science are giving cocktails a deeper sense of place. Consumers want to know the story behind what’s in their glass, with 77% checking ingredient origins. “New Localogy” caters to that curiosity by creating serves rooted in terroir, technique, and the landscape they come from.
4. The Liquid Experience IP
Cocktails have evolved beyond the glass and into full lifestyle expressions. Gen Z and millennials gravitate toward brands that feel culturally connected, and 70% of people say emotional engagement drives loyalty. Bars and brands are responding with immersive cocktail worlds: playlist pairings, sensory details, traveling pop-ups, character-inspired serves, and design elements pulled from fashion, music, travel, and sport. In 2026, ordering a cocktail feels more like joining a creative universe than simply choosing a drink.
5. More-is-more Mixology
Minimalism had its moment, but maximalism is officially back behind the bar. Edible pearls, metallic finishes, fire-kissed garnishes, layered flavors, and dramatic glassware are taking center stage. According to the Bacardi survey, 76% of drinkers want heightened, memorable experiences. Bars from Dubai to Las Vegas are showing that bold design and joyful spectacle are in demand. In a world craving fun and a little drama, people don’t just want a cocktail. They want a moment.
Globally, the top 10 cocktails in 2026 will be:
- Margarita
- Mojito
- Piña Colada
- Rum and Coke®
- Whisky and Coke®
- Spritz
- Vodka Lemonade
- Vodka Soda
- Gin & Tonic
- Dry Martini Cocktail
About Bacardi Limited
Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including D’USSÉ® Cognac, ANGEL’S ENVY® American straight whiskey, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur.
Founded more than 163 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 8,000, operates production facilities in 10 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Adrian Biggs, Director of Trade Advocacy at Bacardi
Adrian Biggs was born in Tasmania, the little island state below mainland Australia, Biggs has lived and worked in Australia, New Zealand, England and the USA. Kicking off a career in Food and Beverage operations Biggs spent 10+ years honing his craft in the hospitality world having worked in large scale casino hotel operations, fine dining restaurants, craft cocktail bars and a stint in the cruise industry. Biggs made his way into the supplier world via a close connection with 42BELOW vodka in New Zealand that blossomed into an Account Development Manager role with Bacardi UK in London.
As fate would have it a 42BELOW ambassador role opened in San Francisco at a pivotal point in Biggs career. Being a company guy has seen Biggs flourish in an array of roles in the past 14 years in the US, where he most certainly calls home. Currently as Director of Trade Advocacy for Bacardi North America Biggs has channeled his years of premise and ambassador experience into efforts that support the organizations passions to win in the on premise. With the best portfolio of brands and dedicated team of ambassadors, Biggs is already set up for success. Residing in Miami, Adrian when not working can smash a golf ball a yard or two, keeps fit and active, is known to be a touch overzealous around Passionfruit cocktails and is wrapped around his two daughters’ fingers.
The post Connections, Local Flavors, and Luxurious Experiences Lead the 2026 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report appeared first on Chilled Magazine.
Source: Mixology News
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