A report by Bacardi predicts the Mojito will be the top cocktail ordered in bars globally next year, while coffee was the leading flavour for bartenders.
Bacardi has released its sixth annual Cocktail Trends Report, which predicts the five trends that will drive the cocktail and spirits world next year.
Released in partnership with The Future Laboratory (TFL), the report also draws on data from Bacardi-led and external research, consumer surveys, bartender interviews and TFL insights.
“As 2025 approaches, consumers are redefining how they connect – using cocktails as a bridge to new experiences, perspectives, and deeper relationships,” said Mahesh Madhavan, Bacardi CEO.
“At Bacardi, we’re embracing this shift from consumption to curation, where consumers are not just seeking drinks, but meaningful experiences enjoyed over a cocktail.”
Bacardi revealed its top bar calls for 2025 globally with the Mojito topping the list. It was followed by the Margarita, Spritz, Piña Colada, gin and tonic, rum and Coke, Dry Martini, vodka and lemonade, and vodka with soda.
In Europe, Bacardi claims the Spritz is dethroning Champagne as the drink of choice for socialising with friends, chosen by more than three quarters of respondents in Italy (77%), almost half in Germany (49%) and more than two fifths in Spain (41%), according to the company’s Global Consumer Survey.
Bacardi revealed its top 10 cocktails in the UK for 2025 with the gin and tonic leading the pack. In second place was the Piña Colada, while Mojito took the third spot. The Margarita also shot up the rankings, rising eight places from number 13 last year to fifth position in 2025.
For the second year in a row, Tequila and mezcal were the spirits of most interest to bartenders. The Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador Survey saw 77% choose Tequila, while 66% picked mezcal. The movement towards alcohol-free drinks also saw 0% ABV ‘spirits’ named the third most-interesting product for bartenders (53%).
The Bacardi Global Consumer Survey revealed that around one quarter of young adult drinkers in India (29%), France (25%) and the US (20%) drink more lower-alcohol cocktails today.
In terms of the spirits categories leading premiumisation, Tequila topped the list, followed by mezcal and vodka.
Zero-waste ingredients were named as the leading ingredient that bartenders want to experiment with.
Furthermore, low-ABV serves, Palomas, Margaritas, Negronis and Martinis were revealed as the cocktails that bartenders want to reinvent.
The report also noted the top flavours picked by bartenders based on the Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador Survey. The leading flavour was coffee/espresso, while seasonal came next and spicy was the third pick.
Top five trends
Bacardi has picked out five microtrends that it believes will ‘define’ the spirits industry in the year ahead.
The first is ‘premium fans’ as drinkers seek out premium entertainment experiences, such as bespoke travel packages and hospitality add-ons at concerts and sporting events. Bacardi cited its Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktail at the 2024 US Open as an example, with sales of the serve reaching US$12.8 million during the tennis tournament.
The Bacardi report also noted that the choice of drinks is also diversifying. Research from e-commerce platform Gopuff saw spirit and mixer sales soar by nearly 90% on the day of the Superbowl 2024, just 12% behind beer.
The second trend picked out by Bacardi is ‘in-the-know imbibing’ whereby drinks experiences are turned into opportunities for knowledge and discovery. The trend notes that bartenders are becoming more influential as they turn into designers, educators and opinion leaders.
‘New cocktail frontiers’ is the third trend, with consumers searching for immersive experiences due to ‘digital fatigue’. As such, Bacardi predicts a rise in immersive venues that ‘cater to early-evening sensory-rich cocktail moments’.
Bacardi’s survey found that respondents in Mexico, UK, Italy and India ranked cocktails that provide a multi-sensory experience as a key reason for paying more.
As early-evening occasions gain momentum, Bacardi found that approximately half of respondents in Germany (56%), the US (52%), the UK (51%) and Spain (46%) said they would go to nightclubs less often next year.
The fourth trend focuses on ‘culinary connoisseurs’ with bartenders taking inspiration from the kitchen, turning to the likes of milk, oil and brine for their cocktails. Bacardi expects to see a new wave of ‘gastro-inspired drinking experiences’ in the year ahead.
The Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador Survey revealed the popularity of savoury and herbaceous flavours and ingredients, with interest growing by 20% and 15% respectively in North America this year. Interest in umami flavours is also trending, with miso, mushroom, fish sauce and sea vegetables on the rise.
The final trend is ‘the future spirit’, which spotlights a movement towards inclusivity, particularly in distilling. Bacardi believes the industry will embrace community-driven initiatives to drive positive change, as consumers look for ‘meaningful connections’.
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Author: Nicola Carruthers
