The new drinks trends we're loving right now
When it comes to drinking trends, last year was all about premium spirits, celebrity endorsements (The Rock, George Clooney, Ryan Reynolds and Rita Ora are all now players in the spirits market), the rise of agave-based drinks (like tequila and mezcal) and the ingenuity of the canned and pre-batched cocktail (tinned espresso martini, anyone?).
So, what exactly do we expect to see in the drinks sphere in 2023? We’ve spoken to experts from the wonderful world of wine and spirits, and asked them to share their thoughts on what drinks will take centre stage on bar carts and cocktail menus over the coming months.
The wide world of whisky
While whisky is a popular drink choice that’s been around for a long time, it’s no longer just Scotch getting all the attention. Dawn Davies, Buying Director at The Whisky Exchange says, “We’ve seen many incredible Irish and Japanese whiskies take the limelight over the past few years, but with the price going up on Scotch whisky and people being more willing to experiment and try new varieties, expect to see a surge in [wider] world whisky.”
Alex Wolpert, the founder of East London Liquor Company, has seen a huge demand for locally made whisky. The brand uses grain from a supplier in Norfolk that's then made into a Rye or Single malt whisky at their distillery in east London. Their aim isn’t to produce an exact replica of Scotch whisky but rather to redefine the category and make a great spirit with what they have available to them.
Other examples of world whisky include Starward from Australia, New Riff from the USA and Kyro from Finland, to name a few.
Try making a classic Old Fashioned cocktail using a 50ml shot of whisky, 1-2tsp of simple syrup (depending on how sweet you like your cocktail), a few dashes of Angostura Bitters and an orange wedge, all served on ice.
The rise of Mexican spirits
2022 saw one of the biggest years for Mexican spirits, with an incredible rise in popularity for tequila. Not far behind it was mezcal, which is like tequila but uses agave is cooked over wood-fired ovens, giving the spirit its characteristic smokiness.
These agave spirits are expected to further grow this year with more brands coming onto the market, particularly with a more premium focus. There will be wine barrel-rested tequila; cristalino, a clear tequila that's been filtered through activated charcoal in order to remove its colour and enhance the natural fruity and floral flavours; even more coffee tequila, which makes a delicious alternative to an espresso martini; and sotol, a distilled spirit from the Chihuahuan Desert made from a spiky shrub plant that’s part of the asparagus family, which typically has a bright and grassy taste.
Some of our favourite tequilas include Calle 23, Casa Dragones, Código 1530, while recommended mezcals include Illegal, Madre, and Mezcal Amores.
Fancy an espresso martini with tequila instead of vodka? Shake 50ml of coffee tequila (we love to use Vivir Café Tequila) with 25ml fresh espresso and lots of ice. Once frothy, pour into a martini glass.
Bitters, bitters and more bitters
The Whisky Exchange saw a huge growth in bitter drink sales last year. Amaro (the Italian word for bitter), which is a herbal liqueur predominately drunk after a meal as a digestif, saw a “200% growth" in 2022, says Dawn.
Vermouth sales are still showing very strong signs that it’s here to stay, thanks primarily to the beloved negroni cocktail, which uses equal parts gin, Campari and vermouth.
We expect to see more twists on the classic negroni, a surge in English-based aperitif brands, and amaro and tonic being the next must-order drink. For a great aperitif, try Cocchi, Quaglia, Aker English Aperitif or Amaro Santoni.
For a refreshing drink, pour 50ml of Aker English Rose Aperitif, top it up with soda water and then finish with a fresh strawberry.
The one cocktail to rule them all
Off the back of all things bitter, we expect to see the negroni still reign supreme and be the drink of 2023, with a focus on using premium and high-quality ingredients to make the drink shine. This will be followed closely by the classic vodka martini.
Loris Contro, Italian Icons Brand Ambassador for Campari says that their partner bars have reported a huge increase in guests requesting a negroni – either classic or with a twist. Recent data also shows that awareness and familiarity of the cocktail is increasingly on the rise.
Chandan Bathia, who is the Senior Marketing Communications Manager at The Bottle Club, says that “consumers are rediscovering their love for vodka-based drinks, and we think that traditional favourites such as a classic martini will find new fans in younger demographics, who are looking for crisp, clear drinks that they can sip slowly, mindfully and enjoy the full flavour of.”
The key with a great tasting martini is to ensure it is super chilled. Chill your ingredients and your glassware, so you’re welcomed with an intensely clean and crisp taste when drinking. Try mixing 50ml of vodka with 25ml of dry vermouth over ice and then strain into a coupe. Rub the rim and garnish with a twist of lemon peel, if you fancy.
It's time to chill your red wine
Think of your favourite lighter, younger red wines, only chilled and paired with grilled seafood, summer salads and lighter pasta dishes. Delicious, right?
Dawn Davies from The Whisky Exchange says the chilled red wine trend is “driven by the natural wine movement, which creates wines that are lighter and more acidic, so naturally suit chilling more”.
Jamie Matthewson, Wine Buying Manager at Waitrose & Partners suggests opting for varieties such as Frappato, Grenache and Beaujolais for a glass of cool rouge, but you can find some expressions that use Shiraz and Pinot Noir grapes for a deeper flavour.
English vineyard Ridgeview has brought out a sparkling red wine using Pinot Noir grapes and it has deliciously refreshing notes of cherry, vanilla and pomegranate.
Ridgeview’s Head Winemaker, Simon Roberts also loves chilling "Seppelt Sparkling Red and Peter Lehmann's Sparkling Red”.
It's a bold claim but we think chilled red wine is going to be one of the biggest drinks trends this summer.
Sustainable drinks are here to stay
Sustainability in the drinks industry is here to stay and expected to intensify over the coming years, too.
Already, brands such as TOAST, Served and Discarded are making drinks using food waste. TOAST produces award-winning ale from out-of-date bread, Served use wonky and bashed fruit, which supermarkets won't sell, in their boozy canned sparkling water, while Discarded make delicious vodka from unwanted grape skins.
According to the Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report, zero-waste cocktails are gaining traction among consumers and mixologists, with many using alternatives such as vinegars, distillates, shrubs, and cordials to sour drinks rather than citrus fruits. Leftover cocktail ingredients are being up-cycled too: cordials are being made from leftover citrus rinds, rum is being infused with avocado pits, and pineapple husks and mango pips are being made into simple syrups.
On top of that, people are trying out tequila in an old fashioned and vermouth in spritzes, proving that versatility in drinks is key to avoiding waste and using what's available.
Kay Zell-Huxley who heads up the cocktail classes at London’s TT Liquor Bar loves switching up the base in classics or making use of under-appreciated ingredients. With a tipple like vermouth, for instance, Kay says that it's long been seen as a secondary ingredient in cocktails. It also has a shorter shelf-life than spirits, so must be treated like a wine. You should keep it refrigerated and use it while it's fresh, but as many people don't know this, it's inevitable that half a bottle gets thrown away and wasted. At TT Liquor Bar, they’re much more conscious about putting vermouth to good use, as it's packed with so much flavour and is so versatile.
Yann Bouvignies, Head of Mixology at the Rosewood London, says, “most of us have ingredients at home for cooking like Tawny Port, Noilly Prat Vermouth, Fino Sherry or even Madeira wine, which are perfect for using as modifiers in any type of cocktail. For example, a touch of port in an old fashioned or even some fino sherry in a gin and tonic can uplift flavours and bring a touch of complexity to your drink."
Get comfortable making simple syrups. We like to follow a 1:1 ratio, so that’s 1 cup of caster sugar to one cup of water, warmed up gently on the hob until the sugar has dissolved. Start playing around with flavours and adding in herbs like thyme, basil and mint.
No and low cocktails are on the rise
The no and low alcohol sector is thriving and thankfully we’ve seen a huge improvement in products nowadays. We're not just talking sparkling fruit juices but everything from no and low booze beer, wine, sparkling wine, and a whole range of spirits too. Even outside of Dry January, people are wanting a lower ABV drink on a night out.
Head Bartender at Christina's, Kevin Price-Houghton, says that non-alcoholic apéritif and bitter products will continue to grow in popularity this year. He hopes we'll see more brands debut in 2023, particularly with products from the already-established vermouth and apéritif producers in the UK.
Chandan Bathia, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at The Bottle Club has noticed a huge amount of consumers wanting to boost their health and embrace a move towards sobriety or a ‘sober-curious’ lifestyle. With the effects of the cost-of-living crisis ongoing, brands such as Lyre’s, with their vast range of high-quality, non-alcoholic spirits, are allowing non-drinkers to still enjoy the social aspects of mixing and enjoying homemade cocktails, rather than having to stick to water or soft drinks during key summer events.
We love Crodino, a non-alcoholic aperitif from the makers of Campari. If you love an Aperol Spritz, you should try pairing it with soda water for the same bitter-sweet kick but without the booze.
Garnishes matter!
We love a garnish on our drink and expect to see plenty of them this year, particularly among at-home cocktail enthusiasts.
Firstly, we'll be reaching for bigger ice cubes in drinks. The bigger the cube, the slower the ice melts, which means you won't be left with a diluted mess but a delicious drink that stays cooler for longer.
We’ve already seen lots of fun ice cube moulds and personalised ice stamps popping up on social media, along with edible flowers set in ice cubes; freeze-dried fruit floating in drink, adding colour and tang to cocktails; and rims made from Tajín, the chilli, lime and salt seasoning from Mexico.
Some of our favourite bartenders have shared their go-to garnishes, all agreeing that a garnish should always add something to your drink and not be superfluous.
Head bartender and founder of The Watermark, Dariush Haghigh, says, “we always lean towards an edible garnish that serves the drink well as much as making it visually more delicious. From a sustainability perspective, we love to look at the waste and by-products from our cocktail preparations and reuse as much as possible back into a delicious edible snack to serve with it.”
Sasa, Head of Bars at TT Liquor loves working with citrus fruits. “From one lemon or lime you can peel it, cut it and squeeze it, giving you fresh juice and innumerable garnishes – from simple twists to candied peel, wheels, wedges and dehydrated slices. Plus, they have a long shelf life and are available year-round with almost no wastage.”
Paul Voza, Head of Research and Development at Himkok bar says, “We prioritise the use of crystal-clear ice made on site and the perfect glassware to enhance the overall drinking experience. Our philosophy is that a garnish should not only look good but also add to the flavour and overall enjoyment of the drink."
Kevin Price-Houghton, Head Bartender at Christina's at The Mondrian loves to add a botanical spray to ramp up the flavour. “We love to use our Linden Leaf botanical sprays. They allow us to give that fresh, citrus aroma without using any fresh citrus or wasting any of the fresh fruit. Individually, they are brilliant, but we've also found some great aroma profiles by combining the sprays for some of our drinks.”
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