Tiny cocktails hit the big time
In the world of cocktails, sometimes the next big thing can mean the exact opposite. We explore how sip-sized serves are gaining traction and making a big splash in the on-trade.
*This feature was first published in the April 2025 issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
Is there anything better at a party than a circulating platter of canapés? Dinky little morsels that bring maximum flavour while removing the need to commit to one big dish over another. Less is more, after all, and it seems the bar industry is starting to catch on, as tiny cocktails – miniaturised versions of full‐size serves – are starting to make the big time.
“Tiny cocktails were always poised for growth and popularity because of the low‐ and‐no movement,” explains Tyler Zielinski, author of Tiny Cocktails: The Art of Miniature Mixology, and founder of drinks agency Zest, noting that as drinkers started to change the way they were consuming in venues, bars started to invest in low‐and‐no cocktails for their programmes. However, he says, these cocktails have always tended to fit inside a typical genre of serve, such as a Spritz, or something lengthened or bitter, and drinkers are starting to demand more from their moderation. “Tiny cocktails offer something a bit different. You can have all of the flavour you would have with a normal drink, with half the ABV,” he says.
Attractive proposition
In a world where 90% of UK consumers are regulating their alcohol intake (according to drinks charity Drinkaware), the ability to opt for a traditionally punchy cocktail while moderating is attractive. Chris Tanner, co‐ owner of London bar Câv, says one of the hazards when drinking is the risk of overindulgence. “There’s an opportunity for this trend [of tiny cocktails] to continue to evolve as guests get the opportunity to really explore the full menu, as well as the product [without that risk].”
However, this trend isn’t just booming because we’re drinking less. Monica Berg, co‐ owner of London’s Tayer + Elementary, one of the pioneering bars of the miniature cocktail with its One Sip Martini – an ice‐cold cocktail ‘shot’ of vodka, vermouth, and fino Sherry, garnished with a fat Gordal olive stuffed with Gorgonzola – says: “For us, it’s not about mindful drinking, it’s just a very delicious, smashable Martini that is proportionately made with all things taken into consideration: liquid, temperature and garnish.”
Temperature is a factor mentioned repeatedly when bartenders speak about these diminutive serves. “It’s the biggest benefit,” Zielinski shares. “With a tiny cocktail, it’s going to be chilled from your first sip to your last. There’s something really appealing about that.” The temperature factor is one reason why the Martini is consistently heralded as the cocktail that benefits the most from being downsized. “A warm Martini is a lousy Martini,” writes Alice Lascelles in her book, The Martini. “Bartenders go to great lengths to ensure their Martinis are served cold enough.” However, Lexa Ulijaszek, UK ambassador for Grey Goose Vodka, says: “Over the course of great conversation between friends, the final sip of your drink may not be as superbly chilled or balanced in taste as the beginning. As a result, the offer of a ‘sip‐sized cocktail’ is gaining traction.” The Bacardi‐owned brand has recently launched its flights of ‘Tiny ’Tinis’ in the UK, including at The Lobby Bar at The London Edition and Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons.
At London’s Archive & Myth, helmed by Jack Sotti, the Martini Mineraux is formed with Renais gin, limestone, Chablis, and lemon oils, all presented ice cold, which should remain at its “optimal serving temperature, assuming guests are consuming with gusto”, he says.
Meanwhile in Barcelona, Simone Caporale has adopted a two‐step approach to maintaining the Martini’s chill at his bar, Sips Esencia. “Instead of a serving a single large pour, we serve half the Martini first, keeping the other half at a controlled temperature of ‐8°C in the freezer. This method ensures that every sip remains perfectly cold, extending guests’ enjoyment of the drink. As soon as the guest finishes the first half, the second icy portion is poured, providing a consistently refreshing experience.” But this isn’t just about shrinking the drink, Caporale says, “it’s about elevating the entire experience through temperature control and thoughtful presentation”.
Bolder flavours
However, it’s not just the itsy‐bitsy teeny‐ weeny perfectly chilled mini Martini that shines on a tinier scale. Tanner says: “The smaller format really lends itself well to apéritif‐style drinks or stirred‐down cocktails.” Meanwhile, Zielinski believes spirit‐forward serves in general fit well for the trend, as do any cocktails that are decadent or rich. “When comparing tiny cocktails with their full‐sized versions, you can be a bit bolder with the flavours that you use. There are many bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts who’ve been to bars and have said a drink was great for the first two or three sips, but they didn’t want it after that. Tiny cocktails are a solution for flavours that would be less appealing if there was a whole glass of it.” The same, he says, goes for heavier ingredients typically found in nightcaps, such as cream and coffee.
Tiny cocktails also create accessibility to some of the more luxurious aspects of mixology. “I have a chapter in my book called Little Luxuries,” he adds, “all about using luxurious or expensive, high‐end ingredients, or things that are fleeting – maybe something foraged that you don’t have tonnes of, and you just want to use in small amounts. Tiny cocktails are the perfect format for those types of components when mixing.”
All of this suggests that perhaps tiny cocktails are the future. But they’re not without their drawbacks. “Citrus‐forward drinks are slightly wasted as they do not have the same impact in a smaller serving,” explains Tanner, while Sotti warns that with smaller cocktails, the loss of volume caused by shaking with ice becomes higher, “yielding slightly lower margins”.
However, one of the biggest barriers to entry is the need for smaller glassware, which, while not impossible to source, is limited in its variety. “Where I see a lot of room for improvement is tiny rocks and tiny Highball glasses,” Zielinski says, noting that miniature coupes or diminutive Martini glasses are more readily available.
But Tanner says: “Smaller glassware has become more accessible through various suppliers, making it easier to find the right vessels for miniature cocktails. However, there’s a hidden gem – a glassware shop in London’s Exmouth Market – where you can find tiny, unique glasses for just around £2 each. It’s a great spot for sourcing those distinctive, smaller pieces that add a special touch to our cocktails.”
However, Japan is where Zielinski says the minute‐glassware game is strongest, citing Kimura and Toyo‐Sasaki as two standout glassware producers for the style. “It’s actually common in Tokyo, for example, to serve tiny Highballs,” he says.
Leaning into the Japanese onboarding of the tiny cocktail movement is Kwānt in London’s Mayfair, which has recently launched an omakase menu – an experience that offers guests a ‘flavour journey’ of five miniature cocktails, plus two bite‐sized food pairings. “That is such a good example of how you can add something different to your beverage offering through the lens of tiny cocktails,” Zielinski says, “especially if you have a great food programme. Pairing tiny sips with food is the way, and tasting menus are all the rage at the moment in cocktail bars around the world, so I reckon we’ll start seeing more of that in the future, too.”
Related news
Mataroa Gin features at Roma Bar Show
