Bacardi: Margarita tops cocktail trends for 2026
Patrón owner Bacardi has spotlighted the rise of ‘daycaps’ and maximalism as cocktail trends to watch next year, with the Margarita expected to be the most-ordered serve.
The seventh annual Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report has picked out five macrotrends it believes will reshape the cocktail and spirits industry in 2026.
Bacardi, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, released the report in partnership with The Future Laboratory (TFL).
Martin Raymond, co-founder of TFL, said: “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.”
The first trend named by the report is ‘Afternoon Society’. This suggests that consumers are socialising, eating and drinking cocktails earlier in the day, citing the rise of ‘daycaps’.
Notably, this trend is being led by younger legal drinking age consumers. More than half of those in France (51%) and more than one-third in the US (34%) are reshaping routines around earlier evenings, according to Bacardi’s Global Consumer Survey (GCS).
Bacardi said this movement towards earlier consumption revolves around lower-alcohol cocktails such as the Spritz and smaller serves like mini Martinis and dessert-and-drink pairings.
Citing IWSR data, Bacardi noted that volumes of premium-priced bitters/spirit-based aperitifs have surged in the US, with a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) increase of 18% between 2018 and 2023. This momentum is expected to accelerate in the years ahead, with 19% CAGR growth forecast for 2023-28, according to IWSR forecasts from May 2025.
Shunning the digital world
The second trend called out by Bacardi is ‘Rewilding Connection’, whereby drinkers are moving away from ‘constant connectivity’ to offline experiences.
Citing GCS data, Bacardi noted that 84% of consumers said technology has made social interactions feel less personal.
Bacardi believes this trend shows a desire for screen-free gatherings, communal serves and analogue entertainment.
Another trend spotlighted is ‘New Localogy’. This focuses on how spirits are being elevated through locally sourced ingredients and garnishes rooted in their environment. The report notes that bars are turning to laboratories of local flavour, harnessing microfarms and scientific experimentation to ‘pioneer a new future of mixology’.
The fourth trend spotlighted by Bacardi is ‘Liquid Experience IP’, whereby cocktails and drinks brands are becoming ‘full-spectrum lifestyle experiences that blend fashion, music, design, travel and sport into cohesive cultural identities’.
Bars and brands are seeking to engage drinkers and drive loyalty through immersive cocktail worlds, drink characters, playlist pairings, travelling pop-up menus, and a branded sensory experience.
The final trend is ‘More is More Mixology’, which favours maximalism over minimalism through theatrical cocktails.
Over three-quarters of Bacardi GCS participants (76%) value heightened, memorable experiences as bars embrace edible pearls, metallic garnishes, evolving flavour layers, fire presentations, and high-drama glassware.
The report has also revealed its pick of the top 10 cocktails globally for 2026, with the Margarita taking the top spot.
Rounding out the top 10 is the Mojito in second place, followed by the Piña Colada, rum and cola, whisky and cola, Spritz, vodka lemonade, vodka soda, gin and tonic, and Dry Martini.
In last year’s report, Bacardi predicted the Mojito would be the top cocktail ordered in bars globally in 2025.
According to Bacardi’s Global Brand Ambassador Survey, the top flavour picks for bartenders are: fruity (55%), sweet (46%), savoury (26%) and spicy (24%).
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