World Spirits Report 2025: Liqueurs & speciality spirits
At times this year, the liqueurs category has felt like a competition for brands to create the most indulgent innovation.
Big‐brand collaborations between Baileys and Terry’s Chocolate Orange, and Kahlúa and Dunkin’ played to sweet‐toothed drinkers on their releases in the US and the UK. Kahlúa upped the ante to ‘world’s most indulgent Espresso Martini’ levels with a glass of the aforementioned cocktail made entirely of milk chocolate, released for Easter. This is for good reason though – it’s what people want.
“With indulgence becoming a key purchase driver in the liqueur category, Caramel Cookie is a natural evolution for Licor 43,” says Blanca de la Infiesta, spirits global marketing director of Zamora Company, about the thinking behind the Spanish liqueur’s most recent launch.
De la Infiesta says: “Treats and desserts is a trend that is very relevant to us as a brand, and we’ve seen it gaining traction in the liqueurs category.” Caramel Cookie offers indulgent comfort with a modern and elevated twist.
Additionally, French syrup producer Monin has also tipped indulgence for cocktail success in its Autumn‐Winter Drinks Trends Report 2024‐25, highlighting creamy and dessert‐inspired cocktails.
With the spirits industry facing strong headwinds, Ignacio Llaneza, vice‐president of marketing, US and Canada, for Lucas Bols, feels the category “continues to show potential driven by consumers’ appetite for cocktails and bigger, brighter flavours”.
Acknowledging a shift toward expressive, Instagrammable flavours, Llaneza has also seen a renewed focus on authenticity. “In a year when the world’s oldest distilled spirits brand [Lucas Bols] marks 450 years, it’s encouraging to see consumers gravitate toward provenance, craftsmanship, and real stories behind the bottle,” he says.
With Lucas Bols at the forefront of bartending, Llaneza suggests two/three‐ingredient cocktails are driving at‐home mixology, and liqueurs are the “backbone of that movement. We also see rising demand for natural fruit liqueurs, elevated coffee profiles, Spritz‐friendly options, and premium non‐alc alternatives, like Fluère.”
According to Godelief van Erve, De Kuyper Royal Distillers’ global marketing director, the biggest challenges are meeting the rise of ready‐to‐serve and no‐alcohol variants. She suggests that brands that adapt to these changing preferences will find opportunity.
“Opportunities for growth lie in expanding draught and pre‐mixed cocktail offerings, especially in on‐trade and at events, as well as meeting the rising demand for alcohol‐free experiences with options,” she explains. Van Erve also highlights easy mixers and Spritz drinks: “Peach liqueurs such as Peachtree and Archers are increasingly popular, and help reach younger, broader audiences by offering convenience and taste.”
Euromonitor data shows the global liqueurs category could reach 135.6 million nine‐litre cases sold in 2026, up by 2.2% from 132.7m in 2025, while value is expected to grow by 7.5% from US$57 billion to US$61.3bn.
Van Erve notes the “category has remained stable over the past year”, but with “notable differences emerging between subcategories and markets”.
Llaneza, meanwhile, sees opportunity in education: “Liqueurs are foundational to modern mixology, but we still have work to do helping consumers and operators understand the versatility and value that they bring.”
Brands to watch in 2026
Sheridan’s
Casa Redondo dipped into Diageo’s ‘for sale’ bag again in September and bought Sheridan’s, following its purchase of Safari in 2024. Portuguese firm Casa Redondo called its latest buy a pivotal movement, promising to invest in talent and resources in Sheridan’s global markets.
St-Germain
The Hugo Spritz saw Google search volumes soar by 122% in 2024. The serve’s natural base in Bacardi‐owned St‐Germain elderflower liqueur is driving the bandwagon, bringing Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner along for the ride over the summer. The actor recently starred in adverts for the brand showing off her bartending skills, and we don’t expect the hype to slow in 2026.
Lucas Bols
In celebrating its 450th anniversary, Lucas Bols also bade farewell to Huub van Doorne this year, who called time on his 20‐year tenure as CEO. Franc Cocx is now in the hot seat, steering the Dutch company into a “new premium era”, which kicked off with a revamped version of its Bols Blue 1575 curaçao. Next year, we’ll be watching keenly for where Cocx takes the category leader in terms of innovation.
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