SPIRITS&LIQUEURSbattlegroundsfor

GenZdrinkersLOWCALORIE+26%HOTHONEYFUTURE

OFTHEPart

ofThe+36%GenZdrinkers

areghostingthe

spirits

and

liqueursaisle.They're

NOTanti-alcohol.Young

people

arejustdrinkingdifferently.Theyare

prioritizing

balanceover

restriction.Andwantspiritsand

liqueursto

get

a

health-conscious,

mindful

upgrade.Newdrinking

behaviorsare

emerging.

From

zebrastripingtoslow-sipping.Theywanttoenjoysocialand

downtime

occasions.Butstill

feelgoodthenext

day.Inthis

report,we

aregoing

to

explorethe

keybattlegroundsforGenZ

drinkers.Wewillanalyzehowalcoholbrands

can

win

thebarfightandappealto

GenZconsumers

in

2026+.BLACKSWAN

DATATHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURS"Ashot?Hmm-no

thanks"DrinkingwindowsTheyare

drinking

lessoften-

but

beingfar

more

intentional

about

whentheyplantoconsume

alcohol.How

is

Gen

Z

drinking

differently?Slow-sippingGenZ

preferto

sip

slowlyandfocuson

flavor.They

wantdrinkingto

be

anexperience.

Nota

downingchallenge.Zebra

stripingThey

aredrinking

alcoholicand

non-alc.

options

throughoutthenight.AvoidingshotsShotculture

isdiminishing.GenZ

preferenjoyabledrinksthat

can

besippedand

savored.Green

drinkingTheirchangingbehaviorsextendbeyondthe'self'intowhat's

alsogoodfor

the

planet.Black

Swan

Data

is

now

part

ofMintel.Together,we

offerthe

mostcomplete

and

predictive

viewof

consumer

behavior.The

insights

insidethis

reportdo

notcome

fromsurveys,panelsorfocus

groups.OurtechappliesAI

and

predictive

analyticsto

millionsofsocialandonline

poststo

understandconsumerbehavior.It

identifiesfutureconsumer

needs

and

predictsgranular-leveltrendswith89%

accuracy.LeadingCPG

brands

are

leveragingthis

data

to

make

faster,more

confident,

evidence-drivendecisionsalongeachstage

ofthe

innovation

process.Sotol

A?ejo

+47%52K8K40K73%THE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSBLACKSWAN

DATAOur

data

explainedOurplatformand

consultancy

is

powered

byour

uniquedata,

methodologyand

metrics.Howdoes

itwork?Our

platformretrieves

alltherelevantconsumer

posts

ina

category;inthisexample,8+

millionposts

relatedto

USASpirits&Liqueurs.WeuseAI

anddata

science

to

isolate

alltheindividualtrendingtopicsand

behaviorsandunderstand

howtheyclusterand

ladder-upintocategorygrowth

drivers.This

dynamicsegmentationframework

isrefreshed

monthly

andevolves

asconsumersandthecategory

evolves.7Growth

Drivers22Sub-Drivers6,601Trends8,441,342OnlineandSocial

PostsTrend

Prediction

Value(TPV)Rankseverytrend

basedon

its

futuregrowth

potential.VolumeTotal

numberofunique

posts

over

atwo-yeartimeframe.GrowthTheyear-on-yearincrease

ordecrease

inconversationvolume

aroundatrend.METRICSTHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSBLACKSWAN

DATA02Gut

healthandweight-

consciousdrinkingGenZis

health-conscious,evenwhendrinking.Theywantspiritswithfeweradditives,

lowsugarand

lessimpacton

the

gut.05GlobalinfluencesGlobal

alcoholsarea

meansto

exploring

newcultures.

GenZ

wantoptionsthatdeliver

authenticcraftmanshipand

unique

regionalexpressions.03SavoryflavorsGenZ

isditching

overly-sweetdrinksforsavory,

smokyandcomplexflavorsthatadddepth

andsophistication.04TexturaldecadenceForGenZ,

texture

is

a

signal

ofluxury.Theyseekvelvety,full-bodied

and

rich

spiritsthatelevatethedrinkingexperience.08FunctionalindulgenceSpiritsaren’tjustfor

socializing.Theycanalso

helpGenZ

unwind,

rechargeorenhancetheir

mood

in

mindfulways.01Low/no

and

in-

betweenSober-curiosity

isadesire

for

balanceand

control.GenZwant

a

spectrum

of

alcohol

options,fromfull-

strengthto

low-ABVtonon-alcoholic.The

battlegrounds

for

Gen

Z

drinkersThere

eight

key

battlegroundsforspiritsand

liqueurs

brands

looking

toappeal

toGen

Z.

Inthis

report,wewill

explore

THREE

spaces:Quality,

sourcing

andethicsGenZwants

to

knowwheretheirdrink

comesfrom,

how

it's

made

andthat

it'sworththe

price

-whether

it’s

acraft,

localor

premium

product.THE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURS

BLACKSWAN

DATAReady-to-enjoyGenZwantconvenient,ready-to-serveformatsthatfittheirsocial

orwind-down

rituals.0706Guthealthandweight-consciousdrinkingSpirits

with

benefitsBATTLEGROUND

2Thoughtfulinclusionsover

exclusionsGenZ’sapproachto

health-consciousdrinking

isn'ttogoteetotal-they'rechoosingoptionsthatsupporttheirbodies

ratherthanworkagainstthem.Additive-Free#154ReducedCalorie#164G

R

O

W

I

N

GMAT

U

R

EThesearethe

healthandwellnesstrendsthat

surface

among

GenZ.Sugar-Freeand

ReducedCaloriespirits

havebeendominatingweight-consciousdrinking.Butwellness

prioritiesare

beginningtoshift.GenZ

is

now

lookingfor

Bubble-FreespiritsthatReduceBloating

andaregoodforoverallgut

health.#32isa

Trend

PredictionValue

(T

PV).

It'sa

ranking

metric

based

onatrend’s

predictedgrowthpotential.Thisscientific

measure

helps

brandsdecide

whichtrends

to

prioritizein

a

crowdedspace.Insteadof

just

removing

sugarandadditivesfromdrinks,

GenZwantenhancementsandthoughtful

inclusions.Fermented,

botanicaland

Fiber-Rich

ingredientsthat

activelysupportdigestionwill

definethe

nextgenerationof

healthierspiritsand

liqueurs.Bubble-Free#329Reduces

Bloating#572E

M

E

R

G

I

N

GNATURAL

INGREDIENTS+7%DigestiveTractHealth

#32FibreRich#284HelpsMaintainWeight#291Sugar-Free

#36Fermented#167Low

Sugar#207NaturalIngredients#217NoAddedSugar#348Low

volume

with

positive

rate

of

growth

High

volume

with

positive

rate

of

growth

High

volume

with

negligible

rate

of

growthTHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSBLACKSWAN

DATADigestion

#57Discomfort-free

drinkingBloatinganddisruptionstothegut

microbiomeareinterrupting

positivedrinkingexperiencesforGenZ

consumers.High

carbonationandbloatingMost

RTDs

have

highcarbonation

levels-which

leadsto

bloatinganddigestiveirritation

whenconsumedoverextended

periods.ParticularlyforthosewithIBS

orGERD.Thesesymptomsdisruptsocial

and

unwindingoccasions.They're

mood-killers

andcause

physical

discomfort.A

backfireonwhythey

drank

inthefirst

place.Artificialsdisruptingthegut

microbiomeTo

caterforcalorie-conscious

consumers,many

RTDscontainartificialsugars

andflavors.Theseingredientscandisruptthegut

microbiome

and

compromise

digestion.The

induceddiscomfort

increasesthe

needfor

post-drinkinggut

recovery.The

implicationDrinkingdiscomfort

isforcing

GenZtoturntogut-friendlyalternatives

to

RTDs.They

are

making

theirowngut-friendly

drinksor

movingtoadjacentcategories-

including

lowcarb

beersand

red

wine.Theseoptionsareperceivedas

less

likelyto

irritatethe

stomach

and

avoid

any

digestive-scaresthat

interruptfun.THE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSBLACKSWAN

DATARemovingsugar,carbonationandartificialsfrom

drinks

is

notenough

toappeal

toGenZ.Theywant

brandsto

be

more

intentional.Adding

botanicals,fermented

ingredients,aswellas

hydratingandfiber-rich

ingredientsto

spiritscansupportwellnessfrom

within.IngredientstoprioritizeLiquorice

Root,Cherry

Bittersand

Rosemary

helpsoothe

digestion.Theyare

increasingly

used

in

non-alc.

botanicalaperitifs.Andarepopularasagut-friendly

nightcapor

digestif.Consumersare

also

beginningtoadd

Fermented

Hot

Honeyto

margaritasand

PickleJuicetowhiskey

cocktails.Theseingredients

bring

boldflavorswhilesupportinggut

health.

GenZ

is

makingconcoctions

likethisforat-homesocial

events,

like

dinnerparties

andgame

nights.Hydrating

ingredientsthatare

also

rich

infiber

help

balancethe

effects

ofalcohol.Prickly

Pear

andCoconutWateraretrendingfortheir

pro-bodyimpact.Theflavorand

nutrientsofreal

fruitsdeliver

health

benefits,withoutsacrificingtaste.Drinks

that

work

withthe

body-

not

against

itFunctional,gut-friendlyingredientsare

the

keyfor

healthy,GenZ-friendlydrinkingHot

HoneyTPV#3Vol:4,419Growth:+36%FermentedBLACKSWAN

DATABotanicalsCherry

BittersTPV

#56Vol:690Growth:

+18%Prickly

PearTPV

#57Vol:2,702Growth:

+22%CoconutWaterTPV

#338Vol:

12,332Growth:

+22%PickleJuiceTPV

#27Vol:3,122Growth:

+5%RosemaryTPV

#759Vol:42,778Growth:+4%BotanicalsFermentedFiber-RichTHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSFiber-RichIt's

notentirely

bubble-free.

Butthewinebaseand

light

carbonation

makesfor

asmooth,digestion-friendly

alternativeto

hardseltzers.Livvy's

RTDsare

powered

bybotanicals.

Fromprickly

pearextracttodandelion

rootand

liquorice

root.

Itmeans

every

can

has

strong

antioxidant

and

anti-

inflammatory

properties.Whatcanotherbrandslearn?Many

RTDsstill

feelfrat-adjacent.

Livvyshowswhat'spossiblewhendrinksaredesignedfor

womenfirst,

notasanafterthought.They've

also

unlocked

newdrinkers

by

makingwineportableandcasual.Livvyareowningthe"in-between"occasion,the

sweet

spot

between

boring

and

boozy;whenspiritsorwine

aretoo

heavy

andasoft

drink

isn't

enough.This

light,

premium

andwellness-led

beverage

is

perfectforGenZ

who

drink

outside

ofold-schooloccasions.Unliketraditional

hardseltzers,Bluebird

has

ditchedthebubbles.Theyoffervodkaandtequila-based

hard

waters,

madewithstill,

purifiedwater.It

meansGenZcanenjoy

a

crisp,

low-calorie

drink

withoutthe

discomfortof

bloatingordigestiveirritation.Whatcanotherbrandslearn?Bluebirdtaps

intothewellnessspacewithout

claiming

anyovert

health

benefits.Consumers

describethe

drinksas

"clean"and

"light"

.Itjust

feels

healthierand

morecomfortabletodrink.Brandsshouldalso

notethe

simplicity

ofthe

formulation.Justwater,alcoholanda

hintof

flavor.

No

bubbles,

sugar

bombsor

long

ingredient

list.The

ultra-minimalistformula

standsout

bydoing

less.Livvy

offer

a

lightly

carbonatedwine-based

hardseltzer,

infusedwith

naturalfruitand

botanicalstoaid

gut

health.Bluebird

HardWatertacklesa

primaryfriction

pointfor

hardseltzers

-carbonation-induced

bloating.Brand

spotlightsSavory

flavorsIs

Gen

Z

ditching

oversweet

drinks?BATTLEGROUND

3#370UMAMISweet

is

out.Complexity

is

in.GenZthinksweet

flavors

arepredictable-

umami,

herbalandroastedsavoryflavorsare

much

more

exciting.We've

mappedthesavoryflavorsthataretrending

among

GenZconsumers.Youngerdrinkersare

movingawayfrom

sugary,fruityoptionsto

morecomplextastes.

For

a

mix

of

aesthetic

and

health

reasons.Herbal,Toastedand

Smoked

notes

remain

popular

savoryflavors.While

FatWashing

andSpicedSpirits

offerrichness

andtexture.Peatedflavorsarebeginning

to

grow.Theydeliverintensesensoryexperiences.And

Umami

ingredientsadda

culinary

curiosity.The

nextwaveofspiritswill

bebolder,

smokier,spicierand

moresensory-driven.Inshort,

GenZwantsophistication

oversugar.Peated#305SavouryCocktails#131Mizunara

Finish#323E

M

E

R

G

I

N

GG

R

O

W

I

N

GMAT

U

R

EToasted#166Smoked#282SavoryTaste#28Complex#316Umami#89Herbal#94Fat

Washing#254Spiced#294AromaLow

volume

with

positive

rate

of

growth

High

volume

with

positive

rate

of

growth

High

volume

with

negligible

rate

of

growthTHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSBLACKSWAN

DATA+33%BLACKSWAN

DATASavory

isthe

newpremiumForGen

Z,savory

isn'taflavor-

it's

a

statement.

It

signalscraft,exclusivityand

quality.Mostspiritsand

liqueurs

in-marketdefaulttosweetness

or

the

flavorofthealcoholitself.GenZwantoptionsthat

are

little

less

one-note.Whetherit'ssmoke,

spice

or

umamidepth-savory

flavors

tend

to

be

layeredand

nuanced.Morethoughtfully-designed,

likea

chef-curateddish.Thetastesare

subtle

andslow-building.Insteadofthe

instantgratification

ofasugarysnackoran

alcopop.It

makesthe

drinkingexperience

morecurated,more

intentionaland

morepremium.The

implicationFlavor

has

become

a

proxyforvalues

and

identity.

KeyconsiderationsforGenZ.

Niche,savoryflavorssignalculturalawareness,

individuality

andstatus.Brandsthatcantap

intothis

can

reach

outto

Gen

Z'saesthetic

needs.THE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURS5savory

flavorplatforms

to

watchGenZviewtheseflavorsas

markers

of

exclusivitythatstand

apartfromsaturatedsweet

andfruityofferings.Peated

malts,charredoakand

Mizunara

barrelaging

can

introducerare,smokyelements.

Perfectforspirits

designedto

shine

ontheirown.Fat-washing

with

butter

orolive

oil

bringsilky,indulgenttextures.

Enhancingflavorand

mouthfeel.Spicy

profiles,fromSansho,CardamomorCrackedPepperdeliver

boldsensoryappeal.Theseingredientsstrike

a

balance

betweenaroma,heatand

refinedtaste.HerbalinfusionsofThaiBasil

orJasmine

offerfreshnessand

complexity.While

brineyflavorsfrom

olives,

BalsamicVinegarand

SeaSalt

bring

umamidepths.GenZconnecttheseflavor

profileswith

curated,premium

experiences,worthyof

specialoccasions.THE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURS

BLACKSWAN

DATASpiced&AromaticSansho

(+30%)Cardamom

(+17%)Cracked

Pepper(+16%)Smoky&CharredMizunara

Oak(+15%)Ancho

Chilli(+12%)Smoke

Flavouring

(+3%)BrineyOlive

Brine(+18%)Balsamic

Vinegar

(+14%)Sea

Salt

(+14%)Umami&EarthySesame

Seed

(+33%)Nori

(+26%)Tonka

Bean

(+13%)HerbalHerbal

Infusion(+24%)Thai

Basil

(+15%)Jasmine(+15%)WarrendaleWagyu

isa

UK-based

beef

businessthat

have

enteredthe

spiritscategory

withawagyu

gin:

WA-GYN.Madewithfat

washingtechniques.Wagyu

fat

is

infused

intogintocreatea

savoryflavor

andsmooth,

buttery

mouthfeel.Umamiaromasare

added,with

bursts

of

grapefruit,

lemongrassandwarming

pink

peppercorn.Whatcanotherbrandslearn?This

productshows

howsavoryflavorscan

bepremiumand

playful.WhileWarrendaleis

notatraditionalalcohol

brand,they

are

redefiningwhata

spiritcan

taste

like.Viewingginthroughaculinary

lenswith

a

bold,

luxuriousand

unexpected

flavor

profile

appeals

directlytoGenZ's

unmet

needs

inthis

space.Cutwater’sSpicy

Bloody

Mary

RTDtaps

into

GenZ’sthirst

for

bold,culinary-inspiredflavours.Madewiththeirownaward-winningvodkaandasignatureBloody

Mary

spice

mix-

itscreams

premium.Theformulationdelivers

a

rich,

umamidepthwitha

fiery

kick.Aswell

as

a

thickened

mouthfeelso

itcanbe

sippedandsavored.Whatcanotherbrandslearn?Savorywinswhen

it'sfamiliar,

butupgraded.The

BloodyMary

isawell-knownsavorycocktail.

Notanobscureflavor

experiment.Cutwater

premiumizedsomethingclassic,adding

ina

spicy

kickto

amp

upthesensoryexperience.Brandspotlights

WARR

EN

DAEA

YUGlobalinfluencesAuthenticityover

hypeBATTLEGROUND

5A

passport

toglobalcultureInternationalspiritsand

liqueurs

are

a

meansforGenZto

explore

newcultures-as

long

as

the

storytellingand

provenance

isauthentic.Thesearethetopicstrendingamong

GenZ

consumers.Spirits

with

a

sense

of

place-whether

TraditionallyMadeorcrafted

inSmall

Batches-are

shapingwhat's

next

in

premium

drinking.GenZwantdrinks

rooted

inglobal

and

localcultures.French,

Mexican

andJapanesespirits

(aswellas

Hyper-

Localor"Madeinthe

USA")options

arevery

popular.Authenticity

isfundamental.Products

mustcarrythe

storyoftheirorigin,their

makingandtheir

maker.ForGenZ,

drinkingalcoholisn'tjust

abouttaste

or

effect.Theycareabouttheconnection,

experience

and

human

stories

behindevery

sip.TraditionallyMade#256SmallBatch#296Local#438MADEIN

MEXICOMade

in

Mexico

#8JapaneseSpirits#155Low

volume

with

positive

rate

of

growth

High

volume

with

positive

rate

of

growth

High

volume

with

negligible

rate

of

growthE

M

E

R

G

I

N

GG

R

O

W

I

N

GMAT

U

R

ETHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSMade

in

France#180AuthenticTaste

#73Craftmanship

#4BLACKSWAN

DATAHyper-Local#361+24%Unique#418Craft#420AuthenticityvsExploitationGenZ

consumersthink

mass-market

brandsare

exploitinganddilutingglobal

traditions.Thefloodofseeminglytraditional

spirits

iswateringdowngenuinecultureandcraftmanship.The

oversaturationofcelebritybrands-especiallytequila-

has

left

Gen

Zwitha

bitter

aftertaste.Manyofthese

brandsarebeingcriticisedfor

exploiting

local

farmersandworkers.Aswellas

misappropriatingculturalsymbols.

GenZ

isalso

callingout

brandsthatcutcorners

but

marketthemselves

as

authentic.Whetherit

be

industrialized

(ratherthantraditional)

production

methods

or

use

oflowerqualityingredients.The

implicationThis

disconnect

is

not

lostonGenZ.Theyare

scrutinizing

the

industry

for

real,unfilteredtradition.It's

afine

linefor

brands.A

delicate

balance

between

honoring

heritage

andcommodifying

it.GenZ

want

realstories

andcraftthat

connectthemwithglobalcultures.

Nogimmicks.

Noexploitation.Brandsthatgetthiswrongwilllose

appealwithyoung

people.TraceableTPV

#44Vol:7,295Growth:

+5%TraditionalFlavourTPV

#95Vol:2,533Growth:+3%AuthenticIngredientsTPV

#415Vol:186Growth:

+22%Additive-FreeTPV

#154Vol:6,521Growth:

+12%HandcraftedTPV

#198Vol:

18,346Growth:

+15%Product

cuesthat

appealtoTHE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSBLACKSWAN

DATAGen

ZWhichglobal

spirits

isGenZ

reachingfor?Whiskeydominates

preferences,

butlesser

knownspiritsfrom

MexicoandJapan

are

growing

in

popularity.USand

Europeanwhiskeys

leadtheway.Ourdata

revealsGenZ

likethe

richvanilla

sweetnessandsubtle

spice

of

KentuckyBourbon

andAmericanWhiskey.Theythink

Irish

Whiskey

has

asmoother,fruitier

profile.Andfind

it

easiertodrink.Cognac

alsoshows

promisinggrowth-whichalignswith

GenZ's

maturing

palatesand

premium

demands.Tequilaand

Mezcal

remain

popular.

Buttheirgrowth

isplateauing.

Instead,

SotolA?ejois

beginningtotrendamongGen

Z

drinkers.Sotol

hasa

richflavorand

richer

history,dating

backtotheindigenous

people

oftheChihuahuandesert.

Italso

has

more

sustainableharvesting

methodsthanagave-basedspirits.Meanwhile,globalspiritswith

herbal

profiles,

suchas

Fernetfrom

Italyand

ShochufromJapanaregaining

momentum.

ForGenZ,these

spiritsembodythe

stories,traditionsandflavors

of

their

place

of

origin.Theyfeel

authentic.Tastegood.And

providethekind

of

meaningfulexperiencesthatGenZ

crave.Cognac#504|Growing|+12%Thesefeatured

productsemergeasthetop

regionalspiritsamongGenZdrinkers

inour

data.Kentucky

Bourbon#236|

Mature|

+1%IrishWhiskey#409|

Mature|

+3%Shochu#131|Growing|+40%AmericanWhiskey#305|Growing|+19%Fernet#465|

Mature|

+5%Tequila#441|

Mature|

+7%Mezcal#565|

Mature|

-3%Global

spiritsTPV

Rank|Maturity

Phase

|Growth

%Sotol

A?elo#894|

Emerging|

+7%THE

FUTUREOFSPIRITS&

LIQUEURSSirDavis

isan

example

of

acelebrity

branddoneright.

It's

a

tributetoauthenticAmericanwhiskey

heritageinfusedwithglobal

innovations.Inspired

by

Beyoncé,sgreat-grandfather,

asuccessfulmoonshinerduring

Prohibition.Ratherthansimply

lending

her

name,

Beyoncépartneredwith

Mo?t

Hennessy-ensuringSirDavisiscraftedwithexpertise

and

credibility.It

blendstraditional

AmericantechniqueswithJapaneseandScottishwhiskey-makingandCaribbeanculturalreferences.Whatcanotherbrandslearn?It's

Beyoncé,s

brand-ofcourse

GenZwill

love

it...right?Beyondthe

obvious

hypethatsurroundsandfollowsthecelebrity

backer,

SirDavis

landswithGenZbecause

it

makes

luxurydiverseandinclusive.Itcelebratescross-cultural

identityand

rejects

old-schoolelitism-oftenassociatedwith

premiumwhiskey.Is

Sotolthe

nexttequila?

Desert

Doorthinksso...Desert

Door'sTexasSotol

honorsthedeep

heritage

oftheChihuahuan

beverage-dating

back

10,000years.Sotolwas

morethanjustadrink.Thesotol

plant

was

usedto

maketools

andtextiles.Desert

Doorembracesthis

history,

positioningtheir

product

asaculturalrevival,

notjustanalternative

totequila

ormezcal.Whatcanotherbrands

learn?Sotolisn'twell

known.

Desert

Door

leans

intothe

mystery

andobscurity.Tappinginto

GenZ's

love

fortheundiscovered.They're

introducingsomething

rare-

but

makingitfeel

local.

It

makesthe

spirit

culturallyauthentic

butaccessible.Desert

Dooralso

respectstraditionand

respectsthe

planet.Theirsmall

batch,

eco-friendly

production

is

more

sustainablethan

mainstream

competitors.Thisreally

matterstoGenZ

drinkers-especially

when

theenvironmentalresponsibilityfeelsembedded,

notperformative.Brand

spotlightsBLACKSWAN

DATA01Low/noand

in-betweenSober-curiosity

is

adesireforbalanc