This Q&A is a part of Observer’s Professional Insights sequence, the place trade leaders, innovators and strategists distill years of expertise into direct, sensible takeaways and ship readability on the problems shaping their industries. As director of commerce advocacy at Bacardi, Adrian Biggs has spent over 15 years on the forefront of world cocktail tradition, serving to bartenders, manufacturers and bars reimagine what luxurious hospitality means in an age outlined by expertise, story and connection. From London to Miami, he’s witnessed the evolution of the trendy bar from a nightlife vacation spot to a inventive, cultural touchpoint formed as a lot by craft and environment as what’s within the glass. Now, as bespoke experiences resurge and drinkers search authenticity over extra, Biggs helps steer the trade towards a extra community-driven and inclusive imaginative and prescient of hospitality.
Bacardi’s newly launched 2026 Cocktail Tendencies Report, which pulls insights from over 11,000 shoppers and 1000’s of bartenders worldwide, reveals a panorama the place the definition of “luxurious” is shifting, accelerated by youthful generations. Gen Z drinkers—now entering into better monetary independence—are reshaping expectations round when, the place and why folks drink. Their priorities lean towards connection, flexibility and what the report calls “playful luxurious,” prompting manufacturers to rethink the rituals of cocktail consumption. As financial pressures affect spending patterns throughout demographics, cocktails stay a resilient area for creativity and self-expression, with worth more and more outlined by the expertise surrounding the serve slightly than exclusivity alone. Biggs sees alternative on this transformation: an opportunity to raise the bartender as storyteller, mentor and curator of human expertise.
A number of broader behavioral shifts have additionally emerged: earlier consuming events like “daycaps,” a rising urge for food for small-format and low-ABV serves and a blurring line between daytime wellness-driven drinks and night cocktails. The final 12 months has seen a return to in-person, screen-light socializing as shoppers hunt down extra grounded, communal moments and a rising affect of accessible coaching initiatives. Taken collectively, these tendencies level to a cocktail tradition that adapts fluidly to folks’s moods, values and life, reinforcing the position of hospitality as an engine of creativity, mentorship and real human connection.
You’ve spent over 15 years serving to form world cocktail tradition. Waiting for 2026, what are the largest shifts you’re seeing in how folks outline “luxurious” relating to drinks?
Luxurious is evolving from merely “prime shelf” to deeply experiential, story-driven and significant. In our 2026 Bacardi Cocktail Tendencies Report (launched immediately), we spotlight how luxurious now means connection, craft and which means greater than mere exclusivity. Friends are looking for bars the place the narrative behind the glass, the provenance of the ingredient, the bartender’s contact, the environment, is as beneficial because the spirit itself. After years of digital saturation, individuals are buying and selling screens for shared sips, turning luxurious bars into sanctuaries of presence and connection.
The report additionally spotlights “Extra is Extra Mixology,” a development that celebrates indulgence as a type of pleasure and escape. It’s not about going excessive, however about experiences which can be deliberate, sensory and memorable. From an edible parfum drifting over a cocktail to a small-batch Patrón served with a narrative, visitors wish to join with the second.
True luxurious immediately sits on the intersection of authenticity and artistry. A $40 cocktail isn’t about exhibiting off, it’s about savoring craftsmanship, native substances and the individual behind the bar. That’s the place the way forward for luxurious is headed: from aspiration to connection.
Bacardi’s 2026 Cocktail Tendencies Report attracts insights from greater than 11,000 shoppers and 1000’s of bartenders worldwide. What’s one discovering that stunned even you?
Some of the stunning findings was how analog tradition is a type of luxurious. The report reveals that 84 % of shoppers consider expertise has made folks much less current, and that’s fueling a motion towards tactile, in-person experiences. Bartenders and bar homeowners are responding with screen-free nights, story-led menus and ritual-based serves that create area for real human interplay.
We see a cultural shift away from hyperconnectivity towards intentional, sensory-rich connection. From “studying room” glad hours in New York to micro-mix flights in Paris, individuals are embracing analog moments as emotional resets. It’s fascinating to see how Gen Z of authorized consuming age and millennials are reimagining when and the way they drink, favoring lighter, earlier-day indulgence, like St-Germain spritzes or Martini aperitifs, over late-night extra.
That steadiness between mindfulness and which means is what stunned me most. It proves that cocktail tradition isn’t retreating, it’s evolving. Even in a world filled with algorithms, the bartender stays irreplaceable. I consider human connection will at all times be the final word luxurious.
The phrase “luxurious” is usually related to exclusivity, however the hospitality trade appears to be transferring towards one thing extra inclusive and experiential. How are main manufacturers adapting to that shift?
In 2026, vacation spot bars are outlined by storytelling, native identification and inventive expression. Persons are drawn to areas that really feel related to their environment, the place each cocktail tells a narrative concerning the place it comes from. Certainly one of my favourite bars in Miami is Bar Kaiju, perched on the second flooring of a meals corridor in Little River, the place the spirit of Japanese monsters comes alive in each cocktail.
On the identical time, mixology is changing into extra like artwork. Bars and types are turning cocktails into showpieces by means of immersive experiences, inventive collaborations and considerate design. A drink isn’t simply one thing to sip, it’s one thing to expertise. The very best bars immediately create areas the place visitors can decelerate, admire the craft and really feel interested by what story the bar or cocktail will inform subsequent, engaging them to return.
How are youthful shoppers altering the economics of the luxurious bar and spirits market?
Youthful shoppers, significantly Gen Z and youthful millennials, are reshaping the luxurious bar panorama by prioritizing expertise, authenticity and conscious indulgence over mere standing. They’re much less taken with splurging to point out off and extra in drinks that match their routines and micro-celebrations. Tusk Bar on the Evelyn Resort in Miami serves Mini Gray Goose and Bombay Sapphire Martinis, showcasing how bars are embracing smaller-format cocktails and shareable flights to supply worth whereas conserving experiences approachable.
The tendencies report reveals that there’s a 26 % world enhance in consuming premium spirits, led by the 30 to 44 age group with 31 %, signaling that youthful shoppers are actively driving the market towards elevated, higher-quality drinks.
Shoppers now outline luxurious by the expertise, the story behind the cocktail and the human contact of expert bartenders—not by value. Bars and types that mix craft, creativity and group see this method drive loyalty, repeat visits and relevance with the subsequent technology of luxurious drinkers.
“Vacation spot bars” are rising as cultural hubs as a lot as nightlife spots. What makes a bar a real vacation spot in 2026, and the way do these experiences reshape expectations for the whole class?
Vacation spot bars in 2026 are outlined not simply by their drink menu, however by the experiences they provide and the tales they inform. Patrons are looking for areas the place craft, creativity and group converge, whether or not by means of immersive cocktail displays, artist collaborations, or interactive, shareable moments that flip an evening out right into a reminiscence.
A few of my favourite vacation spot bars that transport you to a brand new place embody Jingle Jangle at The Lifeless Rabbit in New York, launching Nov. 18, remodeling you right into a Christmas wonderland inside a standard Irish bar. Café La Trova in Little Havana, Miami, the epitome of Previous Havana, with genuine Cuban uniforms, stay music and an expertise that absolutely immerses visitors in Cuba. Treatment in New Orleans is definitely worth the drive, not on Bourbon Road, however delivering a real New Orleans expertise whereas showcasing town’s traditional cocktail tradition.
A 3rd of world respondents to the report are going out earlier within the night, indicating that customers prioritize moments that match into their routines over late-night extra, creating a chance for bars to rethink programming, presentation and social moments, providing extra accessible and experiential codecs that encourage connection and repeat visits.
By elevating the expertise past the glass, vacation spot bars reshape expectations for the trade, setting a brand new normal for innovation, storytelling and visitor engagement. On this setting, bartenders turn into cultural curators, translating substances, methods and human interplay into significant moments that outline luxurious hospitality.
In an period of A.I. and digital every thing, the report mentions the rise of “analog experiences.” What does that imply for bar design, service and the way forward for the visitor expertise?
The rise of analog experiences displays a rising want to reconnect with the tactile, social and human sides of consuming, as visitors more and more search interactions that really feel private, hands-on and immersive. Bars are responding by designing areas that prioritize craft, environment and human engagement, from screen-free zones and interactive cocktail stations to chef-driven mixology and storytelling on the bar.
At The Fort, a pickleball facility in Fort Lauderdale, visitors can get pleasure from a full meals and beverage expertise from High Cooks Jeff McInnis and Janine Sales space on the Florida Room, mixing sports activities, eating and social connection. Throughout the Atlantic, Kwānt in London was designed with a cocktail omakase expertise in thoughts, inviting visitors to sit down proper on the bar and interact instantly with the bartender as every cocktail is crafted earlier than them.
Analog experiences enable visitors to interact deeply with bartenders, substances and the second itself, creating emotional resonance that A.I. and automation can’t replicate. The analog renaissance reinforces that connection, craft and group are the final word drivers of engagement and loyalty in 2026, making expert bartenders central to the way forward for luxurious hospitality.
Bacardi has been behind among the most recognizable cocktails of the final decade, from the Honey Deuce to the Hugo Spritz. How do you steadiness innovation with familiarity when creating the subsequent technology of drinks?
Balancing innovation with familiarity is all about honoring the classics whereas conserving issues recent and thrilling. The Gray Goose Honey Deuce, the primary cocktail in sports activities, reveals how a easy serve with a intelligent cultural cue like its signature honeydew balls—designed to emulate tennis balls—can turn into iconic. The St-Germain Hugo Spritz does the identical for a brand new technology of spritz lovers with its mild, floral profile. Each drinks strike that steadiness between heritage and trendy enchantment, proving that immediately’s visitors love cocktails that really feel each acquainted and aspirational.
For me, cocktails are actually about connection, creating moments the place folks can come collectively, share amusing and revel in one thing that sparks dialog. Drinks just like the Gray Goose Honey Deuce or the St-Germain Hugo Spritz should not simply cocktails, they’re experiences that begin tales and convey folks nearer, whether or not it’s at glad hour or courtside.
Shoppers have gotten extra ingredient-conscious and sustainability-minded. How are these priorities influencing product improvement and bar applications globally?
Sustainability and ingredient transparency are more and more shaping product improvement and bar applications. Shoppers are prioritizing regionally sourced, additive-free and responsibly produced substances, with a 3rd of shoppers valuing native sourcing and on the lookout for sustainably sourced elements. Patrón is a superb instance of a model that’s leaning into its constant use of solely three substances (agave,
Bartenders are embracing these tendencies by experimenting with classics, new flavors, zero-waste substances and ferments like kombucha. Small-format cocktails, shared experiences and micro-mix flights enable bars to showcase indulgence and innovation whereas conserving sustainability and transparency entrance of thoughts, exhibiting that sustainability and luxurious hospitality can coexist.
Training and advocacy appear central to your position. Are you able to share how initiatives like Shake Your Future and Fundamentals of Bartending are shaping the pipeline of latest expertise, and why that funding issues now greater than ever?
Bacardi applications are designed to construct each expertise and confidence amongst new and rising bartenders. Shake Your Future empowers underrepresented or unemployed younger adults to start out careers in mixology, giving unemployed or underrepresented folks the prospect to be taught the craft professionally and create a profession in hospitality. This program has beforehand been held globally in Barcelona, Madrid, Glasgow and Paris, connecting out-of-work bartenders to prime trade professionals to supply important expertise and methods for creating probably the most in-demand cocktails.
Our initiatives have actual influence: 80 % of Shake Your Future graduates globally safe careers in hospitality, exhibiting how schooling opens doorways and strengthens trade requirements. Free Pour, our on-line platform, extends studying to bartenders in any respect ranges, combining mixology methods, class data and galvanizing insights for steady skilled development.
Our manufacturers additionally convey schooling and advocacy to life in distinctive methods. For Bombay Sapphire, our ambassadors lead Laverstoke Calling, an immersive expertise for top-tier commerce that explores drive carbonation whereas showcasing what makes the gin good for mild, glowing cocktails. Equally, the Wset x Patrón Agave Certification Program deepens bartenders’ understanding of tequila, from agave cultivation to distillation, fueling data and appreciation throughout the class.
Investing in schooling advantages each bars and types, as expert bartenders turn into genuine ambassadors who translate experience into memorable visitor experiences whereas reinforcing loyalty and engagement. By supporting the subsequent technology of expertise, Bacardi ensures that human connection stays on the coronary heart of luxurious hospitality.
The hospitality trade nonetheless faces challenges round retention and burnout. How can mentorship and schooling change that narrative for younger bartenders getting into the sphere?
Mentorship and schooling assist create supportive environments that equip bartenders to thrive. Bacardi applications like Shake Your Future present hands-on coaching, trade perception and steering from skilled professionals, decreasing uncertainty, constructing confidence and fostering long-term profession dedication, serving to forestall burnout and inspiring bartenders to develop their craft with function.
Finally, investing in schooling and mentorship ensures a stronger, extra expert workforce, elevates trade requirements and permits bars to persistently ship distinctive experiences. When bartenders really feel supported, the whole visitor expertise advantages.
We’ve seen the premiumization development speed up throughout spirits. How do you distinguish between “premium” and “pretentious,” and what classes has Bacardi realized from the evolution of shopper expectations?
Shoppers immediately aren’t chasing standing; they’re making intentional selections. Once they exit, they depend on bartender suggestions and menus to information them. Premium now means purposeful, and individuals are gravitating towards manufacturers that ship actual worth by means of high quality, transparency and steering that enhances the expertise.
Bacardi displays this mindset by supporting each bartender experience and menu-driven selections, whereas introducing restricted editions and uncommon releases for individuals who search one thing extra unique. It’s much less about extravagance and extra about intention, making certain each pour feels real, crafted and by no means pretentious.
New York, London and Singapore have lengthy led world cocktail tradition, however a lot of immediately’s most enjoyable cocktail actions are occurring outdoors of main capitals. What’s driving that decentralization of affect, and the place are you seeing recent innovation emerge?
Cocktail innovation is not confined to world capitals. In Arizona, Little Rituals, a smooth cocktail bar celebrated for its creative drinks, took residence the award for Greatest Resort Bar on the 2025 Spirited Awards, whereas Cobra in Columbus, Ohio is bringing Asian American tradition to life within the Midwest.
Smaller cities and communities usually introduce taste profiles and presentation kinds not sometimes seen in main markets, enriching the worldwide cocktail scene. Shoppers are looking for authenticity and connection, selecting bars that showcase native tales, flavors and craftsmanship. Seventy-seven % of shoppers now test a product’s area of origin when studying labels, highlighting a world curiosity in provenance and native influence. Innovation now comes from wherever individuals are exploring craft, tradition and group.
How is the road between bar, model and cultural establishment blurring, and what duties include that new degree of affect?
The road between bar, model and cultural establishment is more and more outlined by creativity and indulgence. Drinks are actually gateways to journey, mixing daring flavors, edible parfum, slowly dissolving substances and immersive ‘magical’ moments that 76 % of shoppers globally say heighten their expertise. With this affect, manufacturers and bars have a accountability to innovate thoughtfully, pushing boundaries whereas remaining genuine, clear and rooted in craft, so indulgence by no means comes on the expense of high quality or accessibility.
Shoppers more and more select manufacturers and bars that align with their values, from transparency in substances to the storytelling behind every drink. Our 2026 Tendencies Report highlights that 70 % of shoppers spend twice as a lot on manufacturers they really feel loyal to, reinforcing the significance of belief, authenticity and engagement. Bars and types now function curators of tradition, experiences and connection, with each interplay shaping notion and loyalty.
From style crossovers to artwork installations, collaboration has turn into a defining drive in luxurious. How is that inventive change influencing the way in which bars and types construct cultural relevance?
These inventive partnerships let our manufacturers mix style, visible artwork and cultural storytelling, providing multisensory experiences that transcend conventional hospitality.
With greater than half of Gen Z saying in-person moments are definitely worth the effort, we’re seeing shoppers search shareable, visually hanging experiences that mix tradition, creativity, and social connection, main Bacardi to faucet into this development: Dewar’s partnered with luxurious crystal-maker Baccarat to create an ultra-exclusive speakeasy on the 78th Annual Tony Awards in New York, a collaboration persevering with into 2026, whereas Gray Goose’s Resort marketing campaign teamed up with Zoe Saldaña to spotlight aspirational locations and luxurious, turning bars and activations into hubs for cultural storytelling and immersive, Instagram-worthy moments.
For folks getting into hospitality immediately, what expertise or mindsets will matter most in constructing a long-term profession?
Working in hospitality immediately is about way over mixing an amazing drink or crafting a menu. It’s concerning the connections you create with each visitor and the interactions that flip a second at a bar right into a reminiscence. Christine Kim of Service Bar in Washington, D.C., lately shared how her workforce embraces a “RAH” mentality, or Random Acts of Hospitality, creating shock and delight moments that make visitors really feel really valued.
At Bacardi, our coaching applications transcend cocktail methods to incorporate customer support, presentation and visible storytelling and the artwork of constructing genuine relationships. Applications like Shake Your Future mix mentorship, enterprise expertise, private improvement and mixology coaching to provide younger expertise a well-rounded basis for long-term careers. Our Fundamentals of Bartending program focuses on sensible expertise corresponding to cocktail constructing and bar operations whereas additionally instructing confidence, presentation, presence and significant visitor connection. Latest classes in markets like Atlanta present the influence of equipping bartenders not simply with instruments, however with the abilities to create real, memorable experiences at each touchpoint.
For those who needed to predict one defining bar habits of 2026—the type of second that captures the place tradition is headed—what wouldn’t it be?
In 2026, shoppers have gotten extra intentional about the place, what and after they drink, looking for experiences that align with their every day routines and provide a motive to decelerate, join and discover new flavors collectively. Gen Z, particularly, is redefining consuming tradition, buying and selling late-night extra for lighter, extra conscious indulgence earlier within the day. At ViceVersa in Miami, cocktails are served solely till 8 p.m., with peak hours between 5 p.m. and eight p.m. Their choose-your-own martin a part of their menu offers visitors the liberty to personalize their expertise, reflecting a rising demand for personalization and creativity behind the bar.
At its coronary heart, 2026 is all about social, experiential consuming, the place bartenders’ craft, creativity and storytelling convey folks collectively for moments that really feel significant, memorable and really human.
