Understanding Today’s Spirits Consumer: What Demand Looks Like Across Categories

Ask five people what they drink, and you might get five completely different answers. One sticks with vodka. Another has become a fan of tequila. Someone else prefers whiskey but likes trying new cocktails when they’re out. And another might drink spirits only occasionally, choosing a canned cocktail for a summer event or a premium bottle for a special occasion.

That variety is part of what makes the spirits category interesting, but it can also complicate product decisions for businesses. Understanding spirits consumer trends isn't just about identifying the category with the highest sales. It’s about understanding what people are buying, where they're buying it, and what might be driving the choice.

Current data shows consumers becoming more selective with their alcohol purchases overall, but that doesn't mean demand has disappeared. Instead, certain spirits categories, formats, and occasions are performing better than others. For businesses, understanding those differences can help build an assortment around real customer behavior instead of assumptions about what should sell.

Vodka, Tequila, and Whiskey Still Do a Lot of the Heavy Lifting

If you're looking at the most popular spirits categories in the U.S., vodka, tequila, and whiskey remain important places to start. Their relative strength can change depending on the channel, but the latest research on U.S. on-premise spirits consumers found vodka, whiskey, and tequila among the core categories consumers choose while out, with 26% selecting vodka, 24% whiskey, and 22% tequila. More than half of U.S. on-premise visitors who drink alcohol choose spirits, reinforcing how important those core categories remain for bars and restaurants.

Each category serves consumers a little differently:

• Vodka: Its versatility gives it a place across simple mixed drinks, classic cocktails, flavored options, premium pours, and ready-to-drink products. For many businesses, it’s a dependable category because it works across so many occasions without requiring the consumer to be particularly adventurous.
  
  
• Whiskey: It brings plenty of range on its own. Bourbon, American whiskey, Canadian whisky, Irish whiskey, Scotch, flavored whiskey, and other styles can appeal to different customers and price points. NIQ's analysis of American whiskey in the on-premise found that whiskey remains one of the three highest-grossing spirits segments in U.S. bars and restaurants, even as parts of the category have faced softer volume.
  
  
• Tequila:. What was once strongly associated with shots and Margaritas has developed into a much broader category. Consumers now encounter tequila in everything from canned cocktails and casual mixed drinks to premium sipping occasions. NIQ found tequila accounted for 23.7% of U.S. on-premise spirits sales by value in the 12 months to mid-August 2025, slightly ahead of vodka and whiskey.

For businesses, the lesson isn't necessarily to pick a winner among the three. In many programs, the opportunity is making sure the depth within each category reflects how important it actually is to your customers.

Tequila Has Become More Than a Margarita Ingredient

Tequila deserves a closer look because its growth has changed what consumers expect from the category. Margaritas remain a major driver. 2026 cocktail research found that the Margarita continues to lead U.S. cocktail preferences across generations, while 45% of on-premise consumers identify tequila as their favorite cocktail base.

But tequila demand extends beyond one drink. Consumers can move between blanco, reposado, añejo, flavored products, premium bottles, shots, mixed drinks, and RTDs depending on the occasion. That gives retailers and operators several ways to participate in the category without necessarily carrying an extensive tequila assortment.

Tequila is also reaching a broad audience. Consumer research shows the category is particularly strong among consumers under 35 while also reaching a diverse demographic base. That’s useful information when planning a spirits set. If tequila performs strongly in your location, the question may no longer be whether to carry it. The better question is whether you have enough variety within the category to serve the different ways customers buy it.

For one business, that may mean adding a premium option. For another, the gap might be an approachable bottle for cocktails. A restaurant could need a tequila that works particularly well in its Margarita program, while a retailer may need several price points because customers are shopping for very different occasions.

Don’t Disregard Categories That Aren’t Leading the Headlines

It’s easy to focus on whatever category is getting the most attention, but a strong spirits program still needs to reflect the full range of customer demand. Rum is a good example. Recent research on the U.S. rum market found the mainstream category facing pressure, particularly in on-premise. At the same time, opportunities remain within particular segments, occasions, and channels.

Cocktail behavior helps explain why. Rum may not be the first spirit every consumer names as a favorite, but it remains important to drinks like Piña Coladas, Mojitos, and Daiquiris. If those drinks matter to your guests, rum matters to your program.

Other categories can play similarly specific roles. Liqueurs and cordials may not command the same shelf or back-bar space as vodka or whiskey, but they can be essential ingredients in popular cocktails. Gin may have a smaller consumer base but still be important for a particular restaurant concept or customer demographic.

That’s why “most popular” shouldn’t automatically translate into “give it all the space.” A category's role in your business matters just as much as its national ranking.

RTDs Are Changing How Some Consumers Buy Spirits

Some of the most notable spirits demand isn't happening in a traditional 750 mL bottle at all. Spirit-based ready-to-drink beverages continue to be an important area to watch. The Distilled Spirits Council's 2025 economic briefing reported a 16.4% increase in sales of spirits-based RTD cocktails in 2025, making them a standout in an otherwise challenging year for beverage alcohol.

IWSR's U.S. market data tells a similar story. While overall spirits volumes declined in 2025, spirit-based RTDs grew 14% by volume. Convenience is obviously part of the appeal. A consumer can get a recognizable cocktail or spirit-based drink without buying several ingredients or making it themselves. Single-serve packaging also works particularly well for occasions where portability matters.

For retailers, RTDs may create opportunities around cold availability, grab-and-go purchases, entertaining, outdoor occasions, and seasonal demand. For bars, restaurants, and venues, the use case can be different. RTDs may work well in environments where speed, portability, or limited bar infrastructure matter more than a traditional made-to-order cocktail. Once again, the channel changes the opportunity.

What Sells at Retail vs. What Gets Ordered at the Bar

One of the biggest mistakes businesses can make when looking at liquor buying trends is assuming consumer demand looks the same everywhere. Retail shoppers are often purchasing with a future occasion in mind. They might be stocking the home bar, preparing for a party, buying a gift, replacing a favorite bottle, or gathering ingredients for a specific cocktail. Price, package size, brand recognition, and shelf visibility can all influence the decision.

On-premise consumers are buying an experience along with the drink. The cocktail menu, bartender recommendation, restaurant concept, presentation, and occasion can influence which spirit they choose. That environment can also encourage experimentation. Studies found that Gen Z consumers sample an average of 11 brands and five drink categories during on-premise occasions, more than any other generation. More than one-third frequently try new cocktail styles when they're out.

That makes bars and restaurants key places for discovery. A consumer can try a spirit without committing to a full bottle, learn about it from a bartender, and potentially look for it again later at retail.

Event-driven demand brings another set of priorities. Weddings, concerts, sporting events, corporate gatherings, and festivals can favor recognizable brands, streamlined choices, cocktails that can be served efficiently, or convenient formats. Volume and speed may matter considerably more than offering deep selection. Understanding the occasion helps explain the purchase.

Follow Demand Without Letting It Run the Whole Show

Consumer data can help you make better assortment decisions, but it shouldn't be the only input. National trends can show you where demand is moving. Your own sales, customer requests, menu performance, seasonal patterns, and local market tell you whether those trends actually apply to your business.

If tequila is growing nationally but barely moving at your location, immediately expanding the category may not make sense. Look at why. Do your customers prefer something else? Are you missing the right price point? Is the product hard to find on the shelf? Does your restaurant menu give guests a reason to order it?

The reverse can happen, too. You may have a category that isn't generating major industry headlines but performs extremely well for your particular customer base. That seller shouldn't lose space simply because another category has better national numbers.

This is especially important in the current alcohol market. A 2026 analysis of U.S. beverage alcohol demand found that overall spirits volumes fell 4% in 2025 as consumers dealt with economic pressure and became more selective about their alcohol purchases. Cost is now the most commonly cited reason for drinking less. Consumers aren't necessarily walking away from spirits. They’re making choices more carefully. That makes it even more important to understand which products your customers consider worth buying.

Turn Consumer Behavior Into Better Product Decisions

Once you understand demand, the next step is translating it into the assortment. Start with your core categories. Do you have appropriate coverage in the spirits your customers purchase most often? Then look within those categories. Are you giving people choices at the price points that matter? Is there enough variety without carrying several products that serve essentially the same purpose?

Next, look for gaps that consumer behavior might reveal. Maybe tequila has grown enough to warrant another price tier. Perhaps a spirit-based RTD fits a convenience occasion you aren't currently serving. Your cocktail menu might call for a particular liqueur or rum even though the category doesn't need significant depth overall.

And keep some room to test. Consumer discovery is part of the category, particularly among younger legal-drinking-age adults. A spirits assortment that never changes can miss new opportunities just as easily as one that changes too often can lose focus.

The goal is a product mix that has a strong core, reflects what your customers actually buy, and gives you enough flexibility to respond when demand changes.

Customer Purchases Will Tell You What the Right Spirits Mix Looks Like

Bernick’s works with customers across different types of businesses, and we know that spirits demand doesn't look exactly the same from one account to the next. Our team can help customers evaluate the role different spirits categories play in their program, identify products across price points, consider emerging opportunities, and make adjustments as purchasing patterns change. We also bring the perspective that comes from working across a broader beverage portfolio, because consumers don't make their choices in a spirits-only bubble.

A strong spirits program starts with understanding the people you're trying to serve. Industry data can point you in the right direction, but local buying behavior tells you where to go from there.