As we head into 2026, it feels like some spirits brands are trying mix a cocktail without a recipe.
There’s a certain fraught anticipation in the air: global tariff anxieties rattling the ice, whispers of declining spirits consumption swirling like an over-diluted Negroni, and a sense that the sector must decide whether it’s in the business of selling stories, status, or simply great drinks.
However, there’s no reason to fall prey to negativity this early on. If the last decade has taught us anything, it’s that the drinks world is remarkably adept at reinvention. The doom and gloom around a downturn in global alcohol consumption might appear to be another rusting nail in its coffin, but it’s easy to forget that we’re coming off a huge post-Covid bounce, when consumption went through the roof. All excesses must eventually regress to the mean.
So, in the spirit of gentle provocation, and with a nod to the hopeful pragmatism that has always underpinned our industry, here are six things I’d dearly love to see happen in 2026.
Less Peacocking, More Substance
Let’s begin with the elephant in the room, or rather, the overly ornate, purposeless decanter. Over the last few years – something I discussed in detail last November – spirits packaging has drifted perilously close to the world of ephemeral high fashion: exotic woods, brushed metals, sculpted glass, crystal display plinths. And that’s before we’ve even tasted the liquid.
I am not against beauty. But I am against beauty when it is used as camouflage.
Some spirits brands, keen to justify high prices or divert attention from so-so liquid, have leaned heavily into ornate presentation as a substitute for genuine substance. It’s the equivalent of turning up to a tasting wearing a bespoke Savile Row three-piece suit, only to forget the bottle.
In 2026, I want to see packaging recalibrated to complement rather than overwhelm. Let the liquid speak first. Let the design follow. The most cherished bottles throughout history are remembered not because they came encased in an anonymous plaster shell or sat precariously on a hand-polished glass meringue nest, but because what was inside left a lasting impression.
A Renaissance for Blended Whisky
If there’s one long-standing injustice in the whisky world, it’s the reputation of the blend.
For too long, blended whisky has been cast as the unloved cousin of single malt: useful, ever-present, but rarely given its due. This is both unfair and historically absurd. Blending is one of the great artistic endeavors of spirits making. It’s a canvas that allows creativity, balance, nuance, and consistency in ways single malt simply cannot. Brands like Woven and Compass Box have sought to change the balance and do so wonderfully, but the challenge remains immense.
This year, I want to see more producers champion blends as a proud category and celebrate the blender’s craftsmanship. Highlight the spectrum of flavors achieved through thoughtful assembly and encourage drinkers to explore blends not because they’re cheaper, but because they’re brilliant.
The next cult bottle might just be a blend, if we finally permit it to shine.
Less Innovation, More Purpose
Innovation is vital. It keeps brands nimble and ideas fresh. But innovation for innovation’s sake has plagued the industry in recent years, particularly in whisky, where cask finishing and filtering has become an untenable pursuit.
We’ve reached the point where consumers are struggling to keep up. Mizunara, Marsala, maple syrup casks; casks from craft breweries, bakeries, confectionery boutiques. OK, I made the last two up, but at this rate, we’ll be finishing whisky in first-fill Venezuelan oil barrels by 2027, just because it’s topical.
The world does not need endless new cask finishes, or a new way to filter out color, and it certainly doesn’t need them released with the breathlessness and fanfare of a scientific breakthrough.
It is time to refocus innovation on things that matter: sustainability (such as ultra-light glass bottles), efficiency, flavor authenticity, long-term production vision, and agricultural impact. No gimmicks. No novelty. Not “because we could.” The most radical move a distillery could make this year might simply be to review its core pricing and distribution strategy, rather than distract us with the next shiny experiment.
Transparency in Tequila
Tequila has enjoyed an extraordinary boom of late, but with the boom comes the bandwagon. And with the bandwagon comes corner-cutting and misdirection. We’re seeing more industrial production methods and undisclosed additives quietly sneaking into “100% agave” brands, leaving consumers to guess what’s in the bottle.
If 2026 is to be a meaningful turning point for the spirit, we need genuine transparency in tequila production. Not vague statements. Not selective storytelling. Real disclosure: how the agave was grown, how it was cooked, how the spirit was fermented and distilled, and what, if anything, was added afterward.
I have all the time in the world for natural flavors or infusions as a way to innovate in a relatively conservative category, but let’s keep it above board, honest, and written on the label.
More Attention to Place and Provenance
For all the globalization in drinks, the most compelling spirits still tell us something intimate about where they’re made: the soil, the water, the climate, the people. But too often, brands become untethered from their geographic roots, focusing instead on universal lifestyle imagery or luxury cues.
In 2026, I want to see spirits reconnect with their sense of place and encourage more personal travel to these hallowed grounds. It’s what got me excited about spirits production some 20 years ago and a pilgrimage to ‘the place that makes it’ will never be trumped by artifice.
Show us the fields where the barley or the agave grows. Introduce us to the cooper who shapes the casks. Tell the story of the community that anchors the distillery. Let terroir in spirits, however hotly debated, be explored with sincerity and curiosity rather than marketing spin.
Drinkers are hungry for authenticity, especially in a year when external pressures make trust more important than ever. The industry has an opportunity to lean into provenance not as a buzzword, but as a guiding principle.
Simple, Honest Communication
Spirits are complicated, yet explaining them does not need to be.
Somewhere along the way, communication became bogged down by a lexicon of production details, endless flavor wheels, scientific jargon, and marketing folklore dressed up as historical fact. Instead of helping new drinkers step confidently into the category, the industry has built a barrier of alienating language.
For 2026, I want to see a return to simple terms that make the category approachable again. “This is delicious” instead of “a cornucopia of complexity.” “Wood smoke” instead of “toasted Guyana tonka beans.” Even “smooth” has a place in the drinker’s vocabulary.
The industry should embrace its playful side, its unpretentious joy, and its ability to bring people together. In that spirit, let’s embrace communication that feels welcoming and disarmingly straightforward. Complexity is wonderful, but clarity and warmth will bring people in.
A Final Toast to 2026
Yes, the year ahead may be turbulent. There will be tariff debates, shifting consumption patterns, and challenging economic winds. But these moments of industry introspection are exactly when we have the chance to strengthen our foundations.
Better communication. More honesty. Fewer gimmicks. Quality at a fair price. Greater reverence for craft and place. That’s a future worth raising a glass to.
