What’s trending in European spirits?

Modern consumers are movers and shakers - when it comes to their drinking habits. During, and since the Covid pandemic, home cocktail bars have risen in popularity dramatically and this, coupled with a yearning for nostalgia and authenticity, has in turn led many to rediscover classic European spirits. From artisan-made Cognac, to delicate botanical infusions, and smooth traditional vodkas, today’s drinkers want something a bit more sophisticated from their serve – and they’re willing to pay a premium for the privilege.

Nathan Shearer, head of education at drinks agency, Speciality Brands, reflects, “People are carefully curating their bar carts, and learning how to master a range of serves at home, whether that’s to entertain guests, or simply unwind after a long week.”

They’re also keen to replicate their favourite bar experiences, adds Stuart Findlater, business director at Mixologist’s Garden.

At-home bartenders’ “enthusiastic attitude to the elevation of established drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, is paving the way for a whole new approach to entertaining,” he says.

It’s time for retailers to consider more thoughtfully what sits on their shelves, with Continental spirits having a huge role to play thanks to their authenticity and consistency of quality, says Nick Worthington, CEO and co-founder of DrinksOne, and consultant to the EU’s More Than Only Food & Drink campaign.

“There’s a lot of history and heritage that’s gone into these brands,” he explains. “They have experience behind them, exceptional flavours to offer, and their profiling and labelling is all very clear, which is important. They stand by what they make.”

Nick says classically revered spirits such as Armagnac and Calvados are experiencing a resurgence, ‘speaking’ to a whole new audience thanks to continued innovation, with newer brands coming through, and regeneration of older brands seeking to enhance their relevance. “These makers are talking to consumers in the right way, engaging with them, and ensuring they understand their products and know how to use them.”

Legacy is huge in this sphere. “This gives brands their quality credentials. People know what they’re getting, and that trust factor is so important.”

Innovation in the European spirits sector

Nick finds the drive and entrepreneurship of those working in Europe’s spirit industry right now incredibly refreshing. He points to Portugal, especially, as having a renaissance outside of its historic ties to drinks such as Port. “The international set are embedding themselves into new markets,” Nick explains. “Places like Portugal have become a melting pot of people from all over the world. They’re relocating to live, and with that bringing some of their culture with them. So, besides Portugal being a hot destination from a travelling perspective, the drinks scene in places like Lisbon is leading to cool products coming out, such as aperitifs and gins.”

The direction of travel for innovation continues to be steered towards sustainability too, Nick continues. “Producers have always been very tied to the land because they were often farming and using their own produce. It’s that circular system, and wanting to give back as much as they take.” Nick says he’s finding more and more brands championing sustainability within the spirits sector, having discussions about energy use, pesticides, and looking after the land. “Organic is something that’s definitely coming through too and being talked about more.”

The trends to watch in European spirits

Something that won’t have gone unnoticed in the last 12-24 months is the sharp rise in interest around spritzes, which are being found much more ubiquitously across Europe, outside of their ‘homeland’ of Italy. Though they have that essential bitter note at heart, new brands are getting creative, playing with flavour profiles such as tea or orange wine. As a result, Nick says the quality is being driven up. “Aperitifs with cherry or elderflower are doing really well. And we’re now also seeing these drinks coming through in RTDs, so you’re getting the perfect spritz serve every time.”

Giuseppe Gallo, CEO of ItalSpirits, says he’s certainly noticed aperitivo, as a drinking concept, continuing to expand, “driven by younger consumers adopting a more mindful and ethical approach to cocktails and drinking, with it becoming more of an occasion, rather than overindulging. The rise of the spritz has been pivotal, with this iconic cocktail now evolving into numerous variations.”

Giuseppe adds that a new wave of aperitivo-inspired drinks have “brought fresh energy” to the category, such as the Sgroppino (vodka, Prosecco and lemon sorbet), Garibaldi (Campari, orange juice and sparkling wine), and Sbagliato (a Negroni made with Prosecco in place of gin).

“The rise of aperitivo culture represents more than just a growing trend – it’s a shift towards a more refined way of enjoying drinks, offering balance and sophistication in a glass.”

Rum is another space to watch, says Nick, who thinks we’ll see more of the spirit produced by EU makers in the coming years. “These are designed for the European palate, which is where the appeal will be. Whereas Caribbean rums have always been produced in a special, traditional way, with European rums, there are some interesting things coming through. I think there’s going to be a lot of excitement here.”

Low and no spirits from Europe are worth retailers seeking out as well, remarks Giuseppe, who adds it’s a key area experiencing consistent double-digit growth in volume and value, reflecting broader consumer focus on moderation.

He says low-ABV, along with aperitivo-type drinks, “continue to outperform other segments within liqueurs and speciality spirits”, and has also observed a strong preference for brands that align with evolving consumer values. “Products highlighting benefits such as being vegan, gluten free or sustainably produced have gained significant traction.”

According to Ben Wilson, creative director of Parisian cocktail bar, The Honey Moon, botanical spirits that go beyond gin are also the ones to watch when it comes to trends in spirits right now. “The category used to be gin, aquavit, absinthe and the occasional vodka, however categories have expanded, definitions have become wispy, and bars are vacuum distilling everything they can get their hands on. For better or worse, we’ve hit the ‘free jazz’ era of botanical-infused and redistilled spirits.”

Ben thinks this represents huge opportunities for producers, retailers and consumers. “The explosive possibilities of ‘flavour + spirit’ will delight fans and deter purists, and once the dust has settled, some transcendent stuff will make it through.”

5 essential European spirits to stock

Nick selects just a few must-haves for all retailers and home bartenders.

1. Cognac is an obvious one. It’s available in VS, VSOP and XO expressions. VS tends to be aged at a minimum of two years, XO is a sipping style with a minimum age of 10 years and a much higher price tag, and VSOP sits somewhere in the middle. We find a lot of people go for VSOP because it has a slightly more aged quality, but is still a good, affordable price. It’s aged for a minimum of four years, but can go up to 12, and those made using fine or rare grape varieties can be slightly more premium on price. When sampling VSOP Cognac, look for stone fruit, and stewed fruit notes, with a bit of spice in there, and potential leathery, wood notes in older bottles.

2. I’d say Polish vodka is a must. Vodka can have various base ingredients, traditionally potato or wheat, but we’re seeing more blends, especially rye varieties, coming through, and those are slightly more premium. Rye is very interesting. Each country or region has a rye specific to it and they all have distinct flavour notes that really shine through. Any vodka with a high percentage of rye will be of nice quality. Poland is considered the birthplace of vodka, and there are some fantastic brands coming through from there.

3. Armagnac has been a long-forgotten cousin of Cognac for a while now, but it’s one of the first distilled brandies in the world. It’s made using different methods to Cognac and the ageing on the bottle is more specific. It’s one of those products where we’ve been seeing the younger generation coming through, reinvigorating the category. There are many more fine and rare types to try, with a slightly more independent feel to them, which gives the drink a more authentic, classic edge. 

4. Calvados has been overlooked for a long time but it’s a fantastic digestif, and great for mixing. Because it’s an apple brandy rather than a grape brandy, the flavours are different. Fine or VS are quite young. I’d recommend those as mixers, whereas for drinking go for the VO or VSOP. Calvados is in a really good place right now.

5. We’re very closely tied to Ireland, and there’s been a lot of talk about Irish Whiskey recently. I think it’s taking itself a little less seriously, and makers are injecting a bit more fun into what they do. There really is some fantastic whiskey coming out at the high end of things, but there are brands that are more accessible for the younger demographic too. I think makers have done well to keep that high quality in an accessible space. 

Find out more about the EU’s More Than Only Food & Drink campaign here.

 

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