There’s no escaping the ‘90s. New on-premise data shows that the espresso martini, the fluffy, coffee-spiked ‘tini of the early aughts, is back, now ranking as one of the top-selling beverages in the United States. The espresso martini has risen five places over the last year — the biggest jump made by a cocktail.
The espresso martini dethroned the Manhattan, a drink that dropped four places in the last year. It is no longer one of the top-selling cocktails.
As the lore goes, the drink was created by London bartender Dick Bradsell in the ‘80s, after a model asked for a drink that could ‘wake her up, then f— her up.’ It drinks like a foamy, adultified iced coffee, made with a shaken mix of vodka, sugar, espresso, and coffee liqueur.
In 2020, the iconic drink experienced a resurgence. Nostalgia was comforting during the pandemic, and we saw ‘90s trends surface, whether it’s shows like Sex and the City and That ‘70s Show or fashion trends like cargo pants and low-rise jeans. According to Yelp’s data science, rates of the cocktail were up 300% in the first 6 months of 2021.
Brands like Mr. Black, a premium cold brew liqueur made in Australia, have seen huge success amidst the espresso martini’s comeback. In September, Diageo acquired the brand for an undisclosed sum. Kahlua now has a canned espresso martini, as does Loverboy, Deluce, and Tip Top Cocktails.
Beyond the espresso martini, the margarita remains the top cocktail of 2022 (tracked by value velocity), followed by the Moscow mule and the regular martini. Data shows that these two drinks are most popular mid-week, peaking on Friday nights before dropping in velocity. On the weekend, the most popular cocktails are brunch-ready serves: mojitos, mimosas, and bellinis.
“The latest tracker highlights the changing dynamics of the cocktail market and how consumer preferences influence their drinks choice, especially across periods of seasonality,” says Matthew Crompton, Regional Director – North America. “The Pina Colada is the biggest mover between quarters this year, from 17th in Q1 to 9th in Q2, representing the most valuable cocktail in the warmer months. Cocktails that are well paired with occasions and preferred serves complimenting changes in the weather will help build a winning cocktail strategy in the On Premise.”
The data comes from CGA’s cocktail sales tracker, a platform that documents alcohol and cocktail sales in the US on-premise. The data-led tracker reveals the sales dynamics of the cocktail market. It also enables suppliers to track core metrics over time and identify new opportunities.