The tequila craze could also be cooling considerably, however on-premise consultants anticipate demand for the agave spirit to proceed at bars and eating places. The favored kinds and types of tequila could shift, as many predict a continued rise in mezcal and different associated spirits.
Manufacturers from lesser-known craft producers and additive-free tequilas will acquire floor in 2025, though provide points and the specter of tariffs on merchandise from Mexico might create issues for on- and off-premise operators.
The tequila and agave spirits increase exhibits no indicators of slowing down at The Ned NoMad in New York, says director of meals & beverage Nick Porpiglia. “What’s rising now’s a shift: Shoppers who had been as soon as loyal to mainstream manufacturers are more and more exploring choices from smaller, lesser-known distillers,” he says.
These craft producers place a powerful emphasis on capturing the distinctive nuances of taste profiles and terroir, Porpiglia observe s. They’re additionally providing distinctive expressions similar to cristalino and rosé tequilas “which might be gaining consideration for his or her complexity and originality.”
Cocktail drinkers will grow to be more and more excited by precisely what’s of their spirits, predicts Gabe Sanchez, cocktail knowledgeable at Midnight Rambler at The Joule in Dallas. “The flavoring brokers, mouthfeel components and distilling shortcuts will face larger scrutiny going ahead.”
For instance, Sanchez says, the inflow of movie star tequila manufacturers has introduced many new drinkers to the agave world. “However there can be a major push by customers towards additive-free tequila.”
Mezcal momentum
Tequila has been taking the on-premise by storm for years now, “and I don’t assume it’s stopping,” says Daniel King, restaurant and bar supervisor at Evelyn’s at Hutton Lodge in Nashville, TN. And as tequila grows, “it’s actually clearing the way in which for artisanal mezcal to trip its coattails.”
Mezcal is usually a bit intimidating to many drinkers, “and has been wrongly labeled — for my part — as a one-trick smoke bomb,” King says. “Whereas some manufacturers match that description, there’s a entire world of complexity and variety ready to be found. I do know mezcal has been a rising a part of the dialogue for years, however I consider that can proceed so long as tequila continues to dominate the worldwide spirits market.”
Certainly, mezcal is “the smoky dangerous boy of the bar world,” says Niko Novick, government of beverage at Superfrico within the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. “With so many varietal choices, its intense flavors and mysterious nature make each sip versatile sufficient to stir limitless conversations together with your palate, not like tequila, which is produced from just one varietal and simply needs to social gathering.”
Alternatively, “tequila’s cool, rebellious cousin, raicilla, is about to explode,” Novick predicts. “This lesser-known agave spirit is about to make mezcal look mainstream. It’s smoky, earthy, with just a bit little bit of mystique — good for drinkers who’re prepared to maneuver past the same old suspects.”
