Top 10 cocktail trends in India for 2026

Indigenous ingredients, low-ABV pours, and the rise of the no-and-low bar — here's what's hot.

2026 is the year Indian mixology fully comes of age. Here are the ten trends we're seeing on every booking sheet:

1. Indigenous spirits. Mahua, feni and toddy are no longer niche — they're headlining menus.

2. Low-and-no ABV. Spritzes, shrubs and zero-proof signatures are now 30–40% of every order.

3. Smoked everything. From smoked ice cubes to cinnamon-smoked glassware.

4. Indian botanicals in gin. Cardamom, curry leaf, kokum — the new G&T garnish kit.

5. Fermented & funky. Kombucha cocktails, jaggery shrubs, kanji-spiked Marys.

6. Hyper-local sourcing. Alphonso in Mumbai, kesar in Jaipur, palm sugar in Kerala.

7. The 'one-glass' menu. A single, beautiful coupe used across the entire menu.

8. Bar theatre. Tableside pours, smoke domes, dehydrated garnish art.

9. Sustainable bars. Compostable straws, batched ingredients, zero-waste citrus programs.

10. Wellness-led. Adaptogens, magnesium tonics, low-sugar everything.