Specialist Spirits: The Next Chapter
Rethinking the role of the ‘specialist
The term specialist spirits is, by nature, a flexible one. It’s often used to describe liqueurs, aperitifs, and other crafted spirits that sit outside the core categories of whisky, vodka, gin, and tequila. These are drinks that trade on character rather than scale… smaller-batch, more premium, often built around botanicals, heritage, or provenance.
Once seen as peripheral, the ‘specialist’ segment is now outperforming traditional spirits. The global liqueurs market alone was worth $118 billion in 2021 and is projected to climb to $167 billion by 2031. Global growth is largely being driven by younger consumers, seeking flavour, lightness, a more sociable pace of drinking, as well as a broader range of occasions, from daytime and at-home drinking to night-time cocktail bars.
Brands like Aperol, Campari, and Cointreau have set the scene, showing how distinctive flavour, colour, and ritual can turn a once-niche category into a global cultural symbol. Similarly, brands such as St-Germain, evoking Parisian elegance and ‘belle epoque’; Italicus, drawing from Italian aperitivo culture; and Lillet, with its modern femininity, have captivated consumers through modern storytelling and sensory appeal, turning traditional-style liqueurs into symbols of art, lifestyle and emotion
Why the time is right for specialist spirits?
The wider spirits market is certainly maturing. In many developed regions, overall alcohol volumes are flat or even in decline. Yet consumers are spending more, not necessarily on quantity, but on quality, craftsmanship, and experience.
At the same time, the notion of moderation has gone mainstream. Drinkers increasingly seek products that fit their lifestyle and values… lighter serves, lower alcohol, and drinks that can move seamlessly from brunch to evening. According to the IWSR, moderation strategies now span all age groups, and this creates fertile ground for specialist spirits. They offer intensity of flavour and mixability without relying on high ABV, and they lend themselves perfectly to contemporary cocktail culture, from the home bartender to the Instagram feed. Its no surprise, then, that UK sales of aperitifs and liqueurs have risen to £1.2 billion, up nearly two-thirds in just over a year.
Building brands in a new premium era
The opportunity in specialist spirits is not simply about bar space, it’s about redefining what premium looks like. The most successful players are uniting heritage, innovation, and storytelling in ways that connect on a more emotional as well as sensorial level, through:
Heritage and provenance - brands such as Chartreuse or Bénédictine, once relegated to a dusty corner of the backbar, are having a resurgence through the highlighting of centuries-old recipes and monastic craft, while contemporary producers like Everleaf or Amaro Lucano promote nature and sustainability.
Innovation - offering up new entry points such as lower-ABV aperitifs, flavoured liqueurs with complex botanical notes, and ready-to-drink formats, all drawing in consumers who want premium experiences in more casual settings.
Mixology and the at-home renaissance - where social media has elevated the visual and experiential side of cocktail culture, and branded specialist spirits, with their colour, aroma, and mixability, are the ingredients that make those moments distinctive.
In short, this category sits at the intersection of craft, experience, and innovation. It allows established players to stretch their brand worlds and promise; and newer entrants to define new ones.
Growth and the traps ahead
While Europe and the US remain the bedrock of premium spirits, the fastest growth for specialist spirits is coming from Asia-Pacific and urban emerging markets, where rising middle-class incomes and global cocktail culture are converging.
Digital distribution is also levelling the playing field. Direct-to-consumer channels and online specialist retailers allow smaller brands, such as Lyre’s, Everleaf, or Savoia Americano, to find their audiences without the need for major on-trade muscle.
But there are challenges too. The category risks tripping over its own momentum if it doesn’t manage transparency around ingredients and calorie content amid the sugar and health backlash. Nomenclature needs to be defined and very clear… calling something a liqueur or aperitif without clear differentiation will cause confusion and dilute value.
Platform, not niche
But now is the time to stop treating specialist spirits as a side-act to the main performance. Today they have equal relevance, and equal weighting given their trajectory. As serious players in the drinks market they represent huge opportunities for growth and the brands that will lead will put flavour before firepower, celebrating taste and texture over alcohol content. They will exploit format flexibility… from easy RTD spritzes to mixologist-led cocktails and most importantly, they will align with modern-day lifestyles, connecting with consumers through design, creativity and sustainability.
The question is no longer if specialist spirits will matter, but who will define what they become. For those in premium drinks, hospitality, or brand innovation, this is the next strategic frontier in what and how the world will drink.