The Martini is Back

The Martini is back in a big way – at bars, on social media, and at home, too. It’s no secret that the Espresso Martini has become a consumer favorite once more, but now drinkers are clamoring for classic Martinis, Dirty Martinis, Pornstar Martinis, and beyond.

The rise of Martinis may seem counterintuitive considering the simultaneous acceleration of low- and non-alcoholic products, plus overall wellness trends, Drizly head of consumer insights Liz Paquette believes both movements coexist in a beneficial fashion: “We are still seeing strong growth for the non-alc and lower-ABV categories, particularly NA spirits which has consistently been the fastest-growing subcategory on Drizly over the past few months,” she says. “I think it is rather an ABV preference at the consumer or occasion level, as many higher-ABV products continue to perform well in addition to those within the low-alcohol and NA categories.” 

The Classics are King 

While the viral Chicken Soup Martini and Espresso Martini might dominate social media feeds and cocktail programs, traditional spirits and garnishes remain the key drivers of Martini growth according to Drizly data. 

Gin is the classic base for martinis, so it’s no surprise that this category has seen growth in recent years. In 2023 to date, gin accounted for 4% of share within the total liquor category. The most popular gins on Drizly include offerings from well-established and broadly distributed brands, suggesting consumers reach for classic, well-known bottlings when mixing up these drinks at home.  

Drizly’s Top-Selling Gins, 2023 to Date

1. Hendrick’s Gin
2. Bombay Sapphire Gin
3. Tanqueray London Dry Gin
4. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
5. Beefeater London Dry Gin
6. Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin
7. Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
8. New Amsterdam Gin
9. Roku Japanese Gin
10. Aviation Gin

Vodka-based Martinis are especially on-trend this year, likely because vodka forms an ideal base for flavored martinis like Lemon Drops and Espresso Martinis. In 2023 to date, vodka accounted for 23.2 percent share of the liquor category on Drizly, a slight uptick from the same time period in 2022. 

Drizly’s Top-Selling Vodkas, 2023 to Date

1. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
2. Grey Goose Vodka
3. Ketel One Vodka
4. Smirnoff No. 21 80 Proof Vodka
5. SVEDKA Vodka
6. Absolut Original Vodka
7. New Amsterdam Vodka
8. SKYY Vodka
9. Belvedere Vodka
10. Platinum 7X Vodka

Similar to the growth of classic spirits, time-tested garnishes are seeing sustained popularity on Drizly in 2023 as this trend expands. Within the extras category, olives accounted for 0.6% of share of the extras category, where olive juice was 0.2% of share. The most popular olives on Drizly this year include classic and stuffed varieties of olives from brands such as Filthy, Specks, and Santa Barbara Olive. This data suggests that while consumers are embracing Martinis at home, they remain interested in tried-and-tested Martini ingredients. 

“While growth is small, many of these ingredients are major categories which are also impacted by other trends,” says Paquette. “We do believe the Martini trend is a key driver of their sustained position and slight growth and therefore important for retailers to lean into to selling these products.” 

Ready-To-Drink Martinis Capitalize on Trendy Flavors 

While Martinis make up a small share of the overall ready-to-drink category, Martini-inspired RTD cocktails have seen significant growth, suggesting that consumers are eager to enjoy pre-mixed martinis in single-serve formats. In 2023 to date, Martinis make up just 0.8% of total RTD cocktail share on Drizly, but have experienced 300% growth compared to the same period in 2022. 

While trendy Espresso Martinis make up half of the top-selling Martini RTDs on Drizly, popular RTD Martinis come in a range of flavors and brands, indicating drinkers are willing to experiment with RTD Martinis across brands and flavors. 

Drizly’s Top-Selling Martini RTD Cocktails, 2023 to Date

1. On The Rocks Effen Vodka Espresso Martini Ready To Drink
2. Two Chicks Sparkling Cranberry & Lime Tartini Vodka Cocktail
3. Batch & Bottle Hendrick’s Gin Martini Ready To Drink Cocktail
4. Loverboy Espresso Martini
5. Heublein Dirty Martini with Wheatley Vodka
6. Bols Espresso Martini Cocktails
7. Absolut Pineapple Martini Cocktail
8. Blossom Espresso Martini
9. Tribini Double Espresso Martini
10. The Club Vodka Martini

Vermouths and Liqueurs Offer A Chance to Experiment 

“There are more options for vermouth and liqueurs that go beyond the big brands now, and consumers are learning that choosing a slightly different spirit or liqueur can completely change their drink,” says Whidbee. “We always carry a range of vermouths from different producers and countries so customers can experiment and enjoy different styles of martinis at home.” 

On Drizly, vermouth – a subcategory of dessert and fortified wines – has experienced 3.5 percent share growth over 2022 levels. It now holds 54 percent of subcategory share. 

The top-selling vermouths on Drizly support Whidbee’s findings, displaying a range of flavors and styles and indicating consumers are eager to experiment with new brands. 

Drizly’s Top-Selling Vermouths, 2023 to Date

1. Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
2. Martini & Rossi Rosso Sweet Vermouth
3. Martini & Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth
4. Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambery
5. Dolin Rouge Vermouth de Chambery
6. Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino
7. Carpano Punt E Mes
8. Cocchi Americano Bianco
9. Noilly Prat Extra Dry Vermouth
10. Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambery

Cream-based and coffee liqueurs, which often take the place of vermouth in flavored Martinis, show similar variation among brands. Among Drizly’s top sellers in 2023 are established brands like Kahlua and upstarts from Mr. Black. Cream liqueurs currently hold 14 percent of liqueur subcategory share, while coffee-flavored liqueurs account for seven percent of the liqueur category. 

Whether shaken, stirred, or batched one thing remains constant: The opportunities for a Martini are abundant and the flavors limitless. The potential diversity within Martinis makes the category one that’s likely to continue trending – and delivering gains for well-stocked retailers.