Kitschy, retro cocktails such as pina coladas, mai tais and tequila sunrises are the order of the summer, according to Waitrose’s latest drinks report.
The retailer said that the bright, fruity cocktails are “back in vogue” as Britons seek to make up for “lost holiday time” because of the pandemic.
Searches for “pina colada”, a famous Spanish drink made with rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice, are currently up by 40 per cent, while Sangria was the most searched-for cocktail recipe last summer.
Mai tais, which are also gaining popularity again, are a Polynesian rum cocktail usually made with rum, Curacao liqeur, orgeat syrup (a syrup made from almonds, sugar and rose water) and lime juice.
Tequila sunrise, the cocktail created in California in the early 1970s, have also become more popular as tequila saw major growth in sales between 2019 and 2021. Sales of the agave-derived spirit grew by 127 per cent, according to spirits buyer John Vine.
The drink contains tequila, orange juice and grenadine and is named “sunrise” because of the gradations of colour this mix creates.
“People have realised that tequila can be really versatile – it’s no longer just about shots,” Vine said. He points towards products endorsed by celebrities like Kendall Jenner and George Clooney for raising the profile of tequila.
Jenner launched her tequila brand, 818, in February last year, while Clooney co-founded Casamigos tequila in 2013 with two partners.
Pierpaolo Petrassi, trading director of drinks at Waitrose, said: “After two years with little to celebrate, our customers are now welcoming the return to hosting with feel-good 70s classics like the Tequila sunrise and Blue Lagoon to inject colour and theatre into entertaining.”
Waitrose’s Drinks Report also revealed that consumers are becoming more willing to try wine made from lesser-known grapes, as well as increased demand for vegetables in cocktails to add more savoury flavours rather than sweet.
Carrot, beetroot, kale and celery are some of the vegetables that Britons have tested out as cocktail ingredients, with herbs and other savoury flavours expected to become more prominent in cocktail recipes this year.
“Experimenting with new cocktail recipes or giving unfamiliar wine styles a spin, people are increasingly keen to expand their horizons when it comes to their drinks cabinet,” Petrassi said.
