The Future of Ethical Spirits

We ask questions about where our coffee comes from, whether our eggs are free range, and which fashion brands treat garment workers fairly. So why do so few of us think to ask the same of what’s in our glass on a Friday night?

Cocktail culture is changing. The next generation of drinkers, bartenders and brands is looking beyond the liquid itself to the story behind it: where the ingredients come from, how they’re produced, who’s involved, and what impact the whole process has. Flavour and creativity still matter, but they’re no longer the only measure of a great drink.

The footprint behind the bottle

From regenerative agriculture to lower-impact production methods, packaging and transport, there’s growing interest in understanding what actually goes into making a spirit, not just what it tastes like once it’s poured. Brands that can show real, measurable impact are starting to stand out from those simply claiming to be “green.”

Avallen is a good example. Its Calvados is built around clear environmental credentials without asking drinkers to compromise on quality or taste, proof that a spirit’s ethics and its desirability don’t have to be separate conversations. The Avallen Appletini takes that further, reworking a familiar cocktail with a more characterful, lower-impact spirit to create something that still feels current and genuinely enjoyable.

Bartenders as the new tastemakers

The most interesting voices in the industry right now aren’t only mixing great drinks. They’re shaping a more considered drinks culture altogether, championing responsible drinking, inclusivity, community and the wellbeing of the people working behind the bar. Tales of the Cocktail 2026 reflected this shift clearly, with its Futures Lab exploring how technology, psychology and leadership will shape hospitality, alongside programming dedicated to bartender wellbeing, harm reduction and accessibility.

This matters because bartenders are often the closest point of contact most of us have with the drinks industry. A good one can tell you far more about what’s in your glass than any label can.

No and low, not a separate category

The rise of no and low alcohol options isn’t a side note to cocktail culture, it’s becoming part of it. More people are choosing to drink differently on any given night, without stepping outside the rituals, creativity and social experience that cocktail culture offers.

Questions worth asking next time you’re at the bar

• Where does this spirit come from, and who makes it?
• What’s the brand doing about its environmental impact, beyond the marketing?
• Is there a lower-impact option on the menu that doesn’t mean compromising on taste?
• Does this bar support its staff and the wider community, not just its customers?

None of these questions require you to give up a good night out. If anything, they make it more interesting.

People, planet and pleasure

The future of cocktails probably won’t belong to the brands or bars that ask people to choose between a great drink and a positive impact. It will belong to the ones that prove you never had to choose in the first place.

Next time you order a Friday night drink, it might be worth asking your bartender one simple question: what’s the story behind this?

If you’d rather do some of that homework in advance, our Spirits Ethical Ratings Table is a good place to start. It scores spirits brands across environmental impact, animal welfare, workers’ rights and corporate conduct, so you can see how the bottle in your hand actually measures up.

Look out for brands holding our Ethical Accreditation mark too. It’s an independently verified signal that a business is already meeting the standards this article is asking bartenders and drinkers to think about, and choosing them is a direct way to support the brands doing the work.