Cocktail & Bar Latest Trend Forecast.
What will 2026 bring!? - Asia Edition -

Last time we brought you the 'Global Edition' of our annual 'Trend Forecast' feature in 'World Topics'. This time, we're going all out niche with the 'Asia Edition'!

We'll be predicting trends in Asia's bar scene, which is undergoing dramatic upheaval at a pace far exceeding Japan's.

Blimey, Asia's going to be hot in 2026 too!

writer：DRINK PLANET

Asian spirits are taking the world by storm!

When it comes to trends in Asia's bar scene, the keyword that springs to mind first must surely be 'spirits unique to Asia', wouldn't you agree?

This is no longer just a trend for 2026, is it?

Particularly capturing significant attention is the world of Asian spirits (distilled spirits).

In Japan, it's shōchū and awamori; in China, baijiu; in Korea, reinterpreted and reconstructed soju; Southeast Asian arrack; Middle Eastern arrack; India's feni (made solely from cashew fruit); Nepal's Roki (made from millet and other grains), Vietnam's Nep Moi (made from yellow glutinous rice), the Philippines' Lambanog – the list is endless.

Last year, DRAINK PLANET also featured Baijiu, and it seems Western bartenders are also paying keen attention.

(Read the article here!)

Rather than being 'just like the old days', each Asian spirit has been brushed up with a new interpretation, making them distinctly contemporary.

With the mescal and tequila boom settling down, it's being said that Asian spirits might be next to take the global premium market by storm!