Everybody loves a cocktail, right?! Especially in the summer, there’s something about sitting in the sun with a nice, refreshing cocktail that just hits different. With the weather in the UK (slowly) getting warmer, we’ve taken a look at the UK's go-to cocktails.
We surveyed the general public and looked at search data over the past year, to reveal each region, gender, and age group's favourite cocktails…
We surveyed 1,000 members of the UK public and asked them "What is your favourite cocktail?”
We received a wide range of well-known as well as not so popular cocktails, but the ones that came up the most were…
These cocktails are popular across the world, so it wasn’t too surprising that they came out on top.
When we look at the survey results by gender, we see that females favour Piña Coladas, whereas Mojito is the chosen cocktail for males. Martini’s appear to be a pretty gender-balanced drink.
As for age groups, Piña Colada and Mojito remain the most popular. Mojito is the chosen cocktail for those aged between 18 and 24, as well as those aged between 45 and 54. Those aged between 25 and 44, and 55 and over, opt for Piña Coladas.
Despite mojitos being around since the 1500s, they are the most popular cocktail among the younger generation.
Piña Colada originated in 1956, meaning they were a newer and more popular drink when those aged 55 and over were growing up, which may be why they have remained so popular among this generation.
Interestingly, survey data and search data revealed a slightly different picture of the UK’s favourite cocktail…
According to search data, Negronis, Mojitos, and Piña Coladas are the most popular cocktails in the UK - all of which gained over 800,000 searches in the past year.
A Negroni is an Italian cocktail made of Gin, Vermouth Rosso, and Campari - it tends to be garnished with orange peel and is traditionally stirred, not shaken.
Mojitos are a traditional Cuban highball, traditionally made up of white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. These days, mojitos come in a range of flavours including raspberry, strawberry, and even lavender.
Piña Coladas were invented in Puerto Rico and are made up of rum, cream of coconut (or coconut milk) and pineapple, either blended or shaken with ice. Piña Coladas are often garnished with a pineapple wedge, maraschino cherry, or both - definitely one for the gram!
Although they were the most popular cocktails, a couple of others also came out with high popularity according to data.
Blue Lagoons are a distinctive blue-coloured cocktail which contains blue Curaçao, vodka, and lemonade. They tend to be garnished with an orange or lemon slice, and often a maraschino cherry too.
Cosmopolitans are a truly classic cocktail, famous for being the go-to in the popular film Sex and the City. ‘Cosmos’ are made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime juice - classically garnished with an orange peel twist.
The classic Mojito is the most loved cocktail in the East of England, followed by Piña Colada and Negroni.
Those from the South East of England opt for a Negroni over other cocktails - their second choice is a Mojito, followed by Piña Colada.
Like their neighbouring region, those from South West England also favour a Negroni. However, their second choice is a Blue Lagoon, followed by Mojito.
The creamy, tropical cocktail tends to be the go-to for the East Midlands, followed by Mojito and Blue Lagoon.
The West Midlands' favourite cocktail is the brightly coloured Blue Lagoon! When it comes to their second favourite, this region struggles to decide between Piña Colada and Mojito, with both having the same number of searches. The classic Cosmopolitan is their third favourite.
London loves its Negronis more than other cocktails, but can still get down with a Cosmo. Mojito took the bronze in third place.
Although Yorkshire is very much a one-of-a-kind place, they still love a classic Piña Colada! Mojitos and Negronis are still ‘orate’ though, at second and third most popular.
The region that is well-known for its drinking habits loves many cocktails, but Negroni takes the number one position, followed by Cosmopolitan and Mojito.
Of all the UK regions, Wales is the only one that puts Blue Lagoon in first place. Following the colourful trend, Cosmopolitan is the second favourite, followed by Piña Colada.
This classic cocktail appears to be the most popular among the Irish - it’s not number one in any other UK region. Mojitos are in second position and Piña Colada in third.
Like many other regions, Negronis are the most popular cocktail in the North West of England, followed by Piña Colada and Mojito.
The most northern of the country choose Negronis over any other cocktail. Their second choice is a Cosmopolitan, followed by a Piña Colada.
As well as regional favourites, we also took a look at which cocktails the public favoured in the warmer months, and whether this changes when the weather gets colder. Unsurprisingly, search data reveals that Piña Colada and Mojito are the most searched for cocktails in Spring/Summer, whilst Negroni are the most searched for in Winter (are you sensing a pattern yet?!)
When looking at the cocktail that gained the biggest percentage increase in search volume between seasons, we see that Woo Woo’s are particularly popular in the Spring/Summer months, with an 83% increase when compared to Autumn/Winter. Alexander Mac’s reign in the colder months, with a 175% increase during Autumn/Winter.
Although the UK loves many cocktails, it is clear which three are the most popular across the country - it’s easy to understand why these delicious, classic cocktails are the favourite among the majority of regions! Be sure to try one of these cocktails next time you’re out.
If you fancy making some of the UK's most popular cocktails, browse through Drinks House 247's range of spirits and mixers to get the party started!
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