What Is the Most Popular Cocktail in the World
The answer depends on who you ask. In the world's leading cocktail bars, the Negroni is the best-selling classic of 2026, a position it has now held for five years running in the annual Drinks International ranking. Among everyday drinkers, the Margarita comes first. Bacardi's Cocktail Trends Report 2026 names it the world's top cocktail, ahead of the Mojito and the Piña Colada.
This guide covers both lists, explains why they differ, and shows what sells in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Every figure is credited to its source, with the year the data comes from.
The Top 10 Best-Selling Cocktails in 2026
This is the top 10 from the Drinks International 2026 ranking of the best-selling classic cocktails at the world's best bars, published in April 2026.
| Rank | Cocktail | Main ingredients | Approx ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Negroni | Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth | 24% |
| 2 | Margarita | Tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice | 20% |
| 3 | Old Fashioned | Whisky, sugar, bitters | 28% |
| 4 | Dry Martini | Gin, dry vermouth | 30% |
| 5 | Espresso Martini | Vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur | 15% |
| 6 | Daiquiri | White rum, lime juice, sugar | 20% |
| 7 | Aperol Spritz | Prosecco, Aperol, soda water | 8% |
| 8 | Paloma | Tequila, lime juice, grapefruit soda | 10% |
| 9 | Whiskey Sour | Bourbon, lemon juice, sugar | 16% |
| 10 | Manhattan | Whisky, sweet vermouth, bitters | 30% |
The ABV figures are estimates from our own recipe pages, not from the ranking. Whisky has the most entries, with three. Nine of the ten are 3-ingredient cocktails or simpler.
The Top 10, One by One
1. Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice. The Negroni was first made in Florence in 1919. It is bitter, strong and the same in almost any bar that pours it.
2. Margarita
Tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, often with a salt rim. The Margarita is second in bars and first with consumers, the best combined result of any drink this year.
3. Old Fashioned
Whisky, a little sugar and bitters over a large ice cube. The Old Fashioned led this ranking for years before the Negroni passed it.
4. Dry Martini
Gin and dry vermouth, stirred and served ice cold. The Dry Martini shares the title of strongest drink in the top 10 with the Manhattan. Our guide to the types of martini covers the dry, wet and dirty versions.
5. Espresso Martini
Vodka, fresh espresso and coffee liqueur, shaken to a foam. The Espresso Martini was created in London in 1983. It is the only vodka drink in the top 10.
6. Daiquiri
White rum, lime juice and sugar, shaken and served without ice. The Daiquiri comes from Cuba and is the only rum drink in the top 10.
7. Aperol Spritz
Prosecco, Aperol and soda water in a 3-2-1 ratio. At about 8% ABV, the Aperol Spritz is the lightest drink in the top 10.
8. Paloma
Tequila, lime juice and grapefruit soda over ice. The Paloma is Mexico's everyday tequila drink, and it gives tequila two places in the top eight.
9. Whisky Sour
Bourbon, lemon juice and sugar syrup, with optional egg white for foam. The ranking uses the American spelling, Whiskey Sour. Our Whisky Sour recipe has the measures.
10. Manhattan
Rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters, stirred and served in a stemmed glass. The Manhattan dates to New York in the 1870s or early 1880s.
What Drinkers Order: The Consumer Top 5
Bacardi's Cocktail Trends Report 2026, reported in December 2025, ranks the top five global cocktails as:
- Margarita
- Mojito
- Piña Colada
- Rum and Coke, which becomes a Cuba Libre once you add lime
- Whisky and Coke
The same report found that 53% of consumers in the United States prefer cocktails to Champagne when they celebrate.
Why the Two Lists Differ
They measure different things. The Drinks International list reflects sales in specialist cocktail bars, where guests tend to order strong, stirred drinks that are hard to make well at home. The Bacardi list is built on consumer research, so it leans towards what people drink everywhere else: at home, on holiday, in pubs and in restaurants. Those drinks are longer, sweeter and made with mixers every shop sells.
The Mojito shows the gap. It is second with consumers and 12th in the top bars. The Piña Colada is third with consumers and 44th in bars. The Margarita is the only drink in the top two of both lists.
Most Popular Cocktails by Country
| Country | Most popular cocktails | Source and data year |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Margarita first by a wide margin, Mojito second by value, Espresso Martini fourth | CGA by NIQ, 2024 |
| United Kingdom | Pornstar Martini, Sex on the Beach, Aperol Spritz, Long Island Iced Tea, Espresso Martini | CGA by NIQ Mixed Drinks Report, 2024 |
| Australia | Mojito and Margarita (24% of cocktail drinkers each), Piña Colada (22%), Espresso Martini (21%) | CGA consumer study, around 2022 |
National figures are published less often than the global lists, so this data is older. Read it as a guide to local taste, not as a 2026 ranking.
Rising and Falling in 2026
These are the biggest moves in the Drinks International ranking this year.
- Amaretto Sour: up to 11th, just outside the top 10.
- Mojito: up to 12th after slipping the year before.
- Mai Tai: back up to 24th after a steep fall in the previous list.
- Pornstar Martini: down 15 places to 26th, even though it led British sales in the 2024 data.
- Negroni Sbagliato: enters the list at 36th.
- Vesper: back in the list at 30th, after last appearing at 48th in 2024.
Where Other Well-Known Cocktails Rank
These drinks sit outside the top 10 in the same 2026 ranking. Each name links to our recipe.
| Cocktail | 2026 rank | Cocktail | 2026 rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mojito | 12 | Paper Plane | 32 |
| Bloody Mary | 14 | Caipirinha | 33 |
| Moscow Mule | 16 | Negroni Sbagliato | 36 |
| Boulevardier | 19 | Bramble | 40 |
| Penicillin | 20 | Cuba Libre | 43 |
| French 75 | 23 | Piña Colada | 44 |
| Mai Tai | 24 | Sidecar | 48 |
| Pornstar Martini | 26 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular cocktail in the world in 2026?
It depends on the measure. The Negroni is the best-selling classic cocktail at the world's leading bars in the Drinks International 2026 ranking, for the fifth year in a row. The Margarita is first with consumers in Bacardi's Cocktail Trends Report 2026.
What are the top 10 cocktails in the world?
In the Drinks International 2026 ranking the top 10 are the Negroni, Margarita, Old Fashioned, Dry Martini, Espresso Martini, Daiquiri, Aperol Spritz, Paloma, Whiskey Sour and Manhattan.
What is the most popular cocktail in America?
The Margarita. CGA by NIQ, which tracks sales in bars and restaurants, called it by far the most popular cocktail in the United States in its 2024 data, with the Mojito second by value.
What is the most popular cocktail in the UK?
The Pornstar Martini, also sold as the Passion Fruit Martini. It led the CGA by NIQ Mixed Drinks Report for 2024, ahead of Sex on the Beach, the Aperol Spritz, the Long Island Iced Tea and the Espresso Martini.
What is the most popular cocktail in Australia?
In a CGA consumer study from around 2022, the Mojito and the Margarita tied for first, each chosen by 24% of Australian cocktail drinkers. The Piña Colada followed at 22% and the Espresso Martini at 21%. More recent national figures were not available when this was written.
What is the most popular cocktail for each spirit?
Going by the Drinks International 2026 ranking: the Negroni for gin, the Margarita for tequila, the Old Fashioned for whisky, the Espresso Martini for vodka and the Daiquiri for rum.
Why is the Negroni so popular?
One likely reason is the recipe. It is equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, with no fresh juice and no shaking, so it tastes much the same in any bar. It is also easy to change: swap the gin for bourbon or prosecco and you have a new drink.
The Short Version
The Negroni is the best seller in the world's top bars and the Margarita is the favorite with drinkers. If you want to make the popular ones at home, start with the Margarita, the Daiquiri and the Negroni. Each needs three ingredients, and between them they cover tequila, rum and gin. The full list of cocktail recipes has the rest.
Sources
- Drinks International, The bestselling classic cocktails at the world's best bars 2026, April 2026
- The Drinks Business, Bacardi names top five cocktails for 2026, December 2025
- Beverage Industry, CGA by NIQ data on cocktails in US bars and restaurants, December 2024
- DRAM Scotland, CGA by NIQ Mixed Drinks Report for 2024, February 2025
- CGA, consumer study of Australian bar and restaurant visitors, around 2022