It may be a dark liquor, but bourbon is the clear leader of the spirit trend, fueled by the renewed interest in authenticity and craft heritage products, innovation from distilleries and elevated cocktail programs. According to the Beverage Information and Insights Group 2018 Liquor Handbook, bourbon and American whiskey are in a modern golden era that is likely to continue through 2023.
Bourbon drinkers are willing to explore their favorite spirit and experience bourbon in new ways1, and this leads to more inclusion of bourbon on the plate. As bourbon drinkers experience new tastes at the bar and further develop their palate for bourbon, this translates to new ways to discover bourbon in their food choices. According to Datassential, bourbon has increased 154% on menus in the past decade.2