By Dave Hunter
On-trade sales of alcohol grew by more than £100 million between June 2025 and June of this year, according to data company CGA.
Figures provided to SLTN for our annual Top Brands feature show a massive increase in spending over the past year, with the total value of drinks sold through Scotland’s bars, pubs and restaurants growing from £2.33 billion in 2025 to £2.45bn this year.
While this may come as cold comfort to many operators continuing to struggle with sky-high costs, it does show that there is still strong demand for alcoholic drinks in Scottish venues.
Lager continues to be the star performer, with value having increased from around £755m last year to over £800m in 2026. In a year when Scotland returned to the World Cup that might not seem like a surprise, but bear in mind that CGA’s figures run until 13th June, meaning the bulk of sales were before the tournament.
The top four brands remain unchanged from 2025, with Tennent’s Lager comfortably the biggest-selling brand in Scotland’s pubs – and having grown sales by around £40m – with Guinness retaining second place (which it took from Diageo stablemate Smirnoff last year) and growing its own sales by over £10m in the process.
The top five is rounded out by another Diageo brand, Gordon’s. The famous gin was usurped in 2025 but this year regains its place beside its sister brands.
In addition to C&C and Diageo, other brand owners that will have cause to celebrate this year include Heineken UK, which has seen its Cruzcampo, Strongbow and Murphy’s brands all gain places in the Top Brands list this year, and Bacardi, which has seen Bacardi white rum, Patron and St Germain all making gains, the latter almost certainly buoyed by the success of the Hugo Spritz over the past year.
1. Tennent’s Lager
C&C Group
Scotland’s favourite pint, ‘Big Juicy’ sits at the head of the Top Brands table once again.
It’s been a busy year for Tennent’s, with the team having a lot of fun with Scotland’s return to the World Cup.
Not content with being Scotland’s biggest-selling lager, Tennent’s has now decided to have a go at the number two brand’s territory with the launch of Tennent’s Stout.
Considering the Scottish brand’s history of quirky marketing this could be a really fun fight. Grab your popcorn, folks.
2. Guinness
Diageo
According to CGA the stout category grew by around £13m in the past year, with Guinness accounting for the vast majority of that.
With a raft of brands now competing in the space, it seems to be a case of ‘a rising tide raises all ships’, and the Dublin dreadnought isn’t at risk of being surpassed any time soon.
From ‘splitting the G’ to pairing with oysters, Guinness remains one of the biggest bar calls in Scotland, holding the distinction of being both the second-biggest pint and second-biggest brand overall.
3. Smirnoff
Diageo
The biggest brand in the biggest spirits category, Smirnoff had a strong year between 2025 and 2026, with CGA reporting a sales increase of around £11m.
That’s despite what has been a relatively quiet year for the brand, in terms of major marketing campaigns or sponsorships.
One recent development, however, has seen Diageo launch lower-ABV versions of all three of the spirits brands on this page – an indicator if there ever was one of the growing importance of moderation.
4. Captain Morgan
Diageo
CGA reckons that Diageo grew Scottish on-trade sales of Captain Morgan by nearly £20m between June 2025 and June of this year.
That’s a massive increase for a brand that is already dominant in the Scottish market, and shows there’s no drop in Scottish consumers’ thirst for Diageo’s partying captain.
Like other Diageo brands, Captain Morgan has expanded into the low and zero-alcohol space, and late last year launched a major campaign to reduce drink-driving incidents through its Captain Morgan 0.0% variant.
5. Gordon’s
Diageo
After a year outside of the top five, Gordon’s returns to the first page of the Top Brands report with a solid performance in what is now a declining category (or perhaps ‘settling’ would be more appropriate).
Gin has come a long way in the past decade, from the heady pre-pandemic heights when it seemed every town in Scotland had its own gin distillery (or several) to a more considered time when the spirit remains very popular but things are perhaps a little more stable.
Gordon’s remains the biggest-selling gin in Scotland, with Diageo sister-brand Tanqueray retaking second place from Beefeater. Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s take the fourth and fifth places, respectively.
6. Birra Moretti
Heineken UK
Out of the top five this year, but still Scotland’s favourite world beer, third-favourite pint and second-favourite lager, it’s safe to say brand owner Heineken UK still has a lot to be happy about when it comes to Birra Moretti.
This year, hot on the heels of the Guinness ‘splitting the G’ phenomenon, the beer drinkers of the internet decided to translate the trend to Moretti – with pub goers encouraged to glug their first sip of the lager until the level lines up with the little Italian man’s arm, making it seem like he’s resting his arm on it. The name of this new challenge? ‘Setting the table’. It’s also acceptable to drink the beer like a normal person.
7. Absolut
Pernod Ricard UK
No stranger to innovation, Absolut this year introduced Absolut Tabasco, which fused the much-loved Swedish vodka with the equally much-loved American hot sauce.
The result, unsurprisingly, is a vodka with a distinctive kick, which is marketed as being ideal for inclusion in a Bloody Mary.
Absolut owner Pernod Ricard said at the time that the launch was in direct response to a demand for spicier flavours, with spicy vodka in particular forecast to grow 27% by 2029. Muy caliente!
8. Madrí Excepcional
Molson Coors
‘The soul of Madrid’ continues to prove popular with Scottish pub-goers, retaining its position as the eighth biggest-selling drinks brand from last year.
This year saw the return of Madrí’s huge summer campaign, featuring Spanish DJ duo Mestiza. Molson Coors said the marketing push cost £5m, which is a fitting investment in a brand that it now said to be worth £1 billion across the UK.
9. Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Asahi UK
Peroni, one of the best-known and longest-established world beers in the UK market, is also one of the biggest players in the non-alcoholic space. This year the brand expanded its presence in the alcohol-free beer segment with the introduction of two alcohol-free fruit-flavoured beers: Limone di Sicilia and Arancia Rossa.
Clearly the message is now that one alcohol-free product is no longer enough. Operators take note.
10. Jack Daniel’s
Brown-Forman
One of the most recognisable drinks brands on the face of the planet, Jack Daniel’s remains a staple on Scottish back-bars.
It’s also by some way the biggest-selling imported whisk(e)y in Scotland, with the second place brand not even in the top 40 overall.
No stranger to a special bottling, the past year has seen Jack Daniel’s release the latest in its series of bottlings celebrating its partnership with the McLaren F1 team. This year’s release marked the team’s 1000th Grand Prix as well as the 160th anniversary of Jack Daniel’s. But it’s the tried and tested Old No.7 that will be the most familiar sight on Scottish gantries.
11. Strongbow
Heineken UK
Scotland’s favourite cider, Strongbow moves up a place in this year’s rankings to number 11.
This year Heineken UK’s cider report stated that the average UK pub sells 96 pints and 25 bottles of cider every week, which underlines the importance not just of the category, but of the draught product in particular.
Heineken UK had a lot to be happy about this year.
In addition to Strongbow retaining the top spot on the cider table, sister brand Inch’s moved up to third place from sixth in 2025.
12. Famous Grouse
William Grant & Sons
Now safely tucked into the William Grant & Sons portfolio after being bought from long-time owner Edrington, The Famous Grouse continues to be the best-selling Scotch whisky in Scotland’s bars, pubs and restaurants.
This year the new brand owner reinforced The Famous Grouse’s link to Scottish rugby with an ad campaign starring Martin Compston and which was timed to coincide with the launch of the Six Nations.
In addition to Compston, the ad – which promoted the value of matchday socialising – featured a number of prominent Scottish rugby players.
The brand has also been branching out this year, as evidenced by its sponsorship of SLTN’s Women in Hospitality event.
13. Belhaven Best
Belhaven/Greene King
An excellent performance for Belhaven Best sees it move from 16th to 13th place. A spokeswoman for the brand said: “Retaining our position as Scotland’s best selling ale is something everyone at Belhaven is incredibly proud of.
It reflects the enduring popularity of Belhaven Best, the care that goes into brewing it here in Dunbar, and the continued support of our customers and drinkers across Scotland. We never take that loyalty for granted and remain committed to delivering a consistently brilliant pint.”
14. Baileys
Diageo
Even as other drinks companies attempt to tap into the lucractive cream liqueur market, Baileys remains the undisputed king (queen?) of the category.
Whether it’s in a glass over ice or as an ingredient in an Espresso Martini, White Russian or Baby Guinness, Baileys continues to quietly be one of the biggest players in Scottish on-trade drinks sales.
15. Bacardi
Bacardi
It’s a powerhouse performance from Bacardi that rounds out the top 15 brands, having moved up from 22nd place last year to 15th in 2026.
There’s been no major marketing campaigns for Bacardi in the past year, so the credit for the brand’s success has to land squarely at the feet of the team on the ground in Scotland.
