What Gen Z thinks about mezcal: cocktails, natural ingredients and authenticity
legal-age Gen Z drinks less than previous generations, but chooses more carefully when it does. They care about taste, cocktails, natural ingredients and brands with a real story. Artisanal mezcal matches those values: it is 100% agave, handmade in Oaxacan communities and works both neat and in cocktails.
Drinking less, but better
The data agree that young adults drink more moderately. In an Attest survey of 800 Americans aged 21 to 27 (February 2026), 24% said they do not drink alcohol, up from 17% a year earlier, and more than half drink rarely or never. In Mexico, the ENSANUT 2022 national health survey also finds lower frequency and more moderation among the youngest drinkers.
That does not mean mezcal loses ground. It means every glass counts: if you are going to drink less, make it something worth it.
Cocktails are the way in
In the same Attest survey, 46% of young adults choose cocktails and 50% choose spirits. And 64% now drink mostly at home, which opens room for making your own cocktails. In Mexico, a study by Samy Alliance and Capture Intelligence found Gen Z leads ready-to-drink consumption and is willing to pay more for premium formats with tequila and mezcal.
Mezcal has an edge in mixology: its herbal, citrusy, lightly smoky profile gives character to simple recipes like a Paloma, a Mule or a Negroni.
Natural matters
This generation reads labels. They look for drinks with few ingredients, no additives and a process they can understand. Artisanal mezcal has an easy story to tell: agave cooked in a stone oven, crushed with a tahona, naturally fermented and distilled in a still.
So does authenticity
For Gen Z, a brand is more than a logo. According to Attest, 54% would stop buying from a brand whose values they don't share, and 18% say sustainability and ethics are very important, up from a year earlier. They also explore more: Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits reports they try at least twice as many brands a year as older generations. They want to know who makes what they drink, where and how.
| What Gen Z looks for | How artisanal mezcal answers |
|---|---|
| Quality over quantity | A spirit to sip slowly |
| Cocktails with character | Herbal, citrus and smoky notes you can taste in the drink |
| Natural ingredients | 100% agave, no additives |
| A real story | Handmade by mezcal-making families in Oaxaca |
| Brands with values | Artisanal work and ties to the community |
How this applies to ZUNTE
ZUNTE is made in San Luis del Río, Oaxaca, from Espadín agave with just two ingredients: agave and water, no additives. It is handmade by maestro mezcalero Juventino Cruz, through a natural, artisanal process certified by COMERCAM as Mezcal Artesanal. Enjoy it neat, in small sips, or in cocktails like the ones in our recipes section. Always in moderation and only for adults of legal drinking age.
FAQ
Does Gen Z drink more or less alcohol?
Less. Surveys show young adults drink less often and more moderately than previous generations.
Why does mezcal appeal to young adults?
Its artisanal origin, natural ingredients and how well it works in cocktails.
What is a good first mezcal cocktail?
A Paloma or a Mule: easy to make and they let the agave come through.
Sources
- Attest (2026). Gen Z alcohol trends 2026. Survey of 800 US adults aged 21–27.
- BeverageDaily (2025). Gen Z drinking trends: 5 things to think about when targeting this key demographic.
- El Heraldo de México (2025), citing ENSANUT 2022 (National Institute of Public Health, Mexico).
- Noticias NEO (2023). La generación Z lidera en México el consumo de bebidas RTD (Samy Alliance and Capture Intelligence).
