What Liquor Can I Put In A Bloody Mary | 2026 Bartender Picks
I've been building Bloody Marys for over thirty years, and no question lands in my inbox more often than "do I actually have to use vodka?" The honest answer is no, and frankly, sometimes you shouldn't. Vodka earned its place because it gets out of the way - clean, neutral, a quiet stage for tomato and spice to do their thing. But the Bloody is one of the most forgiving canvases in cocktail history. Pour the right spirit in and the whole drink wakes up: agave warmth from a good blanco, caramel and oak from a single barrel bourbon, juniper and citrus oils from a London Dry gin, even a curl of campfire smoke from a mezcal that tastes like it was poured straight from a stone jar in Oaxaca.
Brunch has gotten bolder, craft distilleries are everywhere, and the bartenders worth listening to - from cast-iron diners in Austin to oyster bars in Brooklyn - are treating tomato juice the way a chef treats a great stock. It is a base, not a finish line. What you stir into it changes everything: the texture on your tongue, the heat at the back of your throat, the way it pairs with bacon, blue cheese, smoked salt, or a raw oyster sliding off a half shell.
What follows is the full guide to every spirit worth pouring into your tomato juice - tasting notes, the right Devil Daves pairings, the bartender names for each drink, and the garnishes that turn a glass into a meal.
"I feel bad for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." Frank Sinatra said it best
Recently we covered the best tomato juices for your Bloody, but the spirit is the other half of the equation. The original Bloody Mary, invented by Fernand Petiot at the New York Bar in Paris in 1921, was just vodka and tomato juice. A hundred years later we have stick packs, infusions, and a dozen credible spirits to play with. Here's what's actually worth your time.
Top 10 Bloody Mary Liquors of 2026
Ranked by trend data and bartender picks
- Blanco TequilaThe 2026 breakout. Clean agave heat that loves tomato and lime.
- Mexican Lager (Michelada)Tecate, Modelo, or Dos Equis on a Bloody base. The brunch classic.
- Single Barrel BourbonSmoky depth and caramel notes. Vodka simply cannot do this.
- London Dry GinThe St. Regis Red Snapper is back in a big way. Juniper meets tomato.
- MezcalSmoky, earthy, and the fastest growing spirit category in the US.
- Japanese WhiskySubtle and refined. Trending hard with elevated brunch menus.
- AquavitThe Scandinavian darling with caraway and dill. A natural Bloody match.
- Amontillado SherryDry, nutty, and beloved by pro bartenders for complexity.
- CognacThe Chum Bucket favorite. Pairs incredibly with shrimp and oysters.
- SojuClean and low-ABV. Perfect for the all-day brunch crowd.
The Best Alternative Spirits for a Bloody Mary
1. Patron Jalapeno Tequila - "Bloody Maria"
Think a Bloody Maria can't hold its own against the original? Think again. Swap the vodka for a clean blanco tequila and the whole drink shifts - bright agave up front, a little pepper on the finish, and a smoother ride through the tomato. Patron Silver is the move here. It's crisp, clean, and unflavored, which lets the Devil Daves seasoning and the lime do all the heavy lifting. We may have made a few Bloody Marias with a bottle of Patron Silver over time, and we are not sorry about it.
Best Pairings
- Sacramento or other tangy tomato juice
- Heavy salt rim or Bacon Bloody Mary Rim Salt
- Extra lime, jalapeno garnish, cotija cheese
Pepper, agave, pineapple, apple, astringent, sweet, almost smoky. A great way to get heat where you need it. Would also drink this neat over rocks.
2. Amontillado Sherry - "The Sherry Mary"
Who says Bloodys can't be sweet? Sherry is the deep, almond-flavored, aged-looking liquor that pro bartenders quietly reach for in place of syrups. It is very aromatic, so use a little to start and let it settle into the mix. Once everything blends together it is genuinely enjoyable, and it goes great with cured meats.
Best Pairings
- Lower-acid tomato juice
- Garnishes: ham cubes, sharp cheddar, cornichons, garlic olives
- Brunch menus heavy on charcuterie
Adds a nice dry, salty finish even if you don't normally like sweet Bloodys. Surprising depth.
Bloody Mary Spirit Variations
Bloody Maria
Swap vodka for blanco tequila. Add an extra squeeze of lime and a chili-lime salt rim.
Red Snapper
London Dry gin instead of vodka. Garnish with blue cheese olives and a lemon wedge.
Bloody Belle
Single barrel bourbon. Smoky, deep, and a perfect cold-weather brunch cocktail.
Smoky Mezcal Mary
Mezcal plus smoked paprika. The 2026 trend pick. Goes hard with bacon garnish.
Sherry Mary
Half-ounce of Amontillado sherry on top of vodka. Adds nutty, dry complexity.
Michelada
Bloody base topped with Tecate or Modelo. Lighter, crispier, and crushable.
3. Single Barrel Bourbon - "The Bloody Belle"
If you want to take your Devil Daves Bloody Mary somewhere vodka simply can't go, reach for bourbon. A single barrel aged bourbon doesn't just sit in the glass - it builds the drink from the bottom up, adding caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and a slow-burning warmth that wraps around the tomato and seasoning instead of disappearing into them. Where vodka steps aside and lets the rim and the juice do the work, bourbon pulls up a chair and joins the conversation. You get a Bloody with real backbone: a little sweetness on the front, smoke and spice in the middle, and a long, dry finish that begs for a strip of bacon and a second sip. When you add bourbon to your Bloody "you bring another layer of flavor and depth to the experience."
Best Pairings
- San Marzano or richer tomato juice
- Bacon, smoked salt rim, cracked black pepper
- A cold pilsner chaser on the side
Bold, big, smoky, robust. One of my all-time favorites. Adds incredible texture and smokiness to the tomato juice.
4. London Dry Gin - "The Red Snapper"
In 1904, John Jacob Astor IV founded the now-famous St. Regis Hotel in New York City. Today, the St. Regis is a Forbes and AAA five-star hotel overlooking Fifth Avenue, and it is still famous for a signature drink called The Red Snapper, served by the hundreds every weekend. They season their Bloodys with a blend remarkably similar to Devil Daves.
Best Pairings
- V8 or Sacramento tomato juice with a squeeze of lemon
- Celery salt rim, fresh cracked pepper
- Blue cheese olives, celery stalk, cucumber spear, lemon twist
Devil Daves Red Snapper Recipe
- 1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire (or your favorite London Dry gin)
- 11 oz tomato juice
- 1 Devil Daves stick pack
- Squeeze of lemon
- Blue cheese olives and a celery wedge for garnish
- A few dashes of Devil Daves Dill Pickle Hot Sauce for heat
Combine first three ingredients in a shaker with ice, stir gently, pour over fresh ice, and garnish.
Juniper and aromatics mix beautifully with tomato juice. Bombay is currently running a huge campaign pushing the Red Snapper, and honestly they are right to. Huge in Iowa and the central states.
Pro Tips for Mixing Spirits Into Your Bloody
Match the spirit to the seasoning. Bourbon and mezcal love smoky rims. Tequila wants chili-lime salt. Gin and sherry pair best with Devil Daves Original. The seasoning is the bridge between the spirit and the tomato.
Lower the pour for bold spirits. When using bourbon, mezcal, or cognac, drop your pour from 1.5 oz to 1.25 oz. These spirits punch above their weight and you don't want them stomping the tomato into the floor.
Stir, don't shake. This rule applies no matter what spirit you use. Shaking aerates the tomato juice and turns it into pink foam. Slow stirs only.
Build a tasting flight. Hosting brunch? Mix one Bloody base in a pitcher (skip the booze), then set out small pours of vodka, tequila, gin, and bourbon. Let guests build their own and vote on the winner. It is the best brunch game I know.
5. Cognac - "The Chum Bucket"
Cognac is distilled from wine, and wine goes great with seafood. Since the number one high-end Bloody garnish is shrimp, cognac is a natural fit for any Bloody rimmed in Old Bay or Devil Daves Burnt Bacon Rimmer. A good cognac gives you an astringent finish that balances the sweetness of seafood.
If you are ever in Wildwood, NJ, swing by The Surfing Pig. They are doing some pretty amazing things with Bloodys, and the Chum Bucket - loaded with raw oysters, clams, shrimp, and lobster - takes the cake.
Best Pairings
- Clamato or rich tomato juice with a splash of fresh lemon
- Old Bay or Devil Daves Burnt Bacon Rimmer
- Poached shrimp, raw oysters, cocktail sauce, lemon wedge
Smoky like the Bloody Belle but sweeter from the aged cognac. If you are doing Bloody Mary oyster shooters, cognac is the play. Smooth, balanced, and the sweetness plays off the brine of the oysters.
6. Mexican Lager - "The Michelada / Chelada"
Now we are talking beer. Lagers and pilsners only - there is no room in the Michelada world for IPAs, stouts, or porters. A traditional Michelada is hot sauce, lime juice, seasoning, and beer, but liberties can be taken with the rim of the glass. If you can't find Chamoy or prefer not to use it, give our Chelada Chili Lime rimmer a try. Make sure to tilt the glass at an angle as you run the rim through the rimmer - it makes for a much better tasting experience. Miches are basically a Bloody base topped with beer, so call it a Red Beer or Bloody Beer if you want to get technical.
Best Pairings
- Clamato with fresh lime juice (the Michelada classic)
- Chili Lime rim, or Tajin and Chamoy for tradition
- Hot pickled peppers, cucumber spear, lime wheel, tamarind straw
How To Build It
- Mix 1 x 32 oz bottle of Clamato with two Devil Daves Diablo Stick Packs
- Chill the mix in the fridge for a couple of days
- When ready, pour Clamato mix over ice in a large glass, 3/4 of the way up
- Top with Tecate, Dos Equis, or Modelo (Bud Light works in a pinch)
- Rim the glass with Chelada Chili Lime
- Garnish with limes and hot pickled peppers, then add a dose of Pickle Crack Hot Sauce
Crisp, refreshing, and somehow lower-effort than a regular Bloody. Serve with warm chips and Bloody Mary salsa.
7. Vodka - "The Classic Bloody Mary"
We saved the original for last because it earned the spot. Vodka is the spirit that started it all - clean, neutral, and the perfect blank canvas for tomato juice and seasoning to do their thing. But "vodka" in 2026 is a much bigger conversation than it used to be. The bottle you reach for changes the whole drink, and the right one can take a Classic Bloody from background brunch beverage to the best thing on the table.
Best Pairings
- Sacramento, San Marzano, or any thick, rich tomato juice
- Celery salt or Devil Daves Original rim
- Celery stalk, green olives, pickled green beans, lemon wedge
The Vodka Lineup - Pick Your Fighter
- Peppery Workhorses: Tito's Handmade and Absolut. Affordable, dependable, and they bring a subtle black-pepper bite that loves Devil Daves seasoning. This is the everyday pour.
- Premium Smooth: Ketel One and Skyy. Cleaner, softer, and a touch more refined - the move when you want the tomato and the rim to do all the talking without any spirit burn.
- Pickle Vodkas: Briny, tangy, and an absolute cheat code for a good Bloody. We broke down our favorites in our best pickle vodkas guide - worth a read before you shop.
- Spicy Vodkas: Hanson's Habanero, Ole Smoky Mango Habanero, and the various jalapeno-infused craft labels popping up everywhere. Built-in heat means less hot sauce and more layered flavor.
- DIY Mason Jar Infusions: The bartender's secret weapon. Drop bacon, peppers, horseradish, dill, garlic, or smoked salt into a mason jar with a mid-shelf vodka and let it sit for two to seven days. Strain and pour. For ready-made flavor boosters and rims to pair with your infusion, check our Bloody Mary rimmer collection.
How To Build It
- 1.5 oz vodka of your choice (or more, no judgment)
- 11 oz quality tomato juice
- 1 Devil Daves stick pack
- Squeeze of fresh lemon and a squeeze of fresh lime
- Rim a chilled pint glass with Devil Daves Original or celery salt
- Stir gently in a shaker with ice - never shake a Bloody
- Pour over fresh ice and garnish with celery, olives, and a lemon wedge
The original and still the gold standard. Clean, balanced, and endlessly customizable. Whether you go peppery, premium, pickled, spicy, or infused, vodka is the spirit that lets every other ingredient in the glass shine.
Questions Answered - Booze for your Bloody
What is the best liquor for a Bloody Mary in 2026?
Vodka is still the classic, but the most popular alternatives in 2026 are blanco tequila, bourbon, and gin. Tequila adds spice and agave depth, bourbon brings smoky boldness, and gin transforms the drink into a Red Snapper.
Can you put tequila in a Bloody Mary?
Yes. A Bloody Mary made with tequila is called a Bloody Maria. Use a blanco tequila for a clean agave flavor that pairs perfectly with tomato juice, lime, and Devil Daves seasoning.
What is a Bloody Mary made with gin called?
A Bloody Mary made with gin is called a Red Snapper. It was popularized at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City and uses London Dry gin like Bombay Sapphire for its juniper-forward botanicals.
Is bourbon good in a Bloody Mary?
Bourbon adds smoky depth and caramel notes, creating a drink known as the Bloody Belle. A single barrel bourbon works best for layered flavor that vodka cannot match.
What is a Bloody Mary with beer called?
A Bloody Mary topped with beer is called a Michelada or Red Beer. Traditionally made with Mexican lagers like Tecate, Modelo, or Dos Equis, plus tomato juice, lime, hot sauce, and seasoning.
How much liquor should you put in a Bloody Mary?
The standard pour is 1.5 ounces of liquor to about 11 ounces of tomato juice. For bolder spirits like bourbon or mezcal, drop the pour to 1.25 ounces so the spirit doesn't overpower the tomato.
What liquor pairs best with seafood Bloody Mary garnishes?
Cognac and gin pair best with seafood garnishes like shrimp, oysters, and clams. Cognac brings sweetness and astringency that complements briny shellfish beautifully.
Does Devil Daves seasoning work with non-vodka Bloody Marys?
Absolutely. Devil Daves Bloody Mary stick packs were designed to enhance any spirit. The blend works equally well with tequila, gin, bourbon, and even beer-based Micheladas.
Whatever spirit you reach for, Devil Daves ties the whole drink together. One stick pack, one scoop, one stupidly good Bloody. Stop buying six different bottles of seasoning sauce and let us do the work.