In this article, we are going to discuss the 15 best-selling Irish whiskey brands in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global whiskey market, the Irish whiskey renaissance, and sustainability in the Irish whiskey industry, and go directly to the 5 Best-Selling Irish Whiskey Brands in the World.
One of the oldest distilled spirits in the world, Irish whiskey is most often produced from a combination of malted and unmalted barley and is widely appreciated for its exceptionally smooth flavor and hints of vanilla. The use of unmalted grain began as a way to reduce the tax imposed on malted barley in the middle of the 19th century and is a key factor that distinguishes Irish whiskey from Scotch. Also, while most other whiskeys are twice distilled, Irish whiskeys are usually distilled three times in a column or pot still before they are matured in wooden casks for a minimum of three years. These intricate production steps combine to give the spirit its mellow and approachable character and turn it into a true gem of the Emerald Isle.
Whiskey is one of the Most Consumed Alcohols in the World, with the global whiskey market valued at $64 billion in 2022 and expected to reach $91.3 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period.
The consumption of alcohol is shifting away from beer and wine and millennials are more likely to experiment with other alcoholic beverages, resulting in the growth of a ‘cocktail culture’. As a result of this tendency, the use of whiskey as a premium ingredient has increased. Product innovations such as flavored whiskeys and organic and sustainable options are also some of the major factors propelling the market.
Irish Whiskey Renaissance:
Ireland, once the grand capital of whiskey, is now once again making a grand comeback. The Emerald Isle has gone from once having just two operating distilleries – Bushmills and Midleton – to around 45 currently in operation, and several more in the pipeline. The value of Ireland’s whiskey exports crossed the €1 billion ($1.1 billion) mark for the first time in 2022, with global sales of Irish whiskey growing by 10.3% that year to around 15.25 million cases.
The United States continues to be the top market for the category, representing 57% of the total export value. The Irish distillers have been especially focused on premiumization and the strategy seems to be paying off, as more and more consumers across the pond are turning to the smooth spirit as their luxury dram of choice. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, high-end premium and super-premium Irish whiskey categories have grown by an eye-watering 1,053% and 2,769%, respectively, in the last 20 years.
Sustainability in the Irish Whiskey Industry:
Today’s consumers are increasingly aware of the climate emergency and actively seek out sustainable brands, even if it means paying extra. Therefore, as whiskey makers find themselves in an increasingly competitive market, committing psychologically and economically to reducing their impact on the planet may also be the only means to make their businesses sustainable in the long run.
In this regard, it was announced last year that Irish Distillers, the Pernod Ricard SA (OTC:PRNDY)-owned producer of some of the world’s most renowned and successful Irish whiskeys, would adopt packaging changes such as removing gift boxes from its Jameson range. The removal will result in four million units being eliminated by the end of 2025 and will also be applied to other brands such as Powers, Spot, and Knappogue Castle.
Irish Distillers also revealed in 2022 that it would invest around $55 million to fund projects aimed at transforming Midleton – home of some of the most popular Irish whiskey brands like Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, and Spot – into the first carbon-neutral whiskey distillery in the country by the end of 2026. The project includes shifting the distillery to renewable energy, increasing the efficiency of operations, and recycling the heat that is created as a byproduct of distillation. The aforementioned moves are all part of Pernod Ricard SA (OTC:PRNDY)’s Sustainability and Responsibility 2030 roadmap, which addresses environmental issues, social responsibility, and combatting alcohol abuse.
If it stays on this path of sustainability, Irish whiskey can be at the heart of the blueprint to protect Ireland’s unique environment, while also continuing to be a modern, competitive, and successful industry that produces some of the best whiskeys in the world.
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With that said, here are the Most Popular Irish Whiskey Brands in the World.
15 Best-Selling Irish Whiskey Brands in the World
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Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to The Brand Champions 2024 magazine by The Spirits Business, looking for the Top-Selling Irish Whiskey Brands in the World. We found information for only the top 3 best-selling Irish whiskey brands in the magazine and so we ranked them by the sales volumes of their 9-liter cases in 2023. Due to the absence of reliable sales figures for the remaining brands, we resorted to using popularity as a proxy for sales. Therefore, we picked whiskeys that appeared multiple times on websites like VinePair, Liquor, Men’s Journal, Reddit, etc., assigned them a score of 1 each time they were recommended on these sources, and then summed up the scores and ranked our list accordingly. When two or more brands had the same score, we ranked them by the number of upvotes they received on Reddit.
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15. Glendalough
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Glendalough is often billed as being ‘Ireland's First Craft Distillery’ and is known for creating some innovative world-firsts such as the first Irish single malt whiskey aged in rare Japanese Mizunara oak, or an Irish single malt aged in Wicklow Irish oak, etc.
Glendalough also pays special attention to staying sustainable and was named Ireland’s 'Sustainable Distillery of the Year' by the Icons of Whisky Awards in 2021.
14. The Tyrconnell
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Here we have an extremely smooth and creamy single-malt whiskey made by the Cooley Distillery, now owned by the Japanese Suntory Holdings. The Tyrconnell was claimed to be the top-selling Irish whiskey before Prohibition and its success continues to this day, as it is currently one of the fastest-growing Irish single malts in the world.
13. Connemara
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Also produced by the famous Cooley Distillery in County Louth, Connemara’s complex peat flavors and smooth, sweet malt taste make it a truly unique offering. Connemara is regarded as one of the pioneers of smoky Irish whiskeys and has even been honored as the 'World's Best Irish Single Malt', among other accolades.
12. Slane
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Founded by father and son Henry and Alex Conyngham in 2009, Slane uses quality ingredients and an innovative recipe to create an exceptionally complex and smooth whiskey. Slane was acquired by Brown-Forman in 2015, following which the Jack Daniel’s maker made a hefty investment of $50 million to build a new four-acre distilling site to produce the award-winning whiskey.
11. Paddy’s
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Owned by the Sazerac Company, Paddy’s is a premium, triple-distilled blend of grain, malt, and pot still whiskeys. Often described as unpretentious and friendly, this popular Irish whiskey is great for mixing and has some very loyal fans, particularly in the south of Ireland.
10. Proper No. Twelve
Insider Monkey Score: 6
One of the most famous Irish whiskey brands in recent years is Conor McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve – a smooth blend of triple-distilled malt and grain whiskey aged for four years in bourbon barrels, delivering a delicious taste with hints of vanilla, honey-like sweetness, and toasted wood. A majority stake in the brand was acquired by Proximo Spirits for a reported $600 million in 2021.
9. Writers’ Tears
Insider Monkey Score: 7
A unique marriage of single pot still and single malt Irish whiskey, Walsh Whiskey’s Writers’ Tears is a critically acclaimed, award-winning recreation of the fabled 19th-century dram that was a favorite among the literary giants of the era.
8. Knappogue Castle
Insider Monkey Score: 8
Named after the castle in County Clare, Kannpogue Castle is a range of vintaged Irish whiskeys that was originally founded by American Mark Edwin Andrews in the 1960s. One of the Top 10 Best-Selling Irish Whiskey Brands in the World, Knappogue Castle was acquired by Irish Distillers in 2021.
7. Teeling
Insider Monkey Score: 13
Dedicated to bringing new and innovative flavors to Irish whiskey, the Teeling Distillery opened its doors in 2015 as the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years. In less than a decade since its launch, the brand is already exported to over 80 markets worldwide and has won hundreds of international awards for its quality and depth of flavor.
6. Powers
Insider Monkey Score: 14
With a history that spans over two centuries, Powers is the truest expression of Irish whiskey made at the Midleton distillery in County Cork. The brand has been part of Pernod Ricard since 1989.
A three-time gold winner at the Irish Whiskey Masters in 2021, 2022, and 2023, the flagship Powers Gold is one of the Best-Selling Whiskeys in Ireland.
5. Spot Whiskeys
Insider Monkey Score: 17
Distilled at Midleton for the family-owned Mitchell & Son Wine Merchants, the Spot series offers some of the finest examples of pot still whiskey available today. Produced in limited volumes, they are among the rare single pot still whiskeys still made today in a process that results in an intense, characterful aroma.
With its fresh fruit and delicate spices, the iconic Green Spot whiskey was also included in our list of the Best Whiskeys in the World in 2024.
4. Redbreast
Insider Monkey Score: 20
The most awarded single pot still Irish whiskey in the world, Redbreast is the definitive expression of this quintessential style of Irish whiskey making. Keeping up with its innovative spirit, the brand also introduced the Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition in September 2023, a limited-edition expression finished in tawny port casks from Portugal's breathtaking Douro Valley.
With 56,000 9-liter cases sold in the US last year, Redbreast is one of the Best-Selling Irish Whiskeys in America.
3. Bushmills
9-Liter Cases Sold in 2023: 1.1 million
Established in 1608, Bushmills is the oldest whiskey distillery in the world and is renowned for making exceptional triple-distilled single malt and blended Irish whiskeys. Proximo Spirits, owner of Bushmills, unveiled its new $48 million Causeway Distillery last year which has more than doubled its annual production from 5 million liters to 11 million.
2. Tullamore D.E.W.
9-Liter Cases Sold in 2023: 1.6 million
Tullamore D.E.W. prides itself on its complex yet approachable flavors, which it credits to its use of three types of grain, a triple distillation, and the blending of three types of Irish whiskey – single malt, single grain, and pot still. Its sweet, soft, faint, and easy-to-drink character makes it one of the Best Whiskeys for Beginners in 2024.
Set in the heart of Ireland, the Tullamore distillery spans a whopping 58 acres where 11 million liters of whiskey are produced each year, making Tullamore D.E.W. one of the finest examples of Ireland’s whiskey renaissance.
1. Jameson
9-Liter Cases Sold in 2023: 10.2 million
One of the Most Popular Whiskey Brands in the World, Jameson’s blended whiskeys are produced from malted and unmalted Irish barley before being triple-distilled, resulting in exceptional smoothness. Part of the Pernod Group since 1988, Jameson’s portfolio is led by its core offering of Jameson Original, with its super-premium expression, Jameson Black Barrel, also experiencing dynamic growth and offering a new taste experience.
With a staggering 10.2 million 9-liter cases sold last year, Jameson is, by a margin, the #1 Selling Irish Whiskey in the World.
