In this article, we are going to discuss the 25 most popular whiskey brands in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global whiskey market, the success of Scotch, the rising popularity of flavored whiskey, the dawn of the American single malt, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, and the new entrant in the whiskey market, and go directly to 10 Most Popular Whiskey Brands in the World.
The origin of whiskey began over 1,000 years ago, when distillation migrated from mainland Europe into Ireland and Scotland via traveling monks. The Scottish and Irish monasteries, lacking the vineyards and grapes of the continent, turned to fermenting grain mash, resulting in the first distillation of the modern whiskey.
Global Whiskey Market:
Irish, Scotch, American, Indian and Japanese are the world’s five major whiskies. According to IMARC Group, the global whiskey market was valued at $64 billion in 2022 and is 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. Spirit makers have also raised prices globally, as they try to protect their margins from increased costs and a stronger U.S. dollar.
The Success of Scotch:
2022 was a great year for Scotch whisky and exports of Scotland’s native spirit hit $7.5 billion last year, the highest figures ever. Exports by volume also rose substantially, with the number of 700 ml bottles shipped overseas up by 21%, to 1.67 billion.
Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) - owned Johnnie Walker played a key role in the category’s growth last year. Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard’s The Glenlivet was the best-selling single malt Scotch whisky in 2022. Single malt Scotch whiskies are the most expensive whisky brands, with a single bottle of 60-year-old Macallan 1926 even selling for $1.512 million in 2019.
The Rising Popularity of Flavored Whiskey:
The flavored whiskey market has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by the increasing consumer demand for unique and innovative alcoholic beverages. Flavored whiskey refers to whiskey that has been blended or infused with various flavors, such as fruits, spices, herbs etc. to enhance its taste and appeal to a wide range of consumers.
More than 16 million cases of flavored whiskey were sold in the U.S. in 2020, compared to less than 2 million ten years ago. One brand that has been driving this trend is Jack Daniel’s, owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B). The brand’s fire-flavored and apple-flavored blends are some of the most popular flavored whiskeys in America.
The Dawn of the American Single Malt:
Bourbon has long held the title of America’s national spirit, but the American single malt is now the fastest growing whiskey category in the United States. Although distillers in the U.S. have been producing single malt for only three decades, the category has already achieved a significant milestone this year – an imminent legal definition, furnished by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Today there are more than 200 different expressions of American single malt whiskey from more than 100 distilleries. The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) also announced the launch of its Jack Daniel’s Single Malt Whiskey in October last year.
The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) saw double-digit growth of 11% in the first half of the 2023 fiscal year, as it reported a net sales increase of $2.12 billion compared to 2022.
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War:
The wider spillover effects of the Russia-Ukraine war on commodity prices, energy prices, and global supply chains are likely to cause some serious pain to Scotch whisky companies in the coming years. But Bacardi, owner of Dewar’s, William Lawson’s and a string of malts, is likely to feel the heat much more than any other Scotch distiller.
This is due to Bacardi’s position as the top Scotch whisky seller in Russia, a country where Dewar’s range has been performing well and William Lawson’s is the biggest brand of Scotch. Despite its vow to leave the Russian market, the company continues to operate there and has in fact tripled its profits in the region since the beginning of the invasion, to about $53 million. The increase in profits may have to do with a lack of competitors, since several big spirits brands have made efforts to halt business with the country.
New Entrant in the Whiskey Market:
The beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) is also getting ready to join the lucrative whiskey bandwagon and has recently announced the launch of its Magnum Double Barrel Whiskey in India. This move shouldn’t come as a surprise as Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) has also unveiled its vodka and gin brands over the last few years, thus marking its grand arrival in the spirits industry.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) also announced the release of D’Yavol Inception in the Indian market last month, a blended malt Scotch whisky that it’s launching in partnership with Aryan Khan, son of the Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan.
With that said, here are the Most Popular Whiskey Brands Globally.
To collect data for this article, we have referred to The Brand Champions 2023 magazine of The Spirits Business, looking for the Most Popular Whiskey Brands in the World, and ranked them according to the sales volume of their 9-liter cases in 2022. When two brands had the same sales figures in 2022, we ranked them by their %age change in sales from 2021.
If you’re also a beer lover and want to read about the most popular brews in America, please refer to 25 Top-Selling Beers in America.
25. Tory’s
Cases Sold in 2022: 2.9 million
Owned by Suntory Spirits, this Japanese whisky combines malt and grain for a smooth-well rounded taste that’s simply delicious. Perfect for enjoying straight or on the rocks.
24. J&B
Cases Sold in 2022: 2.9 million
Based in London since 1749, Justerini & Brooks became part of International Distillers and Vintners in 1962, and ultimately joined the Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) family in 1997.
23. Director’s Special
Cases Sold in 2022: 3 million
Commonly known as DSP, Director’s Special is a molasses-based brand of Indian whisky produced by United Spirits Limited. DSP was originally owned by Shaw Wallace, that won the legal battle in U.S. courts against the Scotch Whisky Association to sell the brand as a ‘whisky’.
22. Black Nikka
Cases Sold in 2022: 3.3 million
Founded in 1934, Nikka has become Japan’s second-largest distiller, producing a large range of single malt and blended whiskies between its two distilleries – Yoichi and Miyagikyo.
21. William Lawson’s
Cases Sold in 2022: 3.5 million
Bacardi has made impressive strides with its William Lawson’s brand, with volumes going up 52% over the past decade – up from 2.3 million 9L cases in 2011 to 3.5 million cases in 2022.
The brand’s ‘no rules - great Scotch’ advertising campaign stresses that the brand abhors pretentiousness, and defies conventions and norms.
20. Dewar’s
Cases Sold in 2022: 3.5 million
Another Scotch brand owned by Bacardi, Dewar’s witnessed a 20.3% increase in sales from 2021, when it sold 2.9 million 9L cases. Dewar’s is the 20th most popular whisky brand in our list.
19. Black & White
Cases Sold in 2022: 3.6 million
Black & White is a blended Scotch whisky owned by Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), that claims to be the most successful Scotch brand in Brazil, Venezuela and France.
18. Grant’s
Cases Sold in 2022: 4.2 million
Founded in 1887, William Grant & Sons is the oldest family business in the whisky industry. Complex, clean, and fruity, Grant’s Family Reserve is one of the world’s finest Scotch whiskies and enjoyed in over 180 countries.
17. Sterling Reserve
Cases Sold in 2022: 5 million
A brand of premium blended Indian whisky from the house of Allied Blenders and Distilleries, Sterling Reserve is a unique blend of imported Scotch malts and the finest Indian grain spirits.
16. Chivas Regal
Cases Sold in 2022: 5.2 million
In 2001, Pernod Ricard and Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) acquired Seagram Spirits & Wine in a deal worth $8.15 billion, with Pernod taking control of the Chivas Brothers Scotch whisky operations. Chivas Regal ranks 16th among the most popular whiskies in the world.
15. Suntory Kakubin
Cases Sold in 2022: 6.1 million
First created in 1937, Kakubin is the signature blended whisky brand of Suntory Spirits, embraced for its uniquely Japanese flavors and aromas. Suntory is a Japanese business group best known for its whisky range, though its other interests include soft drinks, beer, wine, and health foods.
14. Canadian Club
Cases Sold in 2022: 6.5 million
This Canadian whisky brand is owned by Beam Suntory, which was formed after the $16 billion acquisition of Beam Inc. by the Tokyo-based Suntory group in 2014. Under the terms of the deal, Suntory paid Beam’s shareholders $83.5 per share in cash, a 25% premium on the company’s closing stock price the previous day.
13. Royal Challenge
Cases Sold in 2022: 7.2 million
Royal Challenge Premium Whisky is a blend of rare Scotch and mature Indian malt whiskies. The brand boasted a staggering increase of 52.5% in its sales volume from 2021, when it sold 4.7 million 9L cases. With 7.2 million 9L cases sold in 2022, Royal Challenge ranks among the top 100 whisky brands in the world.
12. Crown Royal
Cases Sold in 2022: 8.4 million
Liquor giant Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) made its Super Bowl debut in 2023 with an ad for its Crown Royal Canadian Whisky, when the company bought a 30-second spot tentatively slated for the third quarter.
Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) has also announced plans to build a new $185 million distillery for the brand. The facility, with capacity to produce up to 20 million liters of alcohol annually, will sit on approximately 400 acres in Ontario.
11. Ballantine’s
Cases Sold in 2022: 9.2 million
Ballantine’s is another top-notch Scotch whisky brand that became a part of the Pernod Ricard family after it acquired Allied Domecq in 2005, in a deal worth $14.2 billion. Ballantine’s is the second best-selling Scotch whisky in the world.
