Irish whiskey benefitting from US desire to ‘trade up’

The Irish whiskey industry celebrated St Patrick’s Day with the Irish Whiskey Association welcoming new figures showing that Irish whiskey is becoming an increasingly significant player in the higher-end whiskey market as an increased supply of Super-Premium and exclusive Irish whiskeys come onstream.

 

The IWA recently acknowledged figures from its partners in the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States which reported that, “The Irish whiskey category has benefited from drinkers’ desire to ‘trade up’ from Premium to high-end and Super-Premium products”.

Figures from DISCUS show that 851,000 cases (over 10 million bottles) of Super-Premium-priced Irish whiskey were sold in the US in 2021, representing 14% of Irish whiskey sold in the US last year, with Super-Premium sales up 165% since 2015 when 320,000 cases were sold.

“While Irish whiskey has been the world’s fastest-growing spirit since 2010, this growth has primarily taken place at standard price points,” stated IWA Director William Lavelle recently, “This is changing, as more and more consumers are turning to Irish whiskey as their luxury whiskey of choice.

“With more supply coming available of age-statement, Super-Premium brands – from both established and newer distilleries – it is clear that Irish whiskey’s going to be an increasingly important player at the higher end of the whiskey market, becoming a real alternative to Scotch Single Malts.”