Whiskey market worldwide - Statistics & Facts
The global whiskey market is a patchwork of nations each known for their regional signature on the beverage. India is one of the biggest markets for whiskey in the world, second only to the United States. Despite this fact and that Indian whiskeys top global sales of brands, Indian whiskey does not yet have the same recognition of the household names in Scotch and bourbon. The comparatively tiny Scotland, on the other hand, is the export powerhouse, with Scotch being sought after across the globe.
India is the next largest market for whiskey. Like the U.S., India commands a large domestic whiskey following. Not only does domestic whiskey rank higher in consumption compared to imports, but whiskey is the largest segment of the spirits industry in India overall.
Due to the international demand for Scotch whiskey, the United Kingdom is the largest exporter of whiskey, by far. The United States and India both rank among the leading destinations of UK whiskey exports.
No single country dominates the whiskey market and the balance of brands on the global stage may change in the years to come, particularly with the looming threat of trade wars between the United States and other large alcohol exporters.
Americans and Indians are the biggest whiskey lovers
The United States is the largest market in the world for whiskey. This is due to the fact that the U.S. is not only the largest importer of whiskey but also consumes a growing volume of domestic straight whiskey. Among other criteria, the main feature of straight whiskey is that it is not blended with spirits from other distillers. Some of the most well-known American whiskey brands occupy this segment, such as Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s.India is the next largest market for whiskey. Like the U.S., India commands a large domestic whiskey following. Not only does domestic whiskey rank higher in consumption compared to imports, but whiskey is the largest segment of the spirits industry in India overall.
Due to the international demand for Scotch whiskey, the United Kingdom is the largest exporter of whiskey, by far. The United States and India both rank among the leading destinations of UK whiskey exports.
How whiskey brands stack up
How brands rank depends on what is being counted. In terms of volume, the top four brands are Indian, demonstrating the strong domestic demand for homegrown whiskey in the world’s most populous country. In terms of brand value, only the biggest names from America and Scotland make the top ten. Jack Daniel’s was worth 3.8 billion U.S. dollars while the Johnnie Walker brand was valued at 2.5 billion. The whiskey bottles commanding the highest prices at auction, on the other hand, are exclusively Scotch. The Macallan topped all others at auctions in 2024.No single country dominates the whiskey market and the balance of brands on the global stage may change in the years to come, particularly with the looming threat of trade wars between the United States and other large alcohol exporters.
