A year that saw Jameson break the 10 million case barrier was never going to be the moment that the Irish Distillers-owned giant lost its footing at the top of the Brands Report.
Of the bars that stocked an Irish whiskey, Jameson was the go-to pour in more than half and a top-three choice in 86% – a 7% increase on last year, which proves the brand’s staying power despite a number of new brands entering the category.
This year saw the addition of a single pot still whiskey to the brand’s portfolio, which has grown in recent years to include two flavoured expressions, Orange and Cold Brew (coffee), and a range of cask finishes.
It speaks volumes about the success of the Irish whiskey revival that 93% of the bars stock at least one Irish whiskey, and fitting then that the Dublin-based Teeling, the brand that brought whiskey distilling back to the Irish capital, should occupy second place. Though some way off the pace of the leader, Teeling was the house pour in roughly 12% of bars and a top-three choice in just shy of 30%.
Irish Distillers-owned Redbreast completes the podium. The single pot still brand retained its title as the World’s Most Admired Irish Whiskey and has shown to be a popular choice among bartenders too, a house pour in 11% of bars and a top-three choice in a quarter.
The Irish whiskey category’s second and third top-selling brands, Tullamore Dew and Bushmills, rank fourth and fifth respectively among our polled bars while Diageo’s Irish effort, Roe & Co has proven to be a slower burn than may have been expected when it launched in 2019, though it has maintained a consistent spot on the bestsellers list.
The Dead Rabbit, a collaboration between the former World’s Best Bar of the same name and the Dublin Liberties Distillery has found a devoted audience at the top of the bartending industry. It has appeared in our bestselling list three times since its launch in 2018.
How we did it
The Annual Brands Report results are the culmination of a survey of 100 bars from 33 countries around the world which have been nominated or won international awards. The report offers a picture of the buying habits of the world’s best bars – not only which brands sell best, but also what’s trending to indicate the brands that are hot right now.
To view the page-turner edition of the Brands Report click here.
The Brands Report will be serialised on drinksint.com throughout January.
