“Hot Brand” Whiskies At Mid-Year, Part 1
August 23, 2023Last week, we took a look at how the top 10 whisk(e)y brands in the U.S. market fared in the first half of the year in control states. In this issue, we shine a light on the first-half control state performances of whisk(e)y’s fastest-growing labels, those that earned Impact “Hot Brand” awards earlier this year.
Half of this year’s whisk(e)y Hot Brands above 400,000 cases are Bourbons. The largest, Brown-Forman’s Woodford Reserve, neared 1.3 million cases in the U.S. last year. This year, the brand is up about 5% in control states through June. Earlier this summer, Woodford released its annual limited-edition, high-proof expression Woodford Reserve Batch Proof, a 62.4% abv offering retailing at $130. Woodford’s Versailles, Kentucky distillery recently doubled its capacity via a $110 million expansion.
Old Forester also continues to be a growth driver for Brown-Forman, up 13% in control states in the first half. Its latest release is a new Bottled in Bond Bourbon ($60) under Old Forester’s 117 Series. At Beam Suntory, Basil Hayden has emerged as a fast-rising upscale American whiskey player, topping a half-million cases in annual volume in the U.S. It continued to show solid gains in the first half of this year in control states.
Four Roses and Elijah Craig both topped 400,000 cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank. The former, owned by Kirin, recently unveiled a brand refresh intended to “maintain the spirit of our rich history while appealing to today’s Bourbon drinker,” said Kelly Edney, senior brand manager. Elijah Craig, part of the Heaven Hill portfolio, recently released a limited edition offering, Toasted Barrel finished in European Toasted Oak Barrels ($100), to commemorate the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Also from the American whiskey segment, Ole Smoky continues to reach new heights after surpassing 1.2 million cases in the U.S. last year. The brand’s Moonshine Cherries expression has been rising rapidly, nearly tripling in size to 60,000 cases over the past three years. High double-digit growth was also registered last year by Ole Smoky’s Moonshine Minis and its line of cream moonshines. This year, Ole Smoky is up 15% in control states through June, showing promise for another strong full-year performance.
| Impact’s “Hot Brand” Whiskies Above 400,000 Cases, Year-to-Date | |||||
| Brand | Company | Origin/Type | Total 2022 Volume1 |
Control States Volume Growth 2023 YTD2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fireball | Sazerac Co. | Flavored Whisky | 7,150 | 1.1% | |
| Woodford Reserve | Brown-Forman | Bourbon | 1,278 | 4.9% | |
| Ole Smoky | Ole Smoky Distillery | Tennessee Whiskey | 1,232 | 14.7% | |
| Dewar’s | Bacardi | Blended Scotch | 1,073 | 0.6% | |
| Crown Royal Peach | Diageo | Flavored Whisky | 800 | 18.7% | |
| Basil Hayden | Beam Suntory | Bourbon | 530 | 6.2% | |
| Pendleton | Proximo Spirits | Canadian Whisky | 499 | 2.1% | |
| Old Forester | Brown-Forman | Bourbon | 427 | 12.8% | |
| Four Roses | Four Roses Distillery | Bourbon | 415 | -2.3% | |
| Elijah Craig | Heaven Hill Brands | Bourbon | 402 | -4.3% | |
| Total | 13,806 | 3.5% | |||
| 1 thousands of 9-liter cases 2 year-to-date through June Source: NABCA and IMPACT DATABANK © 2023 |
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Tagged : Brown-Forman, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Old Forester, Ole Smoky, Woodford Reserve
