“Hot Brand” Whiskies At Mid-Year, Part 2

In the first part of this story, we discussed recent growth trends among some of the fastest-rising American whiskies in the U.S. In this second installment, imported whisk(e)y “Hot Brands” like Dewar’s, Crown Royal Peach, and Pendleton are featured.

The lone Scotch whisky brand to earn Impact “Hot Brand” honors, Bacardi-owned Dewar’s neared 1.1 million cases in the U.S. in 2022 on 20% growth, leveraging higher-priced aged offerings as well as its series of novel cask finishes. This summer, the brand launched its 19 Year Old The Champions Edition, released in partnership with the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, held at The Los Angeles Country Club in June. The Champions Edition is extra-matured in red wine casks from Napa Valley, bottled at 43% abv, and retails at $80 a 750-ml.

Proximo’s Pendleton whisky is now a half-million-case brand in the U.S., according to Impact Databank, and it continued to progress in control states through June of this year. Last year the Canadian whisky brand inked a sponsorship deal with the Minnesota Vikings, becoming the preferred cocktail of the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium, and gaining visibility as namesake of the stadium’s Pendleton Whisky Longhouse. Pendleton has averaged approximately 13% annual volume growth in the U.S. over the past three years.

Two flavored whiskies, Crown Royal Peach and Fireball, have also been among whisk(e)y’s top growers recently. Diageo’s Crown Royal Peach has nearly doubled in size to reach 800,000 cases in the U.S. over the past three years, according to Impact Databank. And it soared 19% in control states in the first half of this year. Fireball, meanwhile, has continued its long-term climb. The brand now ranks fifth among all spirits brands in the U.S. by volume, after tacking on more than 1.5 million cases since 2019.

Tagged : Bacardi, Crown Royal Peach, Dewar's, Diageo, Fireball, Pendleton, Proximo, Sazerac

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