EXCLUSIVE: Johnnie Walker Stands Tall In Impact’s Top 100 Value Rankings

Impact’s exclusive ranking of the world’s top 100 spirits brands by retail sales value reveals that Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky and its owner, Diageo, stand far above the competition when it comes to the bottom line. Johnnie Walker registered approximate retail sales value of $5.8 billion in 2012, according to Impact Databank. No other brand came close—not even portfolio-mate Smirnoff, the world’s biggest premium brand by volume. Smirnoff was the runner-up in retail value at nearly $3.4 billion—some 70% lower than Johnnie Walker. Moët Hennessy-owned Hennessy Cognac ($2.94 billion), Bacardi rum ($2.62 billion) and Brown-Forman’s Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey ($2.5 billion) round out the top five.

In all, Diageo has 15 entries on the top 100 value list, with global retail sales value of roughly $19.7 billion—nearly one-quarter of the top-100 total of $80.1 billion. Diageo’s nearest competitor, Pernod Ricard, is more than $7 billion behind Diageo at about $12.6 billion.

Pernod actually has more brands on the list, with 16. Like Diageo, Pernod is among the biggest value players, with Absolut and Chivas Regal both in the top seven brands. But while Diageo’s top-100 brands are all at the premium end, Pernod’s include several big-volume sub-premium entries, such as its Indian whisky trio of Royal Stag, Imperial Blue and Blenders Pride. While those three brands sold nearly 27 million cases in aggregate last year, their average retail rate is less than $6 a 750-ml.

The full top 100 list and analysis will be unveiled in Impact’s March 1&15 edition.

Tagged : Johnnie Walker, spirits

GET YOUR FIRST LOOK AT 2025 ESTIMATES AND 2030 PROJECTIONS FOR THE WINE AND SPIRITS INDUSTRIES. ORDER YOUR 2025 IMPACT DATABANK REPORTS. CLICK HERE.