DISCUS: Whiskey Drives U.S. Spirits Growth, Exports In 2013
February 5, 2014At a presentation to journalists and analysts in New York yesterday, the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) credited the whiskey segment—and American whiskey, in particular—with driving the majority of U.S. spirits growth in 2013. For the year, U.S. spirits supplier revenues grew 4.4% to $22.2 billion, DISCUS said, as spirits volume rose 1.9% to 206 million nine-liter cases.
By category, the U.S. whiskey segment grew revenue 10.1% to $7 billion, while also expanding 6.2% by volume to 52.7 million cases. Whiskey highlights included flavored expressions, which accounted for around 45% of whiskey volume growth, as well as Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, which rose 10.2% by value and 6.8% by volume, and surpassed $1 billion in exports for the first time last year, contributing significantly to a record high of $1.5 billion in total U.S. spirits exports. Additionally, Tequila (+7.9% by value, +6.6% by volume), Cognac (+3.7% by volume) and vodka (+2.2% by value, +1.1% by volume), also demonstrated notable U.S. growth, DISCUS reported.
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