Despite the competition from other surging spirits on the U.S. market, Scotch whisky is holding on. According to Shanken News Daily’s Impact Databank, thirst for single malt expressions grew steadily year-over-year from 2011 to 2021, with exports to the U.S. practically doubling in size to hit 2 million cases for the first time.
Despite explosive growth, sales themselves have slowed in recent years, largely thanks to rising demand for spirits like tequila and American whiskey. Even so, in 2023, single malt Scotch exports to the U.S. remained high, with 1.93 million 9-liter cases arriving stateside. While that’s a volume decline of 14.3 percent year-over-year, Impact Databank reports that value has remained relatively consistent, down only 1.4 percent in the same time frame.
For the most popular single malt Scotch whisky brands in the U.S., sales were relatively comparable to the larger market, with case sales down for each brand anywhere from 4.4 percent to 30.5 percent. Still, value has remained strong for the category’s top-earners, as brands like the ever-collectable The Macallan and Glenmorangie continue to launch extremely limited expressions.
Keep reading to discover the top five best-selling single malt Scotch whisky brands in the U.S.
The Top Five Single Malt Scotch Whisky Brands in the U.S.
(in thousands of 9-liter case depletions)
| Rank | Brand | 2022 | 2023 | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Glenlivet | 513 | 445 | -13.1 |
| 2 | The Macallan | 242 | 232 | -4.4 |
| 3 | Glenfiddich | 187 | 172 | -7.9 |
| 4 | Glenmorangie | 128 | 89 | -30.5 |
| 5 | The Balvenie | 106 | 88 | -17.1 |
