Irish whiskey is a backbar mainstay in the U.S. — where would we be without shots of Jamo? However, after a boost post-Covid, total Irish whiskey sales in the U.S. declined last year for just the second time in two decades, according to Shanken’s Impact Databank. Total sales declined 8 percent to 5.1 million cases in 2023, with volume decreases in nine of the category’s 10 largest brands.
Despite this loss, spirits companies remain positive about the future of Irish whiskey, particularly in the super-premium category. The majority of the new brands entering the category are priced at this level, and now, nearly 90 percent of all Irish whiskey brands in the U.S. are $25 per 750-milliliter bottle or higher. In line with this shift, consumers are showing interest in special releases with higher age statements and rare cask types. To meet this need, top brands are investing in new facilities and products. For example, Bushmills opened a new distillery last year dedicated to single malt production, cementing its plan to be a leader in single malt Irish whiskey production in the years to come.
Irish whiskey’s darling Jameson is still far and away the most popular brand in the U.S. with 3.9 million cases in sales. Even though the brand experienced a 9.6 percent decrease last year, it remains about 400,000 cases above its pre-pandemic volume. The only top-ranking brand that avoided the past year’s knockout punch is UFC champion and boxer Conor McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve, which actually grew 12 percent from 2022 to 2023.
Even with the recent decline, Irish whiskey is still an evolving category to keep an eye on. So, which brands currently lead the pack stateside? Check out the table below to see the five best-selling Irish whiskey brands in the U.S.
| # | Brand | Company | 2023 Data* | ||
| 1 | Jameson | Pernod Ricard USA | 3,941 | ||
| 2 | Tullamore Dew | William Grant & Sons USA | 317 | ||
| 3 | Proper No. Twelve | Proximo Spirits | 309 | ||
| 4 | Bushmills | Proximo Spirits | 185 | ||
| 5 | Redbreast | Pernod Ricard USA | 56 |
*Thousands of 9-liter case depletions
Source: Shanken’s Impact Databank 2024
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