Jameson’s US sales top $1.5bn in 10 years

Around US$1.5 billion of Jameson Irish whiskey has been sold in its key US market over the past 10 years, court documents have revealed.

Sales of Jameson Irish whiskey have reached US$1.5 billion in the past decade

Filings with the US District Court for the Northern District of California have revealed the figure as the Pernod Ricard Irish Distillers-owned brand continues its trademark dispute with Napa Valley’s Jamieson Ranch Vineyard.

Irish Distillers sent a cease and desist letter to the winery in December last year shortly after the Jamieson Ranch Vineyards was published for opposition. The French drinks group accused the winery of infringing the Jameson trademark and posing the threat of diluting the whiskey brand.

However, Jamieson’s owner Madison Vineyard Holdings took legal action against the distiller, seeking a declaratory judgment that it is not infringing the Jameson trademark.

As the lawsuit continues, the Irish Independent reports court filings have revealed that since 2004 Irish Distillers has spent US$345 millionon advertising and marketing for Jameson in the US, the world’s largest market for Irish whiskey and the largest market for Jameson.

Filings also show that Jameson has generated sales of US$225 million in California alone.

As revealed in The Spirits Business’ Brand Champions 2014, Jameson is the only Irish whiskey brand to surpass sales of 1m cases, selling 4.6m cases in 2013, an increase of 15% on the previous year.

The brand’s volumes expected to soar further after a €100m expansion and refurbishment of the Midleton Distillery in County Cork.