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World Whisky Brand Champion 2022: Jameson
What a stellar year 2021 was for Jameson. The world’s biggest-selling Irish whiskey brand (by quite some margin) increased its volume sales by more than a quarter (25.4%) last year.
“It is our continued dedication to innovation, examples of which include Jameson Orange, Jameson Lime and Ginger, Jameson Cold Brew and Jameson Triple Triple, that has allowed us to penetrate new consumer opportunities,” a Jameson spokesperson assures.
“We have continued to innovate with our RTD [ready-to-drink] range, offering great-tasting versions of Jameson in convenient formats.”
Of the 9.6m nine-litre cases sold by Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson last year, 5.8m cases were shifted during the first six months of 2021, marking 22% volume growth compared with the previous year. While the slow reopening of global travel retail aided the brand’s success to a degree, domestic markets were where Jameson really shone.
“Volume growth in calendar year 2021 was mostly driven by the improving situation in domestic markets, so we remain positive to the improvement in travel retail adding to our growth momentum throughout 2022,” the spokesperson notes.
In terms of expansion in 2022, the brand has set its sights on Nigeria, India, Japan, Korea and the wider Asia region. Fellow million-case-selling Irish whiskey brand Tullamore Dew also had a solid 2021, rebounding to just over its pre-pandemic volume after a drop in 2020.
In the American whiskey contingent, Woodford Reserve continued its year-on-year growth with a 16.8% increase in 2021.
Wild Turkey grew by 7.1%, while Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey recovered from a 2020 decline to beat its pre-pandemic volume, thanks to 10% growth.
Diageo’s Crown Royal led the Canadian whisky category with 10.3% growth to just shy of 9m cases, and Canadian Club passed the 6m-case mark after a 4.9% increase.
The Japanese whiskies were stagnant, except for Suntory Kakubin (including Highball), which enjoyed a 9% increase to 12.7m cases.
Figures: million 9l-case sales
| Brand | Owner | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | %+/- |
| American whiskey | |||||||
| Jim Beam | Beam Suntory | 14.3 | 15.2 | 15.8 | 16.4 | 17.0 | 3.3% |
| Jack Daniel’s | Brown-Forman | 13.0 | 13.3 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 13.5 | 10.0% |
| Evan Williams | Heaven Hill Brands | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.0% |
| Maker’s Mark | Beam Suntory | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 11.1% |
| Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey | Brown-Forman | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 7.0% |
| Wild Turkey (including Wild Turkey American Honey) | Campari Group | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 7.1% |
| Seagram’s 7 | Diageo | 2.9 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 | -12.2% |
| Bulleit | Diageo | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | -5.1% |
| Woodford Reserve | Brown-Forman | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 16.8% |
| Canadian whisky | |||||||
| Crown Royal | Diageo | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 9.0 | 10.3% |
| Canadian Club | Beam Suntory | 4.9 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 4.9% |
| Black Velvet | Heaven Hill Brands | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | -4.0% |
| Irish whiskey | |||||||
| Jameson | Pernod Ricard | 6.9 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 25.4% |
| Tullamore Dew | William Grant & Sons | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 22.7% |
| Japanese whisky | |||||||
| Suntory Kakubin (including Highball) | Suntory Spirits | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 12.7 | 9.0% |
| Black Nikka | Asahi Breweries | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.0% |
| Torys (including Highball) | Suntory Spirits | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 0.3% |
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