Top 10

2023’s biggest-selling world whisky brands

26 June 2024 By Lauren Bowes

American, Canadian and Irish whiskeys had varying levels of success in 2023 – here’s how the biggest world whisky brands fared.

While the growth of American whiskey slowed in 2023, nine-litre cases were estimated to have increased last year by 4.5% to 55.6 million, according to Euromonitor International data. For 2024, the projections are in the 57.8m range. In addition, the Distilled Spirits Council of the US found that American whiskey accounted for 63% of all US spirits exports – which reached a record high in 2023 – up by 9% from 2022, and totalling US$1.4 billion.

Alongside an astonishing number of Bourbon launches – with Kentucky’s output generating US$9 billion – there have been also moves to define the American single malt category.

Outside of the US, Japan Canada and Ireland remain the next biggest producers of world whisky, although less traditional countries – such as Bolivia, Israel, Finland and South Africa – are also making their mark.

No brands saw significant changes in their rankings however, with most remaining at their spot or moving only one space from the top 10 from last year.

Here are the top 10 biggest-selling world whisky brands in 2023, based on data from The Brand Champions 2024 report.

10. Seagram’s 7

$Seagram\s 7 world whisky$

2023: 2.2m

2022: 2.4m

% change: -8.6%

Place last year: 11

Diageo’s blended American whiskey, Seagram’s 7, suffered a 8.6% decline in 2023, continuing a general downward trend for the brand since 2020.

In 2017, the brand sold 2.9m cases, when it was the third biggest-selling American whisky. The brand was named the official whiskey sponsor of the American Cornhole League in April 2024 – so perhaps next year’s volume sales will tell a more cheerful tale.

9. Maker’s Mark

2023: 3m

2022: 2.8m

% change: 7.7%

Place last year: 10

In the first of many Suntory Global Spirits’ brands to make the top 10 list, Maker’s Mark had a solid year of growth and surpassed 3m cases for the first time.

In 2023, the brand launched a global campaign – which has clearly paid off – and released its first age-statement Bourbon.

8. Evan Williams

2023: 3.1m

2022: 3.1m

% change: -0.6%

Place last year: 8

Sales were nearly stagnant for American whiskey Evan Williams, which is owned by Heaven Hill Brands.

While it suffered a small sales drop, it held onto eighth place on this list and has achieved consistent sales of above 3m cases since 2020.

7. Black Nikka

2023: 3.3m

2022: 3.3m

% change: 0.0%

Place last year: 7

Japanese whisky Black Nikka – owned by Asahi Breweries – reported no change in its sales from 2022, meaning the brand has reported exactly 3.3m sales every year since 2020.

It has been reported that Nikka Whisky is investing in its storage facilities to boost production capacity and increase exports – could 2024 be the year it sees growth?

6. Suntory Kakubin (including Highball)

2023: 5.4m

2022: 5.3m

% change: 1.2%

Place last year: 6

A modest growth of 1.2% for Suntory Kakubin saw the Japanese brand hold onto its sixth-place position and close the gap on its nearest competitor – at its current pace, though, it’s unlikely to hit 6m cases soon.

Described as a ‘highly versatile’ whisky by Suntory, the brand is typically used as the base for a Highball cocktail in Japan.

5. Canadian Club

2023: 6m

2022: 6.5m

% change: -4.0%

Place last year: 5

The first Canadian brand in this top 10 struggled in 2023 and experienced a sales drop of 4% – its first decline in Brand Champions history.

In 2023, it launched a limited edition collection of whiskies called the Invitation Series, but much of its focus seems to have been on its ready-to-drink (RTD) line.

4. Crown Royal

2023: 7.7m

2022: 8.4m

% change: -8.4%

Place last year: 4

We’re sticking in Canada for the time being, with Diageo-owned Crown Royal down one spot to fourth. Although the brand’s sales fell by 8.4% to 7.7m cases, it remains the world’s biggest Canadian whisky brand, nearly 2m cases ahead of Canadian Club.

In recent months it has launched a new flavour – blackberry – and released its first single malt.

3. Jameson

2023: 10.2m

2022: 11.1m

% change: -7.9%

Place last year: 3

The world’s top-selling Irish whiskey held onto its crown this year despite a nearly 8% drop in sales. It kept volumes above 10m cases, having hit the milestone for the first time in 2022, a year after it was named the World Whisky Brand Champion.

The past year saw a flurry of marketing activity from the Pernod Ricard-owned brand, including collaborations with actor Cillian Murphy, comedian Aisling Bea and the English Football League. With its goal to reach 15m cases by 2030, it could be money well spent.

2. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey

2023: 14.3m

2022: 14.6m

% change: -2.2%

Place last year: 2

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey experienced a small decline of 2% but stayed above 14m cases. Its Honey variant is measured separately from the flagship – but this too declined by nearly 3%, selling 2m cases.

The brand has had a rocky start to 2024, with one of its adverts being banned on the Tube. Its parent company Brown-Forman reported stagnant sales in the year ending 30 April 2024, with the core Jack Daniel’s line dipping by 2%.

1. Jim Beam

2023: 17m

2022: 16.6m

% change: 2.7%

Place last year: 1

Remaining in first place for yet another year and achieving the title of World Whisky Brand Champion 2024, Suntory Global Spirits’ Jim Beam grew by a modest 2.7% to crack the 17m-case barrier for the second time, having achieved the milestone for the first time in 2021.

To ensure 2022 was just a blip, the Bourbon pulled out all the stops to gain sales traction: pushing a new marketing campaign ‘People are good for you’, which paid to tribute to community, making a dent in the RTD sector, and debuting its orange-flavoured Bourbon liqueur in the UK, encouraging new occasions for that market.