SCOTCH IS BACK WITH A BANG: AN UPDATE

SCOTCH WHISKY SALES ON THE RISE

Scotch is back with a bang. Global exports in 2016 turned positive after three long years, with values mounting 4% to £4 billion (U$5.2bn). Single Malts took the biggest share of the pie in percentage with a solid revival: exports soared by 12% in value to cross the £1bn (US$1.3bn) barrier for the first time.

Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal both saw losses, yet others, including Ballantine’s and Black & White, saw impressive gains. William Grant & Sons also flourished, with volume sales climbing by 9.5% to 1.21 million cases for Glenfiddich putting daylight between it and main rival The Glenlivet, owned by Pernod Ricard. Glenfiddich is attracting the next generation of premium whisky drinkers through the release of high profile new expressions, particularly The Glenfiddich Experimental Series, a range of unexpected and unusual variants created by malt master Brian Kinsman, taking single malt into a bold new direction and helping to define a new Scotch era, according to a company spokesman. 

Sales of Scotch Whisky in Million 9l Cases
BRAND	OWNER	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	% +/-
Johnnie Walker	Diageo	19.70	20.10	17.90	17.60	17.40	-1.14%
Ballantine’s	Pernod Ricard	5.81	6.01	6.13	6.22	6.70	7.72%
Grant’s	Wm Grant& Sons	4.46	4.71	4.37	4.35	4.48	2.90%
Chivas Regal	Pernod Ricard	4.83	4.68	4.59	4.39	4.26	-2.96%
J&B	Diageo	4.20	4.00	3.70	3.50	3.50	0.00%
William Peel	MBWS	2.50	2.65	2.75	2.90	3.00	3.45%
Wm Lawson’s	Bacardi	2.58	2.80	3.06	3.11	2.99	-3.86%
Dewar’s	Bacardi	3.04	2.95	2.70	2.68	2.80	4.48%
Label 5	La Martiniquaise	2.51	2.51	2.58	2.58	2.59	0.39%
Bell’s	Diageo	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.20	2.10	-4.55%
Black & White	Diageo	N/A	1.20	1.30	1.40	1.80	28.57%
Passport	Pernod Ricard	1.20	1.43	1.63	1.94	1.74	-10.31%
Buchanan’s	Diageo	1.90	1.90	1.60	1.40	1.70	21.43%
Teacher’s Hi’land Cream	Beam Suntory	2.10	2.02	1.99	1.62	1.55	-4.07%
Clan Campbell	Pernod Ricard	1.31	1.66	1.65	1.61	1.55	-3.73%
Sir Edward’s	La Martiniquaise	1.38	1.43	1.54	1.54	1.54	0.00%
100 Pipers	Pernod Ricard	1.58	1.32	1.38	1.45	1.44	-0.69%
White Horse	Diageo	N/A	1.50	1.70	1.50	1.30	-13.33%
Glenfiddich	Wm Grant& Sons	1.03	1.05	1.05	1.11	1.21	9.50%
Vat 69	Diageo	N/A	1.20	1.20	1.30	1.20	-7.69%
The Glenlivet	Pernod Ricard	0.90	0.97	1.04	1.06	1.03	-2.83%

TOP 10 BEST SELLING SCOTCH WHISKIES 2017-18

We all have our favourite brands, but which are the most popular Scotch whisky brands on the planet? As you might expect, the global top 10 contains some household names, but also some less heralded brands – Surprisingly, there isn’t a single single malt in the list.

Johnnie Walker, continues to stride ahead of the pack, outselling its nearest three competitors combined. The top five has remained unchanged for the past couple of years. It’s close-fought further down the rankings – with almost a three-way tie for sixth spot between Famous Grouse, William Lawson’s and William Peel – while Diageo’s price-fighting Black & White blend has surged into the top 10 after smashing through the two million-case barrier in 2017.

No	BRAND	OWNER	SALES IN 2017#	CHANGE Vs 2016
1	Johnnie Walker	Diageo	18.1m cases	+2.0%
2	Ballantine’s	Pernod Ricard & Chivas Bros	6.7m cases	+3.8%
3	Grant’s	William Grant & Sons	4.5m cases	+1.1%
4	Chivas Regal	Pernod Ricard & Chivas Bros	4.4m cases	+1.1%
5	J & B	Diageo	3.3m cases	-3.3%
6	Famous Grouse	Edrington	3.05m cases	+0.5%
7	William Lawson’s	Bacardi	3.04m cases	+4.7%
8	William Peel	Marie Brizard	3.03m cases	+2.9%
9	Dewar’s	Bacardi	2.5m cases	-5.2%
10	Black & White	Diageo	2.3m cases	+27.1%

   # 9.0 L Million Cases