The Scotch whisky market boomed in 2021 and 2022. However following a interval of considerable development, 2024 proved to be a tough 12 months for the trade. In keeping with The Spirits Enterprise, Scotch exports dropped by 18 p.c within the first half of 2024 when in comparison with the identical interval the 12 months earlier than.
Bumps in home taxes and tightening laws, strain on shopper spending, and instabilities within the international commerce market have put constraints on producers and clients alike. The lattermost difficulty is a specific problem for an trade that exports 90 p.c of its merchandise.
Nonetheless, there have been a couple of vivid spots for the Scotch enterprise in 2024. In keeping with The Spirits Enterprise’s annual “Model Champions” report, a handful of manufacturers like Ballantine’s and Sir Edward’s have navigated the excessive seas, growing case gross sales by 13.9 and seven.5 p.c respectively. In terms of the trade at giant although, Johnnie Walker remains to be main the cost by an extended shot, with a whopping 21.6 million case gross sales in 2024.
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Try the world’s 20 hottest Scotch manufacturers beneath.
20. Black Canine
Produced by United Spirits Restricted, a subsidiary of Diageo, Black Canine is a blended Scotch whisky model with practically 150 years of historical past. Though the whisky is distilled in Scotland, as of 1992, all Black Canine expressions are bottled in India — a tactic the model makes use of to dodge hefty tariffs on spirits bottled previous to import. In 2024, case gross sales jumped up by 7.1 p.c to hit 1.2 million.
19. Clan Campbell
As its title suggests, Clan Campbell is carefully related to the Clan Campbell, a Scottish clan shaped within the Highlands within the eleventh century. The blended Scotch model dates again to 1948, and sources declare that the Clan Campbell is the most well-liked ‘premium whisky’ in France. It turned part of the Inventory Spirits Group portfolio in 2023 and has maintained comparatively regular gross sales lately, although case gross sales dipped 2.3 p.c in 2024.
18. The Glenlivet
The originator of the extensively used “the” prefix in Scotch model naming, The Glenlivet has been producing single malt Scotch whisky in Speyside since 1824. That’s just one 12 months after the Excise Act handed, which allowed whisky producers to acquire authorized distilling licenses in Scotland for the primary time. The family title model was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2001 and noticed a 6.3 p.c decline in gross sales final 12 months.
17. Bell’s
Identified for its iconic limited-edition bell-shaped decanters, Bell’s was based by its namesake Arthur Bell in 1851. Over the following 100 years, the model grew to grow to be one of many greatest gamers within the blended Scotch whisky house. Now beneath the Diageo umbrella, Bell’s gross sales declined steadily within the early 2020s, although case gross sales have been flat year-over-year in 2024 at 1.3 million.
16. Passport
Passport Scotch is a blended whisky model born in 1965 and produced by the Chivas Brothers, a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard. The Passport home mix allegedly comprises a number of malt and grain whiskies from Scotland’s Speyside area, and is predominantly aged in American oak casks. Passport took a reasonably large hit in case gross sales final 12 months, dropping by 9.4 p.c, nevertheless it’s nonetheless some of the common blended Scotches on the market, with 1.4 million instances bought.
15. Instructor’s Highland Cream
Established in 1884, the Instructor’s Highland Cream mix allegedly makes use of a peated single malt from The Ardmore distillery as its base whisky. Final 12 months, the Suntory World Spirits-owned model maintained comparatively regular gross sales, offloading roughly 1.4 million instances.
14. Previous Parr
Launched in 1909, Previous Parr is known as after Thomas Parr, an Englishman who allegedly lived to the age of 152. The model title was meant to pay homage to the maturity of the whiskies used within the mix. Despite the fact that the now Diageo-owned model hasn’t been distributed in its residence nation because the ‘80s, it’s common in Latin America and the Caribbean. The model has doubled its case gross sales since 2020, leaping a powerful 10 p.c final 12 months to achieve 1.4 million.
13. 100 Pipers
Launched in 1965, 100 Pipers is a blended Scotch whisky constructed on a mix created by Jimmy Lang and Chivas Brothers grasp blender Alan Baillie. 100 Pipers was first launched within the U.S., is now bottled in India, and sells the vast majority of its whisky in Asia. The Pernod Ricard-owned model bought 1.8 million instances in 2023, however skilled a 2.8 p.c dip in case gross sales in 2024, ending the 12 months with 1.7 million instances bought.
12. Sir Edward’s
Sir Edward’s is a blended Scotch whisky model that first hit the market in 1891. Presently owned by French drinks conglomerate La Martiniquaise-Bardinet, the model blends and ages all of its whiskies in Scotland earlier than sending them off to Bordeaux to be bottled. In 2024, Sir Edward’s crossed the 2 million case threshold for the primary time after growing gross sales by 7.5 p.c year-over-year.
11. White Horse
Diageo’s White Horse was based by James Logan Mackie, a former associate at Lagavulin, in 1883. Between 2022 and 2023, White Horse’s gross sales dropped from 2.6 million instances to 1.8 million, although the model recovered barely in 2024. Final 12 months, White Horse racked up 2.1 million case gross sales — a 12.6 p.c improve from the earlier 12 months.
10. Buchanan’s
James Buchanan established his namesake London-based model in 1884 with the intent of making a blended whisky that might attraction to the English palate. He crafted The Buchanan Mix, and it was all uphill from there. Since 1997, Buchanan’s has been beneath the Diageo umbrella, and now produces a spread of whiskies. The model skilled important development after 2020, however case gross sales have slipped barely over the previous two years. In 2024, case gross sales have been down 10.1 p.c year-over-year.
9. J&B
Justerini & Brooks Ltd. has been within the wine and spirits enterprise since 1749, however the firm is greatest recognized for the 1935 introduction of J&B Uncommon, a light-bodied blended Scotch designed for the post-Prohibition American palate. Right this moment, J&B whiskies can be found in a number of international locations across the globe. Presently owned by Diageo, J&B’s 2024 case gross sales amounted to 2.4 million, down 4.4 p.c year-over-year.
8. Label 5
Based in 1969, Label 5 is a blended whisky model owned by La Martiniquaise-Bardinet. In 2008, the French spirits group bought Speyside’s Glen Moray distillery, which right this moment produces the vast majority of the whiskies used within the Label 5 mix. Final 12 months, the model’s case gross sales remained flat year-over-year, with 2.4 million instances bought in each 2023 and 2024.
7. William Peel
Based in 1964 by French entrepreneur Bernard Magrez in Bordeaux, William Peel initially sourced numerous malt whiskies from Scotland earlier than concocting the mix that put the model within the limelight. In 2005, the model was scooped up by Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits, now a subsidiary of Belvédère, and allegedly has an enormous following in France. In 2024, William Peel’s case gross sales dropped by 5.1 p.c, shifting 2.6 million instances final 12 months.
6. Black & White
Arguably essentially the most well-known blended whisky created by James Buchanan, Black & White was basically a rebranding of his Buchanan Mix. Like Buchanan’s, Black & White can be now owned by Diageo, and in 2024, the model bought roughly 3 million instances, a 5.4 p.c lower from 2023.
5. William Lawson’s
William Lawson’s was based by its namesake, William Lawson, in 1889. The model’s flagship expression, William Lawson’s Most interesting Mix, is an unpeated mix crafted with a base single malt from the Scottish Highlands’ Macduff distillery. William Lawson’s was acquired by Bacardi in 1993, and though the model noticed a 4.4 p.c drop in case gross sales in 2024, it nonetheless managed to promote 3.2 million instances.
4. Dewar’s
The Dewar’s model might have been established in 1846, nevertheless it wasn’t till 1906 that the model’s hottest whisky was first crafted. That 12 months, grasp blender A.J. Cameron created Dewar’s White Label, the model’s best-selling whisky to this present day. Dewar’s is now a family title within the Scotch realm, and the Bacardi-owned model continues to thrive, shifting 3.3 million instances in 2024 — a 1.8 p.c improve from the earlier 12 months.
3. Chivas Regal
In 1909, Chivas Regal began its journey with a robust first impression: a 25-year-old Scotch that many take into account to be the first-ever luxurious blended whisky. At that time, the Chivas household was now not concerned within the enterprise, however the title caught, and the Chivas Brothers beverage firm — now owned by Pernod Ricard — nonetheless operates quite a few distilleries round Scotland. Chivas Regal bought 4.8 million instances final 12 months, marking a 4.8 p.c improve from 2023.
2. Ballantine’s
In 1827, George Ballantine opened a grocery retailer in Edinburgh, began mixing single malts, and finally gained a excessive status for his hand-crafted blends. Virtually 200 years later, the now Pernod Ricard-owned model is among the best-selling Scotches on the planet. After a rocky 2023, Ballantine’s made a heroic comeback final 12 months, growing its gross sales quantity by a whopping 13.9 p.c year-over-year to achieve 9.3 million instances.
1. Johnnie Walker
Arguably no blended Scotch model is as universally often known as Johnnie Walker. The model was established as a registered trademark in 1908, and that very same 12 months, it launched its three core expressions: White, Crimson, and Black Label. In 2024, the Diageo-owned model bought 21.6 million instances of whisky — over 10 million instances greater than runner up Ballantine’s.
