Irish Distillers post 11% rise in global sales on back of Jameson success

According to Irish Distillers, Jameson is now a "top 3 selling" international whiskey brand as popularity grows across Asian markets

This year, the business launched Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Four in the financial year, one of the oldest and rarest expressions of Irish whiskey. Picture: Andy Gibson

Sales of Jameson increased by 10% globally following sustained demand across Ireland, the UK, South Africa and Poland, with net sales growth rising by more than 56% across Asian markets.

According to Irish Distillers, Jameson is now a "top 3 selling" international whiskey brand, contributing heavily to the group's 11% rise in net sales globally.

In the US, the group said Jameson enjoyed mid-single digit depletions value growth, noting its "post-covid normalising market context."

However, Powers continued to recruit new consumers with net sales growth of 18% in the year, primarily driven by the US market.

The group's prestige portfolio, which is comprised of Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, Spot Whiskeys, Method and Madness and Knappogue Castle, achieved net sales growth of 22% in the financial year, with Irish whiskey becoming "an increasingly significant player in the higher-end whiskey market globally", according to the group.

This year, the business launched Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Four in the financial year, one of the oldest and rarest expressions of Irish whiskey.

While demand for these exceptional whiskeys has come historically from traditional Irish whiskey markets in US and Europe, the group has recorded an increase in sales to Asian whiskey consumers seeking to expand their luxury collections with ultra-rare Irish whiskeys.

This year Irish Distillers also released Midleton Very Rare The Pinnacle Vintage, a one-of-a-kind single bottle release that sold for $130,000 (€119,300) via NFT. It was the fastest-ever sale on BlockBar, a global marketplace for luxury wines and spirits, reserved just two seconds after going live. 

Midleton Very Rare The Pinnacle Vintage was also the highest value single bottle whiskey sold via NFT to date.

Domestically, the spirits market in Ireland generated sales of 6% in the calendar year with Irish Distillers’ portfolio of spirits brands recording notable growth during 2022/2023. 

“Traditionally strong markets for Irish whiskey continued to deliver growth in the year, and the strength of sales in Asia shows that our strategy of diversifying Jameson and our prestige portfolio is working," said Nodjame Fouad, Chairman and CEO at Irish Distillers.

“We are incredibly proud to lead the global growth of an iconic Irish product. We continue to invest in our operations in Ireland and in the year, we announced plans for the construction of a new state-of-the-art distillery to ensure that we have the capacity to meet the demand for our portfolio of Irish whiskeys. 

"We are also committed to moving away from fossil fuels to power the existing distillery which is why we are reducing our scope 1 & 2 emissions at our operations in Midleton Co. Cork.”