W&W Irish Whiskey Brochure 08.22 (1) - Flipbook - Page 15
The Irish whiskey market,
past, present and future
In 2018 over 11 million cases of Irish whiskey
were sold – 500% more than in the 1980s and
the value of Irish whiskey exports increased
by €45m to €623m
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Past
Irish whiskey was once
the biggest selling spirit
in the world, outselling
even vodka and gin.
Over 75% of all whiskey
consumed between the
1600s and early 1900s
was Irish whiskey.
Before the First World War,
whiskey was Ireland’s main
export. However, in 1914,
all Irish distillers were forced
to cease production as the
barley was needed to feed
soldiers and there were no
ships available to deliver the
scarce whiskey produced.
This had a significant
economic impact on
distilleries resulting in
many going bankrupt.
In 1916, in an effort to
overthrow British rule,
14
Present
an uprising of Irish rebels
resulted in Irish whiskey
falling out of favour with
the British Government.
By 1919, Ireland was
at war with Britain.
Once the Anglo-Irish
Treaty was signed in 1921,
Irish whiskey appeared
to be back on track.
America used to be one
of Ireland’s biggest whiskey
markets, however, when
Prohibition was introduced
in 1920, many distilleries
were forced to close and
Irish whiskey’s position
in the market began to
diminish again.
The 1930’s brought
further struggle for the
Irish whiskey industry.
Ireland’s trade war with
Britain resulted in an
embargo on all Irish
exports to Commonwealth
countries, another of
Ireland’s largest export
markets. The Second
World War followed as the
trade war ended, and Irish
whiskey production fell
by 99% from over 12 million
cases per annum (more
than we make today)
to just 100,000.
The Irish whiskey
market all but collapsed.
Only four distilleries
survived: Bushmills,
Powers, Jameson, and the
Cork Distillers. Three of
these distilleries merged
in 1966 after 20 years of
fighting for the same local
customers, forming the
Irish Distillers Limited
(IDL). Bushmills then
joined the group in 1972.
By the 1980s, Ireland
was producing only two
million cases of whiskey
a year, 50% of which was
sold domestically.
The rest was largely sold
in Irish pubs around the
world. At the same time,
Scottish whisky was
selling over 100 million
cases per year, globally.
Midleton and Redbreast.
With major players like
Pernod Ricard heavily
invested in Irish whiskey,
and increasing competition
from emerging distilleries,
a resurgence was
underway to return Irish
whiskey to its former
glory as the main player
in the whiskey market.
Slane Distillery in 2015 19
to make their play for
the anticipated Irish
whiskey boom.
As soon as brands
became popular or available
for sale, they were acquired
rapidly by global drinks
conglomerates.
Irish whiskey emerged,
once again, as a global player.
IDL’s Irish whiskey
monopoly lasted nearly
30 years. Cooley Distillery
in Dundalk opened in 1987;
it was the first independent
distillery to open in Ireland
in nearly 70 years.
The following year, French
drinks powerhouse, Pernod
Ricard, bought IDL and all
the brands associated with
it, which then included
Jameson, Bushmills,
The modern Irish
whiskey market gained
momentum in 2012.
Jim Beam bought Cooley
Distillery for a reported
€73 million 16 and Bacardi
acquired a stake in
Dublin based Teeling
Whiskey Company. 17
Tequila giant, Jose Cuervo
bought Bushmills.18
Jack Daniels’ owners,
Brown-Forman created
Fast forward to 2022,
and global sales are
expected to exceed over
11 million cases of Irish
whiskey, (500% more
than in the 1980s). In 2018,
the value of Irish whiskey
exports increased by €45m
to €623m as Ireland’s
industry delivered greater
volumes of more premium
product to consumers
across the globe. 20
“The tour was very impressive. It’s a very
professional setup and I like the idea that it all
started off small and expanded.” ALFRED BUIS
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