The spirits category showed overall steady growth over the first quarter of this year with spirits sales up 5.1 percent and volumes up 2.5 percent in all IRI-measured channels.
Whiskey sales were up 8.2 percent with volumes up 5.9 percent. Tequila sales were up 10.7 percent with volumes up 9 percent. Mezcal was up 64 percent in sales and nearly 40 percent by volume. Cognac sales were up just under 9 percent in sales with volume growth up 6.1 percent. Vodka sales were up 4.3 percent with volume growth up 1.8 percent. Irish Whiskey sales were up 16 percent with volume growth up 15.5 percent. Scotch sales were up slightly at just under 1 percent and volume fell by 2.6 percent. Rum and Gin both dropped, with sales down 10.2 percent and volume down 6.3 percent for Rum and Gin down 2.1 percent in sales and 2.4 percent in volume.
Source: Wine & Spirits Daily, April 2018