In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 most popular liquor brands in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of the American liquor market, the recent acquisition in the liquor industry, and the success enjoyed by celebrity-owned liquor brands, and go directly to 5 Most Popular Liquor Brands in America.
Alcohol is full of contradictions. It is a euphoriant and a depressant, it is a poison and a medicine. For these reasons, discussion of alcohol and its place in society and culture sparks much debate and disagreement. We often overlook the fact that alcohol is a cultural artifact that can tell us about society – although alcohol is ultimately consumed, it plays an important part in the construction or breaking down of social norms. Alcohol can be an identity marker that denotes status, cultural capital, or gender differences. Rituals that focus on alcohol are often associated with rites of passage and life stages. All these aspects of the culture of alcohol consumption and production have a rich history in the United States.
The American Liquor Market:
The American liquor industry is overcoming economic headwinds to meet changing consumer preferences as it chips away at the dominance of beer. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the spirits revenue market share grew from 28.7% in 2000 to 42.1% in 2022, while beer held a 41.9% market share last year. Thus, the spirits industry surpassed beer in revenue for the first time ever. Overall spirit sales in the U.S. were up 5.1% in 2022 to a record $37.6 billion, and annual sales volumes rose 4.8% to 305 million 9-liter cases.
The rise to the top for spirit-makers was fueled in part by the resurgent cocktail culture, including the growing popularity of ready-to-drink concoctions, as well as strong growth in the tequila and American whiskey segments.
Recent Acquisition in the Liquor Industry:
Earlier this month, the brewing giant Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) made its first spirits acquisition with the purchase of bourbon and rye whiskey producer Blue Run Spirits. The Chicago-based beer company said that the deal marked another step in its ‘evolution’ into a total beverage company. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The addition of Blue Run expands Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP)’s footprint in spirits as it seeks to premiumise its portfolio. Furthermore, Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) has established Coors Spirits Co. to house its existing spirits business, which includes Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, Barmen 1873 Bourbon, and ‘future innovation’. Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), which owns Coors Light and Miller Lite brands, reported record quarterly sales and a big jump in profits this month.
Founded in October 2020, Blue Run Spirits sold 21,000 9-liter cases last year, marking a 300% YoY increase. The company has already announced its first whiskey release since the acquisition – Trifecta. The $180 single malt whiskey blends together bourbons aged for six, eight, and nine years.
The Success of Celebrity-owned Liquors:
The alcoholic beverage industry is unquestionably a profitable one and a growing number of celebrities are investing their time and money in the spirits business by backing brands and forging partnerships. These ventures have often proven quite lucrative.
Of course, a celebrity-backed investment offer is also a boon for the brand itself. Numerous studies have already shown that celebrities can affect consumer behavior, especially if the celeb’s image aligns with the brand. Having celebrities as investors can help the brand increase its sales and make it more recognizable to people. The celebrity’s fans or followers will associate the celeb’s positive image with the brand.
In 2017, George Clooney and his co-owners sold Casamigos to spirits giant Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) for $1 billion. It was a headline-grabbing figure that inspired an avalanche of celebrity-backed tequilas to hit the market over the last decade.
One prominent example of a celebrity alcohol brand investment is Ryan Reynolds buying into Aviation Gin in 2018. Like any private equity investor, Reynolds invested in the company, supported it, and cashed out. The key difference is that Reynolds’ participation in the brand was simply earth-shattering. No one can forget the Hollywood superstar’s witty and hilarious marketing skits, and after three years of investment, Ryan Reynolds cashed out with $610 million when Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) acquired the Aviation brand.
Similarly, Jay-Z also sold the majority stake in D’USSÉ – his best-selling cognac brand – to Bacardi this year, in a deal worth approximately $750 million.
For these stars and several others, the gambit has undoubtedly paid off. As they say, the rich get richer. But as a business owner, you can get buzzed just like your favorite stars – no drop of alcohol needed. It’s just a matter of finding the right celebrity investor.
With that said, here are the Most Popular Spirit Brands in America.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to websites like VinePair, Beverage Dynamics, and Reddit, looking for the Most Popular Liquor Brands in the U.S. We used sales as a proxy for popularity and ranked the following brands according to the U.S. sales volume of their 9-liter cases in 2021.
If you rather enjoy your alcohol brewed, here are the Best Craft Beer Brands in Each U.S. State.
20. Ketel One
Category: Vodka
Cases Sold in 2021: 2.61 million
Unflavored and odorless, Ketel One vodka is produced at the Nolet Distillery in the Netherlands. In 2008, Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) and the Nolet family reached an agreement to form a new company under which the former would pay $900 million to become the world’s exclusive distributor of Ketel One vodka. The Nolet family continues to own the brand rights for Ketel One.
Ketel One Vodka is among the Best-Selling Vodka Brands in the World.
19. Malibu
Category: Rum
Cases Sold in 2021: 2.81 million
Malibu was the third-largest rum producer in 2021, selling over 2 million more cases than the next largest supplier, indicating that the top rum brands command a more highly concentrated attention share than the leading brands in other categories. Pernod Ricard became the owner of Malibu when it acquired Allied Domecq in 2005, in a deal worth $14 billion.
18. Patrón
Category: Tequila
Cases Sold in 2021: 2.92 million
Known for its smooth taste, fantastic flavor, and iconic bottle, Patrón ranks among the Most Popular Tequila Brands in the U.S. In 2018, Bacardi Limited acquired the maker of Patrón in a deal which valued the ultra-premium brand at $5.1 billion, making Bacardi the #1 spirits player in the super-premium segment in America.
17. Jose Cuervo RTD
Category: Prepared Cocktails
Cases Sold in 2021: 3.01 million
Jose Cuervo RTD is a line of ready-to-drink Margaritas which sold over 3 million cases in the American market in 2021, and thus solidified the pre-made cocktails’ place in the country’s beverage market. Jose Cuervo RTD is among the most popular spirit brands in the U.S.
16. Evan Williams
Category: Whiskey – Bourbon
Cases Sold in 2021: 3.06 million
First introduced in 1957, Evan Williams is Heaven Hill’s flagship bourbon whiskey and is one of the best-selling bourbons in the world. This Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey brand ranks among the Most Popular Liquors in America.
15. Absolut
Category: Vodka
Cases Sold in 2021: 3.23 million
Sweden’s Vin and Spirit, the parent company of Absolut, was acquired by the French group Pernod Ricard in 2008, in a deal worth around $8.9 billion. Sold in more than 126 countries worldwide, Absolut vodka is among the Most Popular Spirits in the World.
14. E&J
Category: Brandy & Cognac
Cases Sold in 2021: 3.75 million
E&J’s extra smooth taste has made it one of the most popular American brandies since 1975. The sales volume of the California-based brand decreased moderately in 2021, down from about 3.85 million cases the year before. E&J is counted among the Top 100 Alcohol Brands in U.S.A.
13. Jameson
Category: Whiskey – Irish
Cases Sold in 2021: 4.06 million
Since Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard in 1988, Jameson has spearheaded a complete rejuvenation of the Irish whiskey category, making it the most dynamic spirits segment globally. Jameson is the most popular Irish whiskey in the world.
12. Svedka
Category: Vodka
Cases Sold in 2021: 4.15 million
Owned by Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ), Svedka is a popular vodka brand that is a great choice for mixing cocktails. Its affordable price point makes it a great option for home bartenders on a budget. Svedka was acquired by Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) in 2007 in a deal worth $384 million. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) also owns the Modelo Especial beer brand in the U.S., which dethroned Bud Light to become the Top-Selling Beer in America this summer.
11. Jose Cuervo
Category: Tequila
Cases Sold in 2021: 4.81 million
Since its inception in 1795, Jose Cuervo has been the world’s most well-known and best-selling tequila brand. The reputation of the company has been nothing but stellar and it produces some excellent tequilas that are well-regarded by enthusiasts all over the world.
10. Hennessy
Category: Brandy & Cognac
Cases Sold in 2021: 5.12 million
Also referred to as ‘Henny’, this cognac is especially popular among the African American community. Founded in 1765, Hennessy was acquired by LVMH in 1987, which now owns around two thirds of the brand, while the other third is owned by Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO). The Moët Hennessy brands of LVMH boasted a revenue of around $2.5 billion in 2021 and employed a total of 2,485 people.
9. Jack Daniel’s
Category: Whiskey – Tennessee
Cases Sold in 2021: 5.43 million
Jack Daniel’s is a premium Tennessee straight whiskey that ranks among the most popular whiskey brands in America. In October 2022, Jack Daniel’s also launched an American single malt whiskey aged in charred white oak barrels and finished in Oloroso sherry casks. Jack Daniel’s sits among the Most Popular Whiskey Brands in the World.
8. Captain Morgan
Category: Rum
Cases Sold in 2021: 5.46 million
Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) got ownership of the Captain Morgan brand after its $8.15 billion joint acquisition of Seagram with France’s Pernod Ricard. The London-based company, which footed $5 billion of the bill, got the lion’s share of Seagram’s portfolio. Captain Morgan ranks among the Top 10 Most Popular Liquors in America.
7. New Amsterdam
Category: Vodka
Cases Sold in 2021: 6.15 million
Introduced in 2011, New Amsterdam Vodka has become increasingly popular due to its quality and affordability. Fuelled by E&J Gallo’s network, New Amsterdam is the fastest spirits brand in history to reach the coveted sales benchmark of one million and five million cases. New Amsterdam is one of the most popular liquors for parties.
6. Jim Beam
Category: Whiskey – Bourbon
Cases Sold in 2021: 6.34 million
America is famous for its bourbon and Jim Beam is certainly a name that can’t be overlooked in the category. Since 1795, Jim Beam has been crafted by the Beam family and distilled with a strong sense of family values. This American bourbon whisky brand is owned by Beam Suntory, which was formed after the $16 billion acquisition of Beam Inc. by the Tokyo-based Suntory group in 2014. Jim Beam ranks 6th in our list of the Most Popular Liquor Brands.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Most Popular Liquor Brands in America is originally published on Insider Monkey.
