Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Modest category growth
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- Figure 1: US volume sales of dark spirits, 2010-20
- More consumers drink white spirits
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- Figure 2: Spirit preference, September 2015
- Rum struggles
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- Figure 3: Dark spirits consumption – Rum, September 2015
- The opportunities
- Opportunities to encourage intermediate drinkers to trade up
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- Figure 4: Dark spirit experience level, September 2015
- Flavor innovation creates new dark spirits experiences
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- Figure 5: Consumption and interest in flavors, September 2015
- Drinkers appreciate specialized, unique attributes
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- Figure 6: Dark spirits attributes, September 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Distilled spirits slow growth continues
- Dark spirits segments see growth
- Dark spirits category faces competition with white spirits
- Consumers drink most spirits off-premise
Market Size and Forecast
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- Distilled spirits sales grow, albeit slowly
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of distilled spirits*, at current prices, 2010-20
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- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of distilled spirits*, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of distilled spirits*, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
Market Breakdown
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- Dark spirits volume
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- Figure 10: US volume sales of dark spirits, 2010-20
- Whiskey/whisky, brandy segments maintain growth
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- Figure 11: US volume sales and forecast of dark spirits, 2010-20
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- Figure 12: US volume sales and forecast of dark spirits – Percentage change, by type, 2010-15
- American straight, Irish whiskeys see greatest growth
- US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, by 9-liter cases (000)
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- Figure 13: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, 2010-20
- Figure 14: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky – Percentage change, 2010-20
Market Perspective
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- Dark spirits versus white spirits consumption
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- Figure 15: Spirit preference, September 2014
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- Figure 16: White spirit consumption, June 2015
- Figure 17: Dark spirit consumption, September 2015
- White versus dark rum
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- Figure 18: Rum consumption, by type, trended 2011-15
- On-premise volume sales cannot compete with off-premise sales
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- Figure 19: US volume sales of dark and white distilled spirits, by channel, 2010-15
- Figure 20: Drinking locations – Liquor, by gender, April 2014 to June 2015
Market Factors
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- Millennials driving spirits preferences
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- Figure 21: Population, by generation, 2010-20
- Millennials becoming parents
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- Figure 22: Households with own children, by age of householder, 2013
- Hispanic population experiencing growth
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- Figure 23: Population by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-20
- Figure 24: Households with own children, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2013
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Super-premium spirits fueling growth
- Innovation driven by quality ingredients, flavors, production methods
Leading Companies – Whiskey/Whisky
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- American whiskey
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- Figure 25: Beach Whiskey, August 2015
- Trended brand consumption, by straight bourbon whiskey
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- Figure 26: Bourbon whiskey consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 27: Bourbon whiskey mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Trended brand consumption, by blended and rye whiskey
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- Figure 28: Blended and rye whiskey consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 29: Blended and rye whiskey mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Canadian whisky
- Trended brand consumption, by Canadian whisky
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- Figure 30: Canadian whiskey consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 31: Canadian whiskey mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011 2015
- Scotch whisky
- Trended brand consumption, by Scotch whisky
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- Figure 32: Scotch whisky consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 33: Scotch whisky mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Irish whiskey
- Trended brand consumption, by Irish whiskey
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- Figure 34: Irish whiskey consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 35: Irish whiskey mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011-15
Leading Companies – Rum
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- Total rum struggles, potential for premium offerings
- Trended brand consumption, by rum
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- Figure 36: Rum consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 37: Rum mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011-15
Leading Companies – Brandy
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- Brandy evolves to current drinking trends
- Trended brand consumption, by brandy
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- Figure 38: Brandy consumption, by brand, trended 2011-15
- Figure 39: Brandy mean consumption, by number of drinks in past 30 days, by brand, trended 2011-15
What’s Next?
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- Innovative barrel aging for unique expressions
- New, historic, and complex flavors
- Dark spirits cocktails
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Men, older Millennials among dark spirits core consumers
- Majority intermediate dark spirits drinkers
- Majority of dark spirits consumers drink a variety of types
- Interest in fruit, barrel flavor development
- Millennials shop at a variety of locations
- Consumer age drives pricing preferences
Core Consumers
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- Men as dark spirits drinkers
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- Figure 40: Dark spirits consumption, by gender, September 2015
- Millennials reinventing dark spirits category
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- Figure 41: Dark spirits consumption, by generation, September 2015
- Parents heavy dark spirits drinkers
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- Figure 42: Dark spirits consumption, by parental status, September 2015
- The Hispanic dark spirits consumer
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- Figure 43: Dark spirits consumption, by Hispanic origin, September 2015
Experience Level
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- Majority intermediate dark spirits drinkers
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- Figure 44: Dark spirit experience level, September 2015
- Who is the advanced dark spirits drinker?
- Who is the intermediate dark spirits drinker?
- Who is the beginner dark spirits drinker?
Dark Spirits Cross-consumption
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- Majority of dark spirits consumers drink a variety of types
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- Figure 45: Dark spirit consumption – Any drink, by dark spirit consumption – Any drink, September 2015
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- Figure 46: Dark spirit consumption – Rum, by dark spirit consumption – Any whiskey/whisky and any brandy, September 2015
- Figure 47: Dark spirit consumption – Brandy, by dark spirit consumption – Any whiskey/whisky and any rum, September 2015
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- Figure 48: Dark spirit consumption – Whiskey/whisky, by dark spirit consumption – Any rum and any brandy, September 2015
Whiskey/Whisky Drinkers
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- Kentucky bourbon, Tennessee whiskey most popular
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- Figure 49: Dark spirits consumption – Whiskey/whisky, by demographics, September 2015
- Opportunities with advanced, intermediate drinkers
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- Figure 50: Dark spirits consumption – Whiskey/whisky, by experience level, September 2015
- With soda preferred way to drink whiskey/whisky
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- Figure 51: Drink form – Whiskey/whisky, September 2015
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- Figure 52: Drink form – Whiskey/whisky, by demographics, September 2015
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- Figure 53: Drink form – Whiskey/whisky, by experience level, September 2015
Rum Drinkers
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- 34% of consumers aged 22+ drink rum
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- Figure 54: Dark spirits consumption – Rum, by demographics, September 2015
- Advanced, intermediate drinkers are heavy rum consumers
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- Figure 55: Dark spirits consumption – Rum, by experience level, September 2015
- With soda preferred way to drink rum
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- Figure 56: Drink form – Rum, September 2015
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- Figure 57: Drink form – Rum, by demographics, September 2015
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- Figure 58: Drink form – Rum, by demographics, September 2015
Brandy Drinkers
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- More than one quarter drink brandies
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- Figure 59: Dark spirits consumption – Brandy, by demographics, September 2015
- Advanced drinkers heaviest brandy consumers
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- Figure 60: Dark spirits consumption – Brandy, by experience level, September 2015
- Neat/straight preferred brandy drink form
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- Figure 61: Drink form – Brandy, September 2015
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- Figure 62: Drink form – Brandy, by demographics, September 2015
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- Figure 63: Drink form – Brandy, by demographics, September 2015
Flavor Innovation
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- Interest in fruit, barrel flavor development
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- Figure 64: Consumption and interest in dark spirit flavors, September 2015
- Age, gender drives flavored dark spirits consumption, interest
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- Figure 65: Flavors – Currently drinking, by demographic, September 2015
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- Figure 66: Flavors – Interested but not drinking, by demographic, September 2015
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- Figure 67: Flavors – Not interested not drinking, by demographic, September 2015
- Advanced drinkers consume greatest flavor variety
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- Figure 68: Flavors – Currently drinking, by experience level, September 2015
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- Figure 69: Flavors – Interested not drinking, by experience level, September 2015
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- Figure 70: Flavors – Not interested not drinking, by experience level, September 2015
Attitudes and Behaviors
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- Dark spirits consumers look for familiarity, experiences
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- Figure 71: Attitudes, by demographics, September 2015
- Consumers look beyond age and heritage, consider ingredient labels
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- Figure 72: Behaviors, by demographics, September 2015
- Advanced drinkers introduce others to new dark spirits
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- Figure 73: Attitudes, by demographics, September 2015
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- Figure 74: Behaviors, by demographics, September 2015
Purchase Location
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- Millennials shop at a variety of locations
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- Figure 75: Purchase location, by demographics, September 2015
- Online retail opportunity with advanced drinkers
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- Figure 76: Purchase location, by experience level, September 2015
Price Preferences
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- Consumer age drives pricing preferences
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- Figure 77: Price preference, by demographics, September 2015
- Intermediate drinkers split between premium, mid-range pricing
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- Figure 78: Price preference, by experience level, September 2015
Preferred Attributes
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- Age, alcohol content important dark spirits attributes
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- Figure 79: Dark spirits attributes, September 2015
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- Figure 80: Dark spirits attributes, by demographics, September 2015
- 25% find straight whiskey/whisky important to their purchase
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- Figure 81: Whiskey/whisky attributes, September 2015
- Advanced drinkers pay attention to details
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- Figure 82: Attributes, by experience level, September 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 83: US volume sales of dark spirits, 2010-15
- Figure 84: US volume sales of dark spirits, by segment 2010-15
- Figure 85: Total US retail sales of dark spirits, by segment, 2013 and 2015
- Figure 86: Total US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, 2010-15
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- Figure 87: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, by type, 2010-15
- Figure 88: US volume sales of brandy/Cognac/Armagnac, 2010-15
- Figure 89: US volume sales and forecast of total rum, 2010-20
- Figure 90: US volume sales of dark and white distilled spirits, by channel, 2010-15
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Appendix – Consumer
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- Figure 91: Whisky consumption, by core demographics, trended 2011-15
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- Figure 92: Brandy/Cognac consumption, by core demographics, trended 2011-15
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- Figure 93: Dark/golden rum consumption, by core demographics, trended 2011-15
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