US Dark Spirits Market Report 2022
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“Consumer demand for premium dark spirits remains strong even as consumers rethink their total alcoholic beverage expenditures under the pressure of economic uncertainty. Increased interest in premium drinking experiences will only benefit the spirits market as more consumers seek to cut back their alcohol consumption but prioritize higher-quality alcoholic drinks. Limited-edition releases and unique experiences foster brand loyalty among dark spirit enthusiasts and approachable dark spirit RTD cocktails bring entirely new consumers into the dark spirits category.”
– Caleb Bryant, Associate Director of Food and Drink Reports
This Report looks at the following areas
- Impact of inflation on the spirits market
- Ecommerce and spirit purchases
- Consumer interest in RTD cocktails
- Role of brand trust in the spirits market
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Premium products drive the spirits market’s growth
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of market, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 2: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, 9-liter cases (000), by type, 2017-24
- Figure 3: Category outlook, 2022-27
- Opportunities and challenges
- Brand loyalty remains strong even in the face of rising inflation
- Figure 4: Spirit attitudes, by gender and age, 2022
- Younger Hispanics discover premium spirits while on premise
- Figure 5: Premium spirit indicators, by age and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Experiment with ecommerce
- RTDs expand the spirits market
- Figure 6: RTD cocktail attitudes, by age, 2022
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Market Size and Forecast
- Spirits market remains on an upward trajectory
- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of spirits market, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of spirits market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Spirits market remains on an upward trajectory
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Segment Performance
- American whiskey continues its strong performance
- Figure 9: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, 9-liter cases (000), by type, 2017-24
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- Figure 10: US volume sales of brandy, cognac, Armagnac, 9-liter cases (000), 2017-24
- American whiskey continues its strong performance
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Market Factors
- Inflation will likely not dampen demand for premium spirits
- Figure 11: Consumer Confidence Index, January 2019-August 2022
- Sober curious trend may actually benefit the spirits market
- Figure 12: Changes in alcohol consumption, by sober curious consumers, 2022
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- Figure 13: Reasons for drinking alcohol more often, by sober curious consumers, 2022
- Supply chains normalize
- Inflation will likely not dampen demand for premium spirits
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Key Players
- Americans’ love for whiskey remains steadfast
- Figure 14: Volume sales of straight whiskey, top 15 brands, thousand 9-liter cases, 2020-21
- Seagram’s 7 bucks the premiumization trend
- Figure 15: Volume sales of blended whiskey, top 15 brands, thousand 9-liter cases, 2020-21
- Non-traditional whiskey consumers drive Crown Royal’s growth
- Figure 16: Volume sales of Canadian whisky, top 15 brands, thousand 9-liter cases, 2020-21
- Tariff repeal revitalizes the scotch category
- Figure 17: Volume sales of scotch, top 15 brands, thousand 9-liter cases, 2020-21
- Irish whiskey, not just for Saint Patrick’s Day anymore
- Figure 18: Volume sales of Irish whiskey and other imported whiskeys/whiskies, top 15 brands, thousand 9-liter cases, 2020-21
- D’USSÉ challenges legacy cognac brands
- Figure 19: Volume sales of cognac and brandy, top 15 brands, thousand 9-liter cases, 2020-21
- Americans’ love for whiskey remains steadfast
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Push and pull nature of the foodservice industry creates opportunities and challenges
- Build brand trust through enjoyment and stories
- Whiskey on the web
- Ecomm can get the party started and shape consumers’ spirit preferences
- Social media can increase female engagement with whiskey
- Figure 20: Leading topics from females posting about whiskey, 2021-22
- Figure 21: Social media posts that appeal to female topics surrounding whiskey
- Trending cocktails can cross spirit barriers
- Consumers are making “better” alcohol choices
- Purchase Intelligence analysis: RTD cocktails
- RTD cocktails are a premium option but brands could use a packaging change
- Figure 22: Instant reaction and purchase intent scores: RTD cocktails vs RTD alcoholic beverages, 2022
- Figure 23: Attribute scores: RTD cocktails vs RTD alcoholic beverages, 2022
- Dark spirit RTD cocktails lack the refreshment of white spirit RTD cocktails
- Figure 24: Instant reaction and purchase intent scores: dark spirit RTD cocktails vs white spirit RTD cocktails
- Figure 25: Attribute scores: RTD cocktails vs RTD alcoholic beverages
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The Consumer – Fast Facts
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Trended Alcoholic Beverage Consumption
- Dark spirit consumption remains consistent
- Figure 26: Trended alcoholic beverage consumption, any drink, 2019-22
- Dark spirits make gains among middle-aged women
- Figure 27: Trended alcoholic beverage consumption, any drink, by gender and age, 2019-22
- Dark spirit consumption remains consistent
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Dark Spirit Purchases
- Unique experiences may spur trading up behaviors
- Figure 28: Dark spirit purchases by type, by gender and age, 2022
- Trendy tequila may steal dark spirits’ spotlight
- Figure 29: White spirit purchases, by dark spirit consumers, 2022
- Unique experiences may spur trading up behaviors
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Spirit Consumption Occasions by Format
- RTD cocktails brings spirits into new consumption occasions
- Figure 30: Spirit consumption occasions, by format, 2022
- RTD cocktails brings spirits into new consumption occasions
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Spirit Attitudes
- Known brands offer consumers trust in uncertain times
- Figure 31: Spirit attitudes, by dark spirit consumers, 2022
- Connect with younger male spirit enthusiasts
- Figure 32: Spirit attitudes, by gender and age, 2022
- Black consumers remain brand loyal in the face of rising inflation
- Figure 33: Spirit attitudes, by race and ethnicity, 2022
- Known brands offer consumers trust in uncertain times
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RTD Attitudes
- RTD ingredients are important, particularly with dark spirits drinkers
- Figure 34: RTD cocktail attitudes, by dark spirit consumers, 2022
- RTD cocktails bring younger consumers into the spirits market
- Figure 35: RTD cocktail attitudes, by age, 2022
- RTD ingredients are important, particularly with dark spirits drinkers
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Premium Spirit Attributes
- Luxury isn’t just about price
- Figure 36: Trended premium spirit indicators, 2020-22
- On-premise experiences shape young Hispanics’ spirit preferences
- Figure 37: Premium spirit indicators, by age and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Luxury isn’t just about price
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Alcohol Spending Behaviors
- Consumers have grown more actionable in their behaviors during financial uncertainty
- Figure 38: Alcohol spending behaviors during financial uncertainty, 2020-22
- Brand loyalty remains strong even with rising inflation
- Figure 39: Alcohol spending behaviors, by dark spirit consumers, 2022
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- Figure 40: Alcohol spending behaviors, by financial health status, 2022
- Consumers have grown more actionable in their behaviors during financial uncertainty
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Dark Spirit Associations
- Make cognac and scotch more accessible through cocktail recipes
- Figure 41: Dark spirit perceptions, 2022
- Make cognac and scotch more accessible through cocktail recipes
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 42: Total US sales and forecast of spirits, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
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