How did spirits perform last year in the US’s Control States? – data

The good news first; at around 20% growth in both metrics, spirits-based RTDs is where the excitement’s at. The stronger showing for the segment’s volumes versus value implies that premiumisation may not be the best area to focus on, but in a field of negativity, growth of any kind is not to be sniffed at. 

The only other bright spot in the country’s Control States comes from tequila, where value was up 7.4% on volumes of +6.2%. Granted, this is a slower trajectory than in 2023 (+12% value, +9.8% volumes), but again, take a look around the rest of the category. 

American whiskey sales straddled the line, delivering flattish value as volumes declined by 1.6%. From here, all else is red.

Where the rate of volumes decreases outstripped those of value sales – as is the case for Canadian whisky, gin, rum and scotch – last year’s figures highlight that the premiumisation trend is holding steady and that wider macroeconomic issues hold sway. The alarm bells start to ring, however, for brandy/cognac and Irish whiskey, both of which saw value sales fall faster than volumes. For the former, the situation appears structural in nature – nor is this new news, given the results of the likes of Moët Hennessy and Rémy Cointreau over the past couple of years.

Irish whiskey brand owners, meanwhile, have every right to be worried; In 2023, the segment’s Control States sales rose by 1.4% in value as volumes slipped by 2.2%. Last year’s numbers – -6% in value, -5% in volumes – suggest that trouble this way comes.