Top 10 Most Popular Whisky Brands in the World
1. Jack Daniel’s
When it comes to Whiskies Jack Daniel’s (JD) has gained a cult-like status. A brand of Tennessee whiskey and well-known by college kids worldwide. Jack Daniel founded his distillery in 1875 in Lynchburg, Tennessee. By the 1880s JD had the second most productive distillery in Moore County. The introduction of square bottles was their way to convey a sense of fairness and integrity. The origin of the slogan ‘Old No. 7’ originated as the number assigned by the government for registration. There is a massive market for brand memorabilia and the Old Time No.7 brand is a regular on the back bar of almost every bar in the world. Daniel’s whiskey saw a surge in population after receiving the gold medal at 1904 St Louis World Fair. Moore County remains a dry county where it is illegal to purchase alcohol but legal for Jack Daniel’s to distill. Today, Jack Daniel’s is owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation, but production and manufacture have always remained in Lynchburg.
2. Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker first began selling blended whiskey from his grocer’s in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1820. Originally known as Walker’s Kilmarnock Whisky. The brand was an initial success. But it wasn’t until Walker’s death in 1857 when the whiskey really took off. Prior to that whiskey added up to 8% of the company’s total income only but with his son Alexander Walker in charge, this figure increased to 95%. The now iconic square bottle was introduced in 1870 as a mean to allow more bottles to fill the same space with fewer breakages. The line was expanded and in 1908, under a new managing director, the name was changed to Johnnie Walker Whisky with the slogan ‘born 1820 – still going strong’! The logo of a striding man was made in the honor of the founder and still in use today. After-acquired by Diageo, the firm caused quite a stir when they announced production would be moved from the original distillery in Kilmarnock to a number of plants throughout Scotland. Dispute a public campaign to keep the distillery open and widespread media attention, the doors closed on March 2012. Johnnie Walker remains one of the most widely distributed Scotch whiskeys in the world, being sold in pretty much every country, and has annual sales of over 130 million bottles.
3. Jameson Irish Whiskey
In 1780, Scottish born John Jameson traveled to Dublin, acquiring a distillery which at the time produced 30,000 gallons per year. Within 20 years, it became the second largest producer in Ireland and one of the biggest in the world. Despite being the No.1 whiskey by 1805, the distillery faced few setbacks which held it back in its growth. And when the Irish War of Independence started, it resulted in Jameson to denied the export to members of the Commonwealth. Then came the impact of Prohibition in the States. Many whiskeys, especially Scotch, were able to pass through the Canadian border but Jameson had denied this privilege. Scottish distillers introduced column stills, producing in a larger scale. Many Irish companies along with Jameson kept the traditional pot distillation for the production process for many years. Jameson soon found itself relocating to Cork in order to be able to produce even more product to meet demand. In 1988, Pernod Ricard purchased the company and converted the old distillery into a museum, complete with a tour. Today, its annual sales top 4.7 million cases or 56 million bottles, and it is easily the biggest selling Irish whiskey in the world. Despite a previous hickup, the States is its largest market with ever increasing consumption numbers.
4. Wild Turkey
The Ripy brothers founded their distillery in Tyrone, Kentucky in 1869, and the company has seen several acquisitions over the years. First by the Goud Brothers in 1952, then Pernod Ricard, and finally the Campari Group in 2009. The brand received its famous name after a distillery executive took some samples on a turkey hunt in 1940. The following year his friends asked for some of that wild turkey whiskey and the name took hold. Wild Turkey has recently tried to rebrand itself as a more sophisticated brand, as it has held a reputation for being associated with tough guys thanks to the various appearances in movies like Rambo, Bad Lieutenant, Thelma & Louise (it’s also a regular staple on the TV show Justified). The most famous promotional campaign will be the “Give ‘em the Bird” slogan which, unsurprisingly they also featured the middle finger gesture. Despite the advert being ruled as breaking the code of ethical practices, the company still uses the slogan. Most recently, master distiller Jimmy Russell publicly called for Barack Obama to “give us the bird” in reference to the White House turkey on Thanksgiving Day in 2012. Jimmy Russell is also famous as being the world’s longest-tenured, active distiller in the world. Along with this, he also pioneered the flavored bourbon category in 1976 with the introduction of American Honey – then known as Wild Turkey Honey Liqueur. Wild Turkey has received consistently favorable reviews and various expert bodies have ranked their 101 Single Barrel as being in the 97th percentile of all rated bourbons.
5. Jim Beam
In the 5th number, it is the Jim Beam. During the late 18th Century members of the Böhm family later renamed, Beam settled in Kentucky and began producing their first barrels of bourbon in 1795. The drink was first branded as Old Jake Beam and the distillery was known as the Old Tub. As the Industrial Revolution started, the distillery saw rapid expansion and capitalized on the growing network of railway lines in order to distribute its bourbon more efficiently and widespread. After the end of Prohibition in 1933, the business was rebuilt in Clermont, Kentucky by James B. Beam. Two years later, the bourbon was renamed in his honor and included labels bearing the statement ‘none genuine without my signature’ with his signature below. Since its origins, seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in the production of whiskey. In 2014, Japanese conglomerate Suntory Holdings began the process of buying the company. However, still keen to keep the family involved, Jim Beam continued to be managed by its current leadership. Jim Beam ages in barrels for 4 years, twice the minimum requirement for bourbon. Many believe that this contributes to their unique mellow. As the process of aging it resulted in the loss of some bourbon due to evaporation, the Beam family have branded this ‘the angels share’. Provided our share remains as smooth as it is famous, the angels can have all they like.
6. Chivas Regal
Another blended Scotch whiskey, Chivas Regal traces its roots back to 1801. The Chivas Brothers store was established on selling luxury foodstuffs such as coffee, spices, French brandies, and Caribbean rum to their wealthy clientele. In 1843, Chivas Brothers were given a Royal Warrant to provide goods to Queen Victoria and they soon became renowned as the finest purveying business in the north of Scotland. Seven years later, they had sufficient demands for a smoother whiskey and the company began experimenting with a blended Scotch, known as Royal Glen Dee. This was soon followed with a second blend, the Royal Strathythan. In 1900, bolstered by a booming economy in America the Chivas Brothers began exporting their most aged blended Scotch whiskey under the name Chivas Regal. It became an instant hit and continued with enormous success until the beginning of Prohibition. Following the demise of Prohibition and the end of World War II, Chivas Regal relaunched and became a fashionable drink of the era which was strongly associated with the Rat Pack. Sinatra was known for only requesting Chivas Regal and the brand became his sponsor for his 1990 Diamond Jubilee Tour. The range has expanded quite considerably with the launch of Chivas Regal 18 years old and 25 years in 1997 and 2007, respectively. Receiving wide critical acclaim, the whiskeys have performed well at spirit competitions, gaining double-gold medals for three years consecutively since 2011.
7. The Famous Grouse
Matthew Gloag began purchasing whiskeys around the country despite his humble beginnings as a grocer in Perth, Scottland. By 1842 he had become the supplier of wines to the royal banquet when Queen Victoria visited. Eighteen years later, his son took control over his company and began producing his own blended whiskeys. However, it wasn’t until 1896 when the Grouse Blend made its debut. Wanting to meet the demands of the ever-increasing number of wealthy Victorian tourists, this blend offered something unique (it was also here the famous red grouse logo appeared for the first time). With its rich blend of carefully chosen grain and exceptional malts, the drink became an immediate success and became widely celebrated. In 1905, capitalizing on its success and strengthening its brand, the word ‘Famous’ was finally added to the label. The company saw massive growth and it soon relocated to bigger, purpose-built facilities in order to cope with the increase in demand. In 1970, independent Scottish company Highland Distillers acquired Gloag & Son, providing immense resources to help The Famous Grouse become Scotland’s best selling whiskey. Ten years later the brand began selling internationally and saw exports of over 2 million cases annually. In 1984, the distillery was granted the Royal Warrant. In 2006 the Famous Grouse allowed customers to personalize a bottle with their own name, allowing everyone their fifteen minutes of fame provided they also want a shot of scotch.
8. Canadian Club
A brand of whiskey from Canada, Canadian Club began production in 1858. Hiram Walker first began experimenting with distilling cider vinegar in his grocery store in 1854, before founding his first distillery 4 years later in Detroit. Shortly thereafter, production moved across the river to Windsor, Ontario. Aging his whiskey for 5 years – a precedent unheard of at the time as most whiskey and bourbon was aged for just a year – it took off in popularity across America in finer gentlemen’s establishments and soon became known as the Club Whisky. When Prohibition hit the States in the 1920s, Chicago gangster and smuggler Al Capone became one of the distilleries of most important clients. Smuggling in thousands of cases across the Canadian border, Hiram’s whiskey soon became the number one spirit. With many knock-off distillers trying to peddle lower grade whiskey to unsuspecting members of the public, Canadian Club distributors helped protect the brand by advertising patrons to ask for the drink by name to make sure they were getting the real deal. Hiram Walker & Sons are the only American distillery to have received a royal warrant. Perhaps more astounding is they have received multiple warrants from Queen Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II – a feat Hiram himself would be proud of. Today, Canadian Club is the fourth best selling alcoholic beverage in the world and is available in seven varieties worldwide.
9. J&B
Justerini & Brooks, otherwise known as JB, is a blend of 42 Scottish malt and grain whiskeys. In 1749, Giacomo Justerini traveled from Italy to London and, finding a partner with George Johnson, set up as a wine merchant. The company was then bought by Alfred Brooks in 1831, renaming it Justerini & Brooks, and it began its foray into a whiskey distillery. Seeing the potential of blended whiskey, J&B became one of the first London spirit merchants to buy up stocks of mature malt whiskey and created its own house blend. Originally named Club (a brand which is still available for purchase in shops in both London and Edinburgh), they saw hefty dividends in New York City as Prohibition came to an end in 1933. Truman Capote is notable as having chosen J&B as his favorite drink, only ever referring to it by its full name of Justerini & Brooks. Were any bartender to not immediately know what the full moniker was, he was rumored to swiftly leave the establishment. Today J&B is now owned by parent company Diageo; a London based company which is the world’s largest spirits manufacturer. J&B is ideal for mixing – with cola, ginger ale and lemon being recommended as great bases.
10. Southern Comfort
Although Southern Comfort is technically a liqueur and only flavored with whiskey along with fruit and spice, its hard to overlook based on sheer popularity (plus, most people believe it’s indeed a whiskey or bourbon anyway). Originating in Louisiana, Southern Comfort was first produced under the brand ‘Cuffs and Buttons’ by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in 1874 in the French Quarter of New Orleans when he was trying to make the taste of unrefined whiskey more palatable. Fifteen years later, Heron moved to Memphis, Tennessee to patent his creation which would later go on to win the gold medal at the 1904 World’s Fair in Missouri. Heron’s original recipe started with a premium bourbon base. He would then add vanilla bean, lemon, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cherries and an orange before letting it all soak for a number of days. Just before he was ready to bottle it, he would add his sweetener of choice, usually honey. Although today’s recipe is kept under lock and key, it’s believed they have now replaced the honey with a fruit concentrate with apricot as the dominant fruit. Southern Comfort is famous for its wide use in cocktails, the first of which to be marketed as being the Scarlet O’Hara. Concocted as a tribute to the actress for her role in Gone With the Wind, the mixture includes Southern Comfort, cranberry juice, and fresh lime. A drink worth giving a damn about.
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