Top 10 best-selling whiskies on Drizly

US delivery company Drizly has revealed the best-performing whiskies on its platform, with Bourbon boosting sales for the category in 2023.

Bourbon, Irish, American, and Canadian whiskey are among the subcategories that have seen share gains in the past year within the whisky category.

Though its share of overall liquor category sales declined slightly during the past 12 months from 36% to 34%, it is still the platform’s best-selling spirits subcategory by a healthy margin.

Whisky is poised for even more growth in 2023, the platform has said, as distillers release new styles and brands — particularly in the ultra-premium price tier.

After gaining 1% over the last 12 months, Bourbon now commands a 40% share of whiskey category sales on Drizly. In the same period, Scotch whisky, the second-biggest category, declined from 23% share to 22%.

Irish whiskey and Canadian whisky each gained one point over the previous year to reach 9% and 4% share respectively. Share for all other whisky subcategories declined or remained flat.

NielsenIQ figures also show gains for the Bourbon subcategory. Dollar sales increased 4.8% in the 52 weeks ending 12 August 2023, compared with a 0.3% increase for the whisky category overall.

Liz Paquette, the head of consumer insights at Drizly, credited the “drink local” movement for the popularity of American whiskey, with Bourbon leading the way. “More than half of the whiskey sold on Drizly in the past 12 months was produced in the United States,” she said. “This is supported by an increase in whiskey tourism with many brands opening tasting rooms to allow consumers to connect more closely with these brands.”

The premiumisation trend has slowed across most beverage categories, yet higher-end options are a key driver for the whisky category. On Drizly, the $30 to $40 price category accounts for the largest share of whiskey sales at 18%, holding steady over the previous year. The $40 to $50 tier accounts for 13% share and products priced in the $50 to $60 range comprise 11% share.

Drizly’s top-selling whiskies are:

1. Bulleit Bourbon (750ml)
2. Jameson Irish Whiskey (750ml)
3. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey (1.75L)
4. Jameson Irish Whiskey (1.75L)
5. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
6. Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon (750ml)
7. Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky (1.75L)
8. The Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
9. Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky (750ml)
10. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whiskey (750ml)