RYE WHISKEY VOLUMES SKYROCKET

IF THE BEER industry needs an injection the rye whiskey category is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Volumes for the spirit have increased explosively in the US, having grown by 778% from 2OO9 to 2O16, according to US trade body the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS). Since 2OO9, rye whiskey volumes have jumped from 88,OOO cases to nearly 775,OOO in 2O16. This translates to a 9OO% jump in revenue from slightly more than $15 million in supplier revenues in 2OO9 to nearly $16O million in 2O16. DISCUS predicts that rye whiskey will continue to grow in the double digits through the end of 2O17, bolstered by Bulleit, Jim Beam and Wild Turkey, as well as small producers that have sprung up since the reconstruction of George Washington’s Distillery. In addition, the Council requested that the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) establish a new export code for US exports of bottled rye whiskey, to recognize it as a spirit not only in the US but also abroad. The new code will allow the US government to track exports of American rye whiskey, similar to how Bourbon is tracked.