The future of Irish Whiskey looks strong, based on information released on IWSR’s 2025 Irish Whiskey Global International Trade Report and other sources.

According to Eoin Ó Catháin, Director of the Irish Whiskey Association, IWSR numbers show that total case sales for Irish Whiskey rose to 16.153 million in 2024, a milestone for the category, and a growth of 535k cases year-on-year.

Additionally, Bord Bia numbers indicate that the export value of Irish Whiskey in 2024 reached €954 million, a 3.7% increase compared to 2023. Moreover, the export volume of the Irish Whiskey category increased by 6.3% year on year.

Three Irish Whiskey brands currently sell more than one million cases a year.

“While we are selling more Irish Whiskey in volume than ever before,”  Ó Catháin wrote in the report, “the value of our category is not increasing at the same rate, reflecting the pressures on spirits categories all over the world. The challenges oft-mentioned for spirits categories (increases in the cost-of-doing business, inflationary pressures, changes in consumer behaviour and preference) are as real for Irish Whiskey as for other categories.

“That said, Irish Whiskey is showing resilience in the face of these challenges. We are the fastest growing spirit category among premium and super-premium categories, and our positioning in key emerging markets is growing whereas the market share of other categories is declining.”

He noted that largely due to tariffs, the trading environment with the U.S. became more complicated in 2025. Irish Whiskey now faces a tariff of 15% when exporting there – the first time the zero-for-zero trading relationship has been disrupted for Irish Whiskey since 1997.

“Irish Whiskey’s success in the future will depend on our strong and sustained performance in new and emerging markets,” he wrote. “Thankfully, it is here that Irish Whiskey is seeing its greatest growth year-on-year and where many of our exporters are gaining a foothold.”

“Irish Whiskey continues to be one of Ireland’s key exports, representing not only a proud heritage but also a thriving modern industry,” Claire MacCarrick, Chair of the Irish Whiskey Association International Trade Committee, added in the report. “Over the past decade, we have witnessed remarkable growth and expansion into new markets, innovation in production and an unwavering commitment to quality and authenticity.”

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