Scotch Exports Rise 13% in 1st Half 2012

From Shanken:

The Scotch whisky category kept up its brisk pace in the U.S. market over the first half of 2012, with shipments jumping 13% to £303.6 million ($490m). That advance comes on the heels of a 31% increase to £655 million ($1.1 billion) in calendar 2011, according to the Scotch Whisky Association and Impact Databank.

Scotch’s surging value growth in the U.S. has been driven by gains at the high end. Among the U.S. market’s top five Scotch brands by volume, only top-ranked Johnnie Walker, up 1.5% to 1.65 million cases, and fifth-ranked Glenlivet, up 6.5% to 330,000 cases, advanced last year, as second-ranked Dewar’s was flat at 1.2 million cases and third-ranked Clan MacGregor (-6.7%) and fourth-ranked Chivas Regal (-1.2%) declined. On the other hand, the top six single malt Scotch brands, including The Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Balvenie and McClelland’s all grew, rising a collective 9.5% in 2011, according to Impact Databank.

Along with the U.S., a host of far-flung emerging markets drove Scotch shipments over the first half. Among the fastest growers by value were Taiwan (+14%), Venezuela (+31%), Latvia (+77%), India (+28%), Estonia (+35%) and Aruba (+31%). Some other key markets—both established and emerging—slipped, including France (-14%), Singapore (-1.5%), Spain (-24%), South Africa (-16%), Brazil (-22%) and Japan (-21%). In China, where fears of an economic slowdown have recently made headlines, Scotch shipments’ value growth was a tepid 1.6%. Overall, Scotch exports were roughly flat by value during 2012’s first half at £1.8 billion ($2.9b).
.