New figures published by International Wine and Spirits Research reveal that demand for Irish whiskey rose by 11.2% in 2016, making Irish whiskey the fastest growing spirits sector.
Fft.ie reports that Irish whiskey sales grew in 17 leading markets last year, with Ireland, the US, France, South Africa and Britain leading global sales.
Head of the Irish Whiskey Association, William Lavelle, stated: "Irish whiskey is experiencing exceptional growth around the world with almost 200 bottles being sold every minute…The US is our most valuable market both in terms of exports and attracting Irish whiskey tourists. Volumes grew by 17.6% last year in the US alone, with sales reaching a record 43.92 million bottles."
Lavelle went in to assert that, "Irish whiskey accounts for more than one third of Irish beverage exports and these figures put Irish whiskey well on track to meet its ambitious export target of 144 million bottles by 2020 and 288 million by 2030."
Some 1.9 million people are expected to visit Irish distilleries by 2025, spending an estimated €1.3 billion during their stay in the country.
