By Andrew Starke
Diageo has retained its position atop the Impact Databank’s Top 100 Premium Spirits list, with its brands leading both the volume and value league tables.
Smirnoff remains the world’s number one premium spirit by volume while Johnnie Walker remains the world’s number one premium spirit by value.
Altogether, Diageo retained eight brands among the top 20 premium spirits brands in the world by volume and seven in the top 20 premium spirits brands by value – more than any of its spirits rivals.
In a statement, Diageo said Scotch whisky had continued to enjoy significant growth in both developed and emerging markets, representing 20 percent of the top 100 brands on the value list in the Impact Databank ranking.
Johnnie Walker is number one by value with a retail value of approximately $4.705 billion – nearly three times greater than its nearest Scotch competitor – and number three by volume with about 16 million 9-litre cases sold in calendar 2010.
Smirnoff retained its position as the number one premium spirit in the world by volume, with an estimated volume of 24.8 million nine-litre equivalent cases, and was also ranked number two by value, as in last year’s league tables.
However, top-selling vodka brands were generally not able to keep up with the value growth in the whisky category over 2010, marking a significant return by consumers to brown spirits.
Diageo Scotch whisky brands hold five of the top 19 Scotch brands on the Impact Top 100 value list, including Johnnie Walker, J&B, Bell’s, Buchanan’s and Windsor.
Other brands in the Diageo portfolio in the Impact Databank rankings include: Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Baileys, Crown Royal and J&B in the top 20 premium spirits by value and volume.
Gordon’s Gin also remained in the top 20 premium spirits by volume.