American whiskeys continue to underperform in travel retail. Only Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam made the list of the top 50 best-selling spirits in duty free in 2021, according to the drinks research firm the IWSR. This poor showing for American whiskeys has many causes – most notably the primacy of Scotch whisky in many big-volume duty-free markets, such as China – but it also reflects the low priority US distillers have traditionally placed on the duty-free channel.
However, for several reasons, this situation isinternational restrictions last year, Americans themselves have rushed to travel and spend internationally. Foreign owners with a keener interest in travel retail are also increasingly snapping up American whiskey brands. A case in point is the French drinks giant Pernod Ricard, which in 2019 acquired Kentucky-based whiskey maker Rabbit Hole, known for its use of unusual mash bills and innovative cask maturation.
