Irish whiskey premiumization trends continue gaining steam on what has become a rocky industry road for some brands. “There’s a split between the old and the new,” says Brendan Noble, spirits buyer for The Whisky Shop in San Francisco. “Classics such as Redbreast 12 ($75 a 750-ml.) and Green Spot ($60) remain popular, but newer and smaller distilleries are making names for themselves with interesting mashbills.”
Noble notes that Drumshanbo ($70 a 750-ml of Single Pot Still) and Boann ($75) are both using a portion of oats, as well as rye in the latter case and interesting caskings. “Midleton has their Method & Madness label ($70), whose French Chestnut cask expression is wonderful,” he says.
The Whiskey Shop will have a sale on Irish whiskeys and gins along with several in-store educational tastings featuring Irish whiskies leading up to St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. “We see a decent increase in Irish whiskey sales leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, particularly for celebrations and gifting,” Noble says. “Many of our Scotch customers also regularly dip into Irish whiskies, and vice versa. Irish Americans would be slightly overrepresented, of course, but no dramatic demographic difference from our Scotch drinkers.”
The Whiskey Shop’s top selling Irish whiskey offerings are all high-end offerings—Redbreast 12, Teeling Single Malt ($60), and Dingle Single Malt (same price). “While I’ve been happy to see the blossoming of new distilleries across Ireland, it will come with a period of harsh competition,” Noble says. “Irish whiskey is in no danger of losing its place, but new distilleries have their work cut out for them to make room for themselves in the current market.”
Irish whiskeys experienced mix results in the United States last year. A 2.9% volume gain among super-premium variants wasn’t enough to offset an overall drop in 2025 category dollar sales, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Distilled Spirits Council. Total Irish whiskey sales, however, remained above $1 billion last year in the United States.
Gary’s Wine & Marketplace, a three-unit New Jersey-based beverage alcohol retailer, has planned several Irish whiskey initiatives. Gary’s featured “Spotlight Spirit of the Month” in March will be Seven Saints Irish Whiskey ($25), supported by a national email campaign and in-store tastings across all locations. “We are also hosting a Jameson tasting in each store leading up to St. Patrick’s Day to build excitement and drive engagement within the category,” says Adam Sami, general manager of Gary’s in Bernardsville. “St. Patrick’s Day is a major driver of Irish whiskey sales for us. Our communities celebrate in a big way, with parades and gatherings in each town, and we see strong demand tied directly to those local events. Guests are excited to host and attend parties, and that seasonal enthusiasm translates into meaningful sales growth.”
In the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish whiskey customer base at Gary’s becomes very broad. “The holiday has wide appeal, and we see both dedicated Irish whiskey enthusiasts and casual buyers purchasing for celebrations,” Sami says. “It’s one of those times of year when the category resonates across age groups and experience levels.”
Gary’s top-selling Irish whiskey brand is Jameson, with the 1.75-liter ($55) format leading overall and the 750-ml. retailing at $30. Redbreast 12 Year ($66 a 750-ml.) is another strong performer, followed closely by Green Spot ($62). “These brands represent both accessible and premium segments within the category,” Sami says.
Sami has observed a clear premiumization trend in Irish whiskey. “Customers are increasingly trading up into aged expressions such as Redbreast 12 Year and other cask-strength or limited releases, as well as higher-end offerings like Jameson 18 Year ($160) and Midleton Very Rare Vintaged Release ($300 a 700-ml.),” Sami says. “Many customers have become collectors, actively seeking new annual releases. Premium and limited expressions will continue driving long-term category value.”
While the overall category has experienced some softness over the past couple of years, Sami remains optimistic. “Producers continue to introduce innovative finishes and higher-quality aged expressions, which are generating renewed interest among engaged and knowledgeable consumers,” he says. “We are encouraged by the long-term potential, particularly at the premium end of the market.”
Happy Harry’s Bottle Shops in North Dakota is planning a variety of social media posts and videos of all things St. Patrick’s Day related leading up to March 17. Dustin Mitzel, CEO of Happy Harry’s three stores in Fargo and two in Grand Forks, says the demographics of Irish whiskey consumers has changed significantly over the past two decades. “It used to be a small contingent of older male customers and a very much larger base of younger male customers,” he says. “Now it is a wide cross section of ages, and not just male.”
Jameson ($30), Proper 12 ($25), and Redbreast 12-Year ($70) are Harry’s top three selling Irish whiskey brands. “We have started to see more interest in the niche and craft Irish whiskeys by that same customer base,” Mitzel says. “Additionally, some of the flavored whiskies—such as Jameson Orange ($30)—have shown an increase in popularity with younger customers. Within the Jameson family of brands, the Jameson Orange would outsell both Proper 12 and Redbreast.”
Mitzel notes that some of the higher tier, craft brands get a little lift during the promotions leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. “Irish whiskey is known for its value and its approachability, which should portend well for its ability to maintain and hopefully grow,” he says. “The profile of Irish Whiskey will always lend itself to a wide range of consumers.”