Tim McKirdy

1 month ago | vinepair.com | Tim McKirdy

Irish whiskey exports enjoyed a bounce-back in 2024, climbing 13 percent to more than $1.1 billion (€1 billion) in value, according to the Irish Whiskey Association. That recovery followed a rocky 2023, when sales dipped 14 percent, but the category is back on the up thanks to key new markets like India and Australia. Still, not everyone is raising a glass.

1 month ago | vinepair.com | Tim McKirdy

In many prior iterations of this list, we’ve highlighted the recent bourbon boom and pointed to the fact that the trend shows no sign of slowing. But those winds do now appear to be changing, with sales of the entire American whiskey category shrinking slightly in terms of volume and value from 2023 to 2024, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. It’s worth noting that this phenomenon isn’t isolated to bourbon, American whiskey, or even distilled spirits.

Dec 4, 2024 | vinepair.com | Tim McKirdy

Check out the best spirits from previous years here!Since 2020, VinePair has released our annual ranking of the 50 best spirits of the year. Every iteration of this list has represented the product of a dozen or so major spirits categories tasted throughout the year, not to mention the subcategories and styles that exist within them: blanco, reposado, and añejo tequila; aged and unaged rums produced from molasses, Demerara, and cane juice; whiskeys spanning every major region of the world.

Nov 19, 2024 | vinepair.com | Tim McKirdy

Following a massive sales spike during the pandemic, Cognac has experienced a fairly significant downturn in the past few years, amid an overall decline in spirits sales as well as fierce competition from other categories. When comparing Cognac with other styles of spirits, though, the world’s most prestigious brandy has a lot to offer — often at very competitive prices.

Oct 24, 2024 | vinepair.com | Tim McKirdy

Produced using at least 51 percent of its eponymous grain, rye whiskey is no doubt associated by cocktail aficionados with classics like the Manhattan and Sazerac. Those drinks simply wouldn’t be the same without the American-born, herbaceous, savory whiskey. It’s also true that without those drinks, as well as the cocktail renaissance of the turn of this century, rye whiskey could easily have become irrelevant, all but lost to the pages of history.