In 2021, Kentucky had the highest per capita consumption of straight whiskey at over 293 9-liter cases per one thousand adults. Straight whiskey is whiskey created by distilling fermented cereal grain mash, creating a liquor not exceeding 80 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and aged for a minimum of two years. Once bottled, the ABV must be 62.5 percent or lower.
U.S. straight whiskey market
In 2020, there were various brands of whiskey on the U.S. market including Bulleit Bourbon, Evan Williams, and Wild Turkey. The leading brand of that year, Jim Beam, controlled around 23.3 percent of the U.S. straight whiskey market, overtaking its main competitor, Jack Daniel's, which had a 19.1 percent market share in 2020.
Brown-Forman
Brown-Forman is one of the largest American spirits and wine producers in the world, accounting for brands, such as Jack Daniel’s, El Jimador, and Korbel. With nearly 5,000 employees worldwide in 2021, the company generated over three billion U.S. dollars in global net sales. Most of Brown-Forman's net sales numbers were generated through its spirits category.
