Whiskey: Contemporary Consumption

Bourbon and blended American whiskey had a great sales boost during and after World War II, extending into the mid-1970s. Since then, lighter spirits, such as vodka, have become the largest sellers in distilled beverages.

To increase market share, whiskey distillers continue to introduce new line extensions. These include: Single barrel, a limited bottling, usually 250 bottles, all from one barrel of whiskey; small batch, first coined by the Jim Beam Distillery with its Small Batch Collection, a limited, slightly larger number of bottles than a single barrel; barrel roof whiskey, released after it has been aged and without the addition of distilled water; and vintage dated, first begun by Evan Williams Bourbon, Kentucky, bottling exclusively from one year’s production, and finally Buffalo Trace has begun releasing an experimental collection bottling whiskey aged in nontraditional wood barrels, for example, French oak. A master distiller specially chooses all of these products for their richer, distinctive taste and all are in elaborate packaging with a higher price to match.