The US Is Faltering. India, Japan, Mexico — and Poland — Are the New Frontier.
For most of the past fifteen years, the Irish whiskey revival ran on American demand. That dependency is now the industry's central vulnerability. US exports fell by approximately one-third in 2024 compared to their 2022 peak, according to data cited by inside.beer.
American Demand Dependency Seen As Central Vulnerability
IWSR’s first-half 2025 data offered some encouragement: overall Irish whiskey volumes grew 2% globally. Standout performers were India (up 23%), Japan (up 27%), and the UK (up 8%). The IWA now views Mexico — population of 130 million, world’s 15th-largest economy — as a “bright opportunity,” per The Spirits Business. Poland and Germany are also posting gains as Irish whiskey builds a foothold in continental Europe.
Sliabh Liag Distillers in County Donegal recently secured £15 million (approximately €17.5m) in funding from supply chain finance platform Ferovinum to support its scaling ambitions, having just launched its first whiskies from the new Ardara site.
Sources: The Spirits Business, World Spirits Report 2025 · VinePair (Nov 2025)
