Workers in the barrel room of a distillery in Scotland | Image: Unsplash

10 Biggest Scotch Whisky Export Markets Revealed

By Jacob Osborn - News

Published: 20 June 2023, Last Updated: 15 Apr 2024

Did you know that 53 bottles of Scotch whisky were exported globally every second in 2022? That was just one of the many revelations to emerge from a recent study by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), which helps both promote and protect the industry’s reputation around the world.

Scotch Whisky has become the world’s most internationally traded spirit, and we’re breaking down the biggest export markets below. Without trying to state the obvious, many of these consumers live in places like the USA or Japan but also less obvious places such as India, Panama, and Mexico. These are the biggest markets by value and by volume, respectively, for Scotland’s quintessential export.

Biggest Scotch Whisky Markets by Value

When it comes to the top Scotch whisky export markets by value, the EU and the USA continue to lead the charge. Over in Germany, locals are putting down their beers and sipping on drams instead (or maybe drinking both at the same time), with a 36 per cent increase in market value to show for it. Consumers in Panama are similarly uncovering the many wonders of Scotch whisky, to the tune of a 165 per cent increase in market value. The underlying trend is clear: Scotch whisky is more popular than ever before in several locations around the world.

Here are the top 10 Scotch whisky export markets by value.

1. United States

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £1,053 million
Increase on the previous year: 33 per cent

2. France

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £488 million
Increase on the previous year: 26 per cent

3. Singapore

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £316 million
Increase on the previous year: 50 per cent

4. Taiwan

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £315 million
Increase on the previous year: 39 per cent

5. India

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £282 million
Increase on the previous year: 93 per cent

6. China

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £233 million
Increase on the previous year: 18 per cent

7. Panama

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £203 million
Increase on the previous year: 165 per cent

8. Germany

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £202 million
Increase on the previous year: 36 per cent

9. Japan

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £175 million
Increase on the previous year: 32 per cent

10. Spain

Value of Scotch Whisky imported: £173 million
Increase on the previous year: 46 per cent

Biggest Scotch Whisky Markets by Volume

Here’s a stat you probably didn’t see coming: in 2022, India became the biggest international consumer of Scotch whisky by volume. In response, the SWA has made it a top priority to further penetrate India’s daunting tariff system and unique market structure, which breaks down into 28 individual states. The SWA is likewise determined to make more headway in China – the world’s biggest spirits market overall – which cracked the top 10 markets by value but not by volume in 2022.

Here are the top 10 Scotch whisky export markets by volume.

1. India

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 219,000,000
Increase on the previous year: 60 per cent

2. France

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 205,000,000
Increase on the previous year: 17 per cent

3. United States

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 137 million
Increase on the previous year: 9 per cent

4. Brazil

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 93 million
Increase on the previous year: 14 per cent

5. Japan

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 75 million
Increase on the previous year: 33 per cent

6. Germany

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 67 million
Increase on the previous year: 48 per cent

7. Spain

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 67 million
Increase on the previous year: 39 per cent

8. Poland

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 49 million
Increase on the previous year: 9 per cent

9. Mexico

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 48 million
Increase on the previous year: 2 per cent

10. South Africa

Number of Scotch Whisky bottles imported: 39 million
Increase on the previous year: 15 per cent

Glenfiddich 40 year old cumulative time — Glenfiddich 40 Year Old – Cumulative Time | Image: Glenfiddich

The Rise of Scotch Whisky Exports Globally

Given the Scotch whisky industry’s historic legacy and relatively tight regulations, it’s no surprise that this particular spirit category continues to dominate around the world. Thanks to the SWA, meanwhile, Scotch whisky has become even more accessible to places where it was once somewhat scarce. As their recent study goes to show, the spirit is on an upward trajectory in both established markets and relatively new ones as well.

These are the Scotch Whisky Export fast facts you should know about, according to data obtained by the Scotch Whisky Association.

Exports of Single Malt Scotch Whisky increased by 30%.
Scotch Whisky is exported to 174 markets around the world.
£6.2bn of Scotch Whisky was exported in 2022, up 37%.
53 bottles of Scotch Whisky were exported every second, up from 44 per second.

Regarding the steady rise of Scotch whisky exports, the SWA’s chief executive Mark Kent offered the following quote: “Passing £6bn in export value for the first time is a milestone and testament to the work of our member companies and the tens of thousands of employees across Scotland and the UK supply chain who make Scotch whisky a global success story of which we are rightly proud.