The whisky market - Italy

1.1 Definition and presentation

The whiskey market is a sub-segment of the spirits (beverages produced from distilled alcohol) market. Spirits are separated into two categories:

-"Simple" spirits, which include whiskey, but also vodka, gin and rum, whose taste is related to the distillation of the raw material.

-"Compound" spirits, such as aniseed aperitifs, or liqueurs whose taste is linked to the addition of aromatic substances to a neutral alcohol or brandy.

Whiskey is obtained by a manufacturing process that requires several skills: malting of grains, fermentation, distillation, and aging.

Globally, the whiskey market is considered to be growing. It was valued at $59 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9 percent annually through 2027.

The trends driving this growth are the increase in people's purchasing power and the increasing number of young people who can drink legally.

Europe is the leading whiskey exporter in the world, but the United States is also increasing its exports.

Even in Italy this market is estimated to be growing, the turnover has greatly increased in recent years and with it also the number of enthusiasts to this sector even if the amount of whiskey consumed by Italians still remains rather low standing at 0.2 liters compared to 2 liters consumed by the French.

In any case, we can speak of a real whisky revolution that began in 2010 and has not yet stopped. The growing popularity of whisky also stems from the numerous festivals centered on this drink that are organized every year in different Italian cities such as Rome, Milan and Florence.

The best-selling whiskey brands in Italy are:Lagavulin,Ardbeg,Talisker,CAol Ila,Glenfiddich.

From the above information it can be seen that the whiskey market is growing steadily over the past few years but is still considered a niche market that can be difficult to penetrate and full of challenges.