Which Country Produces The Most Whiskey?

When it comes to throwing back brown spirits, the first location that may come to mind for many is the American South. The area is well known for its extensive whiskey production, and the Kentucky bourbon trail is a destination for lovers of these spirits. Of course, whiskey isn't strictly American, and experts know the drink comes in many forms that can vary from place to place, be it Canadian, Japanese, or Irish. But the country that turns out the largest volume of this liquid has remained unchallenged in that title for more than a century: Scotland.

Whether or not you're curious about what scotch is actually made from, there's no question this country is king when it comes to output. Scotch whiskey is strictly produced in Scotland and is massively important to the food and beverage industry of the United Kingdom, making up for about three-quarters of Scotland's food and drink exports and one-quarter of Scotland's international exports, according to the Scotch Whisky Association. Every second of the day, there's an average of 43 bottles of the stuff leaving 151 distilleries in Scotland, making their way to more than 160 markets around the world.

While Scotland leads the charge when it comes to whiskey, the U.S. takes a decisive second place. There are some notable differences between bourbon and whiskey, but they both sell well domestically and overseas. Whiskey production is a billion-dollar industry in the U.S., where it accounted for 63% of the country's spirit exports in 2023, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. Tennessee's production alone generated $983 million that year, nearly double what the next highest-producing whiskey state, Kentucky, generated. In total, the U.S. produces 37 million cases of whiskey annually according to Whisky Invest Direct.

Canada also generates a lot of whiskey and is famous especially for Canadian Club. The maple syrup country bests Ireland's whiskey production by 300%, producing 21 million cases a year to Ireland's 7 million. Perhaps an unexpected entry into the list of top producers worldwide is Japan. Although the country has been cranking out their version of this drink for more than 100 years, Japanese whiskey has become increasingly celebrated in recent years, winning prestigious whiskey awards, garnering global praise, and appearing in American markets. Whether your primary concern when purchasing whiskey is where it comes from or who's behind it, there's no question that aficionados of this spirit have plenty of global options from which to choose.