SWA public affairs director David Williamson stated recently that 2016 had seen Scotch whisky sales bounce back with "2017 also looking positive".
A new report has stated that Scotch whisky is now worth an incredible £5bn a year to the UK economy.
So which brands made it into the top ten best selling list?
(Owned by: Diageo)
Picture: Kenneth Allen\Geograph
No of cases sold in 2016: 2.10m
2015: 2.20m
2014: 2.5m
2013: 2.5m
Year on Year: -4.5% per cent
Previous position: 10
Diageo’s Bell’s has stagnated somewhat of late and remains at number ten on the list having been in the same position for the last few years. However, if the downward sales trend continues it could lose its top 10 position.
(Owned by: La Martiniquaise)
Picture: Label-5.com
No of cases sold in 2016: 2.59m
2015: 2.58m
2014: 2.6m
2013: 2.5m
Year on Year: +0.4 per cent
Previous position: 9
Label 5 only made its debut in the top 10 in 2014, its success being credited to its use of social media and the release of its premium expression.
Popular in France, where it sells the majority of its stock, the brand will hope to continue its impressive growth going forward.
(Owned by: Bacardi)
Dewar's. Picture: Pixabay
No of cases sold in 2016: 2.8m
2015: 2.68m
2014: 2.7m
2013: 3m
Year on Year: +4.5 per cent
Previous position: 8
Sales of Bacardi’s “Drinking Man’s Scotch” Dewar’s have bounced back thanks to strong sales in China and a focus on travel retail leading to higher visibility for global whisky consumers.
(Owned by: Bacardi)
No of cases sold in 2016: 2.99m
2015: 3.11m
2014: 2.8m
2013: 3.1m
Year on Year: -3.9 per cent
Previous position: 6
Declining sales has witnessed Bacardi-owned blended Scotch whisky brand William Lawson drop one place in the top 10 list after a period of considerable growth.
France, Belgium and Spain are important for this brand which is not that well known in the UK.
(Owned by: Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits)
Picture: Belvédère
No of cases sold in 2016: 3m
2015: 2.9m
2014: 2.8m
2013: 2.7m
Year on Year: +3.5 per cent
Previous position: 7
Relatively unheard of here, William Peel had been a bit of a rising star in recent years for owners Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits and former owners Belvédere.
Growth in European markets such as France has seen it hit the 3m cases mark and rise one place in the top ten list.
(Owned by: Diageo)
J & B ad from 1971. Picture: Flickr
No of cases sold in 2016: 3.5m
2015: 3.5m
2014: 3.7m
2013: 4m
Year on Year: 0 per cent
Previous position: 5
J & B is one of the most popular whisky brands in Europe and maintained its place at no.5 despite plateauing after a seven per cent loss in sales in 2015.
"The World's Party Whisky" is expected to be back to growth soon with a focus on improvement by Diageo.
(Owned by: Chivas Regal)
Picture: Vimeo
No of cases sold in 2016: 4.26m
2015: 4.39m
2014: 4.6m
2013: 4.7m
Year on Year: -3 per cent
Previous position: 3
Dropping out of the top three is Chivas' second most popular bottling, with a slight dip in worldwide sales in 2016.
Despite the loss, Chivas Regal remains hugely popular and it is expected that if the rest of the industry continues its return to growth, the brand should also return to positive figures.
(Owned by: William Grant & Sons)
Grant's. Picture: Julie Kertesz\Flickr
No of cases sold in 2016: 4.48m
2015: 4.35m
2014: 4.4m
2013: 4.7m
Year on Year: + 3 per cent
Previous position: 4
A new marketing strategy for Grants focusing on new premium expressions and travel retail has seen the popular brand rise above its closest competitor in Chivas Regal and back into the top 3.
(Owned by: Chivas)
Picture: Daniel Mennerich/Flickr
No of cases sold in 2016: 6.7m
2015: 6.22m
2014: 6.1m
2013: 6m
Year on Year: + 7.7 per cent
Previous position: 2
Pernod Ricard-owned Ballantine’s has continued its steady growth of the past few years with close to an impressive 8 per cent rise year on year for 2016.
A keen focus on marketing and understanding of modern demand has continued its growth towards the 7m case mark.
(Owned by: Diageo)
1966 ad for Johnnie Walker. Picture: Hugues erre \Flickr
No of cases sold in 2016: 17.4m
2015: 17.6m
2014: 17m
2013: 20.1m
Year on Year: - 1.15 per cent
Previous position: 1
Still the world's best-selling Scotch whisky by some margin, despite consecutive losses since its high point in 2013.
Despite some confusion over the rebranding of certain bottles over recent years, Johnnie Walker remains as popular as ever and the brand has continued to innovate with new product launches and marketing campaigns.
