Top Bourbon Trends Of 2025 And Beyond

The industry will continue to level off

A lot of the focus for bourbon in 2024 was an analysis of how the industry is levelling off with international sales declining and domestic sales remaining strong. In 2025, expect this commentary and trajectory to be as strong as ever.

Here’s some of the chatter from bourbon experts:

“Domestic sales of whisky have slowed, but are still strong. This is helped in part by bourbon tourism. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has grown to include 60 distilleries. They are bringing in 2.5 million visitors to the distilleries each year. If each visitor only buys one bottle of whiskey on each visit, that is still a lot of whiskey being sold. That is just in Kentucky. Distilleries in other states have also embraced the tourism side of distilling and are selling bottles to tourists. As long as the tourists keep coming, sales will continue.

You will see a decrease in the price of some whiskies. As distilleries try to get rid of their excess barrels, they will offer them at lower prices to non-distilling whisky brands. It is hoped they will pass along some of that savings to consumers. You should also see more whisky on the market for the allocated brands as supplies increase.” – bourbonveach.com

“Like most distillers, craft distillers are reckoning with how to stand out to the consumer and ultimately get a bottle in their hands. Even within just one state, the three-tier system can be very complex to navigate, not to mention when you start to eye expanding distribution nationally. I think many craft distillers hope to bypass this, to some extent, with direct-to-consumer sales, much like the wine industry enjoys.

Ultimately, I think the craft distillers that prosper will be the ones whose products are unique and compelling – but beyond that, those who can find innovative ways to maintain buzz around those products. If they can spread the word successfully, then I believe distribution becomes less of a hurdle and will follow along with consumer demand.” – Angel’s Envy Master Distiller Owen Martin in an interview with Forbes

“American whisky is predicted to struggle even more with a decrease of 6.8% expected in the year to June 2025. SipSource analyst Danny Brager attributed the downturn to the “regression to pre-pandemic consumption levels, broader economic challenges and the growing popularity of ready-to-drink cocktails”, as well as the rise of substitutes such as cannabis and the move towards alcohol moderation.” – The Spirits Business

More terroir?

In an increasingly competitive market, there’s speculation that terroir could become an important talking point within bourbon and American whisky. The idea of how the land, ingredients and provenance impact the final product falls in line with the greater demand for transparency from consumers.

A recent example is Minden Mill, which released a trio of bourbon, rye and single malt. Each single-estate whisky is meant to showcase the terroir of the climate of Carson Valley.

In an interview with the Spirits Business, master distiller Joe O’Sullivan said “High Desert terroir is distinct. The demanding climate of the Carson Valley has shaped our grain through heat and frost into a raw material we work hard to honour. What you’ll find in our whisky is a flavour that appeals to the new drinker looking to explore the category as well as the experienced spirit hound who is searching for their new coveted bottle. These Minden Mill single-estate whiskies are the first step in bringing estate distilling, and the High Desert terroir to the forefront of the American craft whisky category.”

Terroir is another way to tell a story, although it can also run the risk of being seen as just another marketing gimmick. It should be balanced with ongoing education so drinkers understand and appreciate what they are drinking.

Michter’s topples Maker’s Mark and Bulleit for bartenders

According to Drinks International 2025 survey, Michter’s is the top-selling American whisky brand among bartenders working in the world’s best bars. It’s the house pour in 16% of the bars that were listed and a top-three serve in a third of them.

And with this accolade, it knocked off Diageo’s Bulleit and Suntory’s Maker’s Mark which have had a chokehold on the industry for years.

Celebrity brands garnering more respect

Celebrities cashing in on the popularity of spirits is a common story across categories and the same is true for American whisky. An interesting point to note is that compared to say a decade ago, there is more acceptance from consumers about these types of brands. Providing the product is good and the celebrities can put their money where their mouth is.

This is certainly true for American whisky and examples like Brother’s Bond Bourbon. This brand is owned by actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley and was released in 2021. Somerhalder and Wesley are keenly aware of needing to earn respect in the bourbon community, which is why they have personally blended their products and have wanted to honour tradition. This is the case with their latest release of Brother’s Bond 7-year-old bottled-in-bond straight bourbon. The actors created this product to honour the bottled-in-bond act.

The same nods of respect are being given to Beyonce and her SirDavis rye, which has garnered approval from several critics since its 2024 release. While the exact level of Beyonce’s involvement in the brand is unknown, her story runs through it with the name of the whisky being a nod to her moonshining grandfather and it being made to appeal to her preferences for Japanese whiskies and Moet Hennessy.

Country and whisky go hand in hand too. Famed country artist Chris Stapleton has his Traveller bourbon, which he created in collaboration with Buffalo Trace. Stapleton took his time in choosing the production methods because of his love for bourbon and having personally tried it myself, I can say it’s a damn good product.