The brandy sector saw a mixed bag of results in 2022, with some brands seeing sales spikes and other dropping in volume.
Year after year, the brandy sector is faced with the challenge of retaining its relevance, given its reputation as a more traditional spirit, while simultaneously keeping up with innovation.
The category has certainly seen some shaking up lately: the first dedicated brandy distillery on the British Isles, Burnt Faith, officially opened in March, while spirits producer Seven Tails Distillers released what is thought to be the world’s first spiced brandy at the end of last year.
Brandy is also known to have more freedom to innovate than Cognac, which it is frequently compared to, as the appellation rules for Cognac don’t apply to brandy made outside of the region.
Four brandy brands tied in 2022 nine-litre case sales, all posting 1.1 million cases. Last year was certainly not consistently successful for brandy: while three brandies recorded growth of more than 40%, four brands published sales declines in 2022.
Scroll through to discover the top 10 best-selling brandies of 2022, listed in order of their nine-litre-case sales.
Data listed is to one decimal place for ease of reading, but the percentage changes are based on the full data supplied to The Brand Champions 2023 report.
2022: 1.0
2021: 0.7
% change: 40.3%
Place last year: N/A
Tilaknagar Industries-owned Courrier Napoleon Brandy achieved one-million-case sales for the first time this year, an impressive jump of 40.3% in sales since 2021.
In its two largest markets, Kerala and Puduch*erry, the brand recorded more than 40% growth and 88% growth, respectively.
The brandy is sold in Canteen Stores Department and in more than eight states across India, with the brand taking a 15% market share in the ‘prestige’ brandy segment.
2022: 1.1
2021: 1.1
% change: -0.3%
Place last year: 9
Spanish brandy Torres fared a dip in sales in 2022, an unfortunate turn for the company given its recording a 4.0% boost between 2020-2021. The brandy is distilled from white wines and aged in oak barrels.
2022: 1.1
2021: 1.0
% change: 8.8%
Place last year: 10
United Spirits-owned McDowell’s No. 1 benefitted from a boost of 8.8% in case-sales last year, which is a particular bonus after its 9.7% fall between 2020-2021.
The brandy’s owner recently reported its full-year sales soar by 19.5% for the year ending 31 March 2023, led by its prestige-and-above brands, of which grew by 22.8%.
2022: 1.1
2021: 0.8
% change: 45.5%
Place last year: N/A
Radico Khaitan’s Morpheus Brandy saw the biggest leap in sales across the brandy category in 2022, taking the brandy from 0.8 million case sales to 1.1m.
The newcomer to the Brand Champions report even made it into our round up of fastest-growing spirits in the world.
This premium aged brandy is named after Morpheus, the winged Greek God of Dreams, and boasts 10 years of master craftsmanship in India.
2022: 1.1
2021: 1.2
% change: -3.0%
Place last year: 8
American brandy Christian Brothers saw a slight decline in sales in 2022, dropping from 1.2 million cases to 1.1m. Owned by Heaven Hill Brands, it was originally produced by The Christian Brothers, the largest religious community of men devoted entirely to education worldwide. The brothers were laymen who devoted their lives to living and working in a teaching congregation.
The Christian Brothers range includes The Christian Brothers Brandy VS expression, along with a line of flavoured brandies, including apple, peach and honey.
2022: 1.3
2021: 1.4
% change: -2.8%
Place last year: N/A
Amrut Distillers’ Silver Cup first ticked over the million-case sales mark in 2021, and has remained over the line in 2022, despite recording a 2.8% decline.
Amrut Distillers is an Indian Distiller, best known in export markets for its range of single malt whiskies.
2022: 1.6
2021: 1.6
% change: 5.2%
Place last year: 6
Last year’s Brand Champion winner has climbed two spots this year, claiming fourth place after clocking 1.6m case sales for the second year running.
Owned by Global Spirits, the brandy is produced at the Odessa Cognac Factory, which dates back to 1836. It was also crowned Brandy Brand Champion in 2021.
2022: 2.4
2021: 2.8
% change: -14.3%
Place last year: 4
Dreher experienced a particularly difficult year in 2022 with the biggest fall among our biggest-selling brandies.
Yet, the Campari Group-owned Brazilian spirit still managed to take the third spot in our top 10 round up.
The company has fared a tumultuous few years in sales since 2017.
2022: 4.3
2021: 3.8
% change: 13.8%
Place last year: 3
Moving up a spot is Radico Khaitan’s Old Admiral Brandy. Its 13.8% growth last year saw the brand post 4.3m case-sales in 2022.
The brand was given the title of Brandy Brand Champion in 2020, and last year revealed it planned to target new markets and hit four million case sales in the years to come – which it has since achieved.
2022: 7.1
2021: 4.5
% change: 59.8%
Place last year: 2
This year’s Brandy Brand Champion is Mansion House, which posted a phenomenal leap of almost 60% in sales in 2022.
Mansion House also made the list of fastest-growing spirits this year, ranking fourth among its peers. The brand moved into flavoured brandies last year, with Orange, Cherry, and Peach offerings.
