Irish whiskey exports to the European Union rose 21.5% over four years

Irish whiskey exports to the European Union rose 21.5% by volume over the past four years, according to figures released Thursday by the Irish Whiskey Association, which said faster growth in southern and smaller EU markets is helping offset weaker trading conditions outside Europe.

The industry group said the increase reflects stronger demand across the bloc at a time when Irish drinks producers are looking more closely at the European single market as a source of steadier growth. The association did not publish the underlying tables or the starting export volumes, so the full scale of the increase in liters was not available.

Within the EU, Greece posted the sharpest reported rise in physical shipments, with export volume up 88% over the four-year period. Italy followed with a 68% increase in volume. The association also said exports to Bulgaria rose 54%, but in that case it reported growth by value rather than by volume, making the Bulgarian figure not directly comparable with the gains reported for Greece and Italy.

Germany, Poland and France remain the biggest EU markets for Irish whiskey, with combined exports worth €97.2 million, the association said. It did not specify which year that figure covers, leaving unclear whether it refers to the most recent full year, a rolling period or the same four-year window used for the volume data.

The data was released after an Irish spirits showcase in Galway in July that brought together producers and EU officials. The association used the event to emphasize the importance of the single market for Irish distillers and cream liqueur makers as the sector faces tariff and non-tariff barriers in other international markets. Europe has become a more important counterweight as trade conditions in North America have become less favorable for some drinks exporters.

Eoin Ó Catháin, director of the Irish Whiskey Association, said the recent gains suggest a change in how consumers in Europe are buying premium spirits. He said continued policy support for the single market will be important if producers are to keep expanding in the region. The group is urging governments and EU institutions to continue efforts to harmonize rules across the bloc, arguing that a more consistent regulatory environment would help sustain export growth.

The association also pointed to gains in other Irish spirits categories. It said Irish cream exports to France rose 32% in 2025 from a year earlier, while exports to Germany increased 19%. Those figures suggest broader momentum for Irish drinks in continental Europe, not only for whiskey. The group did not release volumes for Irish cream in the same announcement.

Irish producers are also using the current push in Europe to promote three protected geographical indications: Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín. Industry groups say those labels help protect authenticity and origin, while also supporting rural employment, tourism and investment in distilling. The Galway event featured brands including Clonakilty Irish Whiskey, Dingle Irish Whiskey, Power’s Irish Whiskey and Five Farms Irish Cream.

The association further said Irish spirits account for about one-third of EU spirit exports, a claim intended to underline the sector’s importance to the bloc’s drinks trade. But the publication did not say whether that estimate was based on value or volume, and it did not provide supporting data. That lack of detail makes independent comparison difficult, particularly because the release mixed volume and value indicators for different national markets.

Even with those gaps, the figures point to a clear pattern. Irish whiskey is growing faster in parts of southern and eastern Europe than in some of its more mature markets, while Germany, France and Poland still provide the largest base of sales in the region. For Irish producers facing more uncertainty in overseas trade, that combination of scale in core EU markets and rapid growth in newer ones is becoming a central part of the industry’s export strategy.