U.S. spirits sales fell 2.5% in late October under pressure from weaker consumer demand

U.S. spirits sales remained under pressure in the four weeks ending October 24, even as weekly revenue picked up heading into Halloween and the early holiday entertaining season, according to NielsenIQ’s October 2026 Spirits Pulse report.

NIQ said dollar sales for total spirits, excluding prepared cocktails, fell 2.5% from a year earlier during the period, while volume declined 2.4%. The firm said weaker consumer demand and broader economic pressure were the main reasons for the drop, accounting for 88% of the decline.

At the same time, sales improved on a week-to-week basis as retailers moved closer to one of the category’s busiest seasonal periods. NIQ said spirits sales reached $521.6 million in the latest week measured, up 1.7% from the prior week. The report described that increase as a sign of seasonal buying tied to Halloween and holiday gatherings.

The report showed mixed results across the largest spirits categories. Whiskey posted deeper losses than the broader market, with dollar sales down 4.8% and volume off 5.3%. Vodka performed somewhat better, though it also remained in decline, with dollar sales down 1.2% and volume down 1.9%.

Tequila was one of the few major categories still showing growth. NIQ said tequila dollar sales rose 0.6%, and volume increased 5.1%. Non-alcoholic spirits posted the strongest gains in the report, with dollar sales up 20.4% and volume up 22.0%, continuing a pattern of faster growth than traditional spirits segments.

All other spirits categories combined fell 2.5% in dollar sales and 3.5% in volume, NIQ said. In the report, that group included brandy, cognac, cordials, gin, grain alcohol and rum. The results suggest that growth remained limited to a small number of categories rather than spreading across the market.

Among manufacturers, Diageo remained the largest by dollar sales, but NIQ said its sales fell 6.5%, with case volume down by 74,800. Sazerac ranked second and was one of the strongest performers among major suppliers, with dollar sales up 5.8% and case volume up by 54,100. Bacardi ranked third with dollar sales up 2.7% and case volume up by 5,400.

Fifth Generation, the maker of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, ranked fourth among manufacturers by dollar sales and posted 6.6% dollar growth, along with an increase of 18,900 cases. Suntory Global Spirits ranked fifth, with dollar sales down 6.4% and case volume down by 43,800.

NIQ’s ranking of manufacturers by dollar growth was led by Sazerac, followed by Fifth Generation and Bacardi. Constellation placed fourth, with dollar sales up 21.5% and case volume up by 6,400. Frederick Wildman ranked fifth, with dollar sales up 33.4%, although its case gain was comparatively small at 194.

At the brand level, Tito’s Vodka held the top position by dollar sales and was also one of the few leading brands to post growth. NIQ said Tito’s dollar sales rose 4.8%, with case volume up by 13,900. Crown Royal ranked second, but its dollar sales fell 9.7% and case volume declined by 21,000.

Jack Daniel’s ranked third and posted an 8.2% drop in dollar sales, with case volume down by 20,900. Don Julio ranked fourth, with dollar sales down 5.4% and case volume off by 4,100. Fireball Whiskey ranked fifth and recorded a 7.1% decline in dollar sales, along with a drop of 25,900 cases.

By dollar growth, W.L. Weller led the major brands listed in the report, with sales up 105.1% and case volume up by 8,600. Cazadores followed with 56.0% dollar growth and an increase of 24,300 cases. Tito’s Vodka placed third on that list, while Lunazul Tequila ranked fourth with dollar sales up 17.0% and case volume up by 11,800. Svedka ranked fifth, with dollar sales up 16.0% and case volume up by 32,100.

The NIQ data points to a spirits market that is still contracting overall, but not evenly. Large core categories such as whiskey and vodka continued to weaken in the period ending October 24, while tequila and non-alcoholic spirits showed continued consumer demand. The report also showed that some of the biggest gains were concentrated in a handful of brands and suppliers rather than across the broader market.