Cognac and brandy producers had very different experiences during2023, but both categories are showing promise for future years.
On the one hand, 2023 was a great year to be a brandy. While many other categories saw slides for their one-million-case sellers, brandy producers went in the opposite direction with positive growth across the board.
According to Euromonitor International data, the total volume of brandy grew from 163.4 million nine-litre cases in 2022 to 169m in 2023. It’s a sign that perceptions of the category are changing for the better, with brandy now featuring more prominently on co*cktail menus and producers being more progressive with innovations.
On the other hand, two of Cognac’s biggest producers, Hennessy and Martell, had years they might want to forget, with both posting volume declines. Rémy Cointreau didn’t disclose its volume sales, while Courvoisier dropped below the million-case mark following a 33.6% fall in volume sales last year.
One of the most impressive performances for brandy this year was outside of the top 10, however, with newcomer Aznauri almost doubling its volume sales to pass the million-case mark for the first time, with 89.5% growth.
Much like brandy, though, the Cognac category is undergoing an image makeover, and its overall volume went up from 17.3m to 18.1m in 2023. The big names will be hoping they can weather the storm and record improved numbers for next year.
Below, we count down the biggest Cognac and brandy brands by volume in 2023 from the brands who supplied data for The Brand Champions 2024 report.
2023: 1.2m
2022: 1.1m
% change: 8.1%
United Spirits-owned McDowell’s managed a steady growth of 8.1% in 2023, with 1.2m cases sold.
It’s still yet to reach its heights from 2019, though, when it posted 1.3m cases sold. Its parent company enjoyed strong growth in its most recent financial results though, citing increased demand for premium brands.
2023: 1.3m
2022: 1.1m
% change: 13.4%
Radico Khaitan’s Morpheus Brandy is ascending. Having finally passed the one-million mark in 2022 – after three successive years of 800,000 cases sold – the brand followed up its breakthrough year with a 13% increase in 2023, up to 1.3m.
It could be a sign of things to come for the Indian brand, which is named after the winged Greek god of dreams – especially with the country’s spirits market gaining momentum.
2023: 1.5m
2022: 1.0m
% change: 44.7%
Another fast riser, Alliance 1892 Brandy Factory’s brandy Old Kenigsburg bounced back from its decline in 2022 in a big way – rising 44.7% to 1.5m cases.
2023 was Old Kenigsburg’s most successful year to date, following a fall to 1m cases in 2022 (down from 1.2m the previous year) – making it one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits brands.
2023: 1.6m
2022: 1.0m
% change: 55.5%
Posting the second largest rise of any brandy in 2023 was Courrier Napoleon. The Tilaknagar Industries-owned brand passed the one-million mark with ease in 2022, and followed it up with a 55.5% increase last year. Would 2m in 2024 be a stretch?
Well, Ahmed Rahimtoola, chief marketing officer at Tilakanagar, said the brand is “poised to become one of the fastest-growing brandies in the prestige segment”.
2023: 1.7m
2022: 1.6m
% change: 6.2%
While its 6.2% rise in 2023 isn’t as eye-popping as the two brands below it, Amrut Distillers’ Silver Cup Brandy showed steel after a disappointing year in 2022 when it dropped from 1.8m to 1.6m cases.
In 2021, the Indian brandy was one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits.
2023: 2.3m
2022: 2.3m
% change: -2.6%
Martell’s slight dip reflects the Cognac sector’s recent struggles. The brand, however, has been busy with new releases and innovations, such as the Réserve du Château series released in late 2023, which could guarantee a stronger result next year.
Looking to the future, the Cognac house’s cellar master Christophe Valtaud said experimentation is crucial to the category’s survival. He is aiming to create a selection of new grape varieties for 2028.
2023: 2.7m
2022: 2.4m
% change: 10.4%
Brazilian spirit Dreher, owned by Campari Group, put its troubles from 2022 behind it with a 10.4% rise in 2023. The brand fell from 2.8m cases in 2021 to 2.4m in 2022 – but it appears it managed to steady the ship in 2023.
2023: 3.7m
2022: 4.3m
% change: -14.4%
It was back to reality for our 2020 Brandy Brand Champion, Old Admiral. A 14.4% decrease saw the brand drop from 4.3m cases to 3.7m, which is more in line with its figures from pre-2022 years.
Old Admiral is still the world’s second biggest-selling brandy, selling 2m cases more than its nearest rival, Silver Cup.
2023: 6.5m
2022: 7.9m
% change: -17.7%
For most brands, 6.5m cases would be a figure to be proud of, but Hennessy will likely be a little disappointed with how it performed in 2023 – its lowest number of cases sold since Brand Champions records began. At its peak, it sold 8.6m cases in 2021.
Cognac is going through a tricky period, but Hennessy is navigating this through trendy campaigns and a strong showing on social media, with the brand being named our Social Media Brand Champion 2024.
2023: 8.3m
2022: 7.1m
% change: 16.7%
Give a big clap to Mansion House: the brand remains the world’s biggest-selling brandy at 8.3m nine-litre cases sold. In 2022, sales surged by nearly 60% and it has backed this up with yet another impressive rise of nearly 17%.
Surely 10 million is in its sights and, with its current performance, we wouldn’t bet against it. Smart plays such as moving into flavoured brandies – a relatively untapped market with huge opportunity – will no doubt help its cause.
