Diageo’s Johnnie Walker just edged out Hennessy (owned by LVMH) to top the IWSR’s 2013 World Class Brands rankings. Jack Daniel’s (Brown-Forman), Jameson and Martell (both Pernod Ricard) round out the top five. The IWSR has ranked these brands using its 2012 volume and value data.

Johnnie Walker has seen strong growth in a number of markets across the world, rising by over 100,000 cases in 2012 in countries such as Mexico, Poland, the US, South Africa and Thailand, as well as the duty free/travel retail market. Overall, the brand grew by 1m cases over the year to reach 18m cases in total.

Hennessy’s second-ranking position is aided by its high price per case, but the brand also had a strong growth year in 2012. Thanks to a record year in China and a return to growth in the US, Hennessy added over 250,000 cases. These two countries now contribute a 63% share of brand sales.

Jack Daniel’s, the third-ranked brand in the list, also had a very positive year. Volume gains were driven by strong growth in the US and increasing interest in the brand’s flavour extensions brought total volumes to 12.2m cases in 2012. Jack Daniel’s has been experiencing strong sales in a number of its key global markets such as Germany (+13.9%), France (+11.8%) and Australia (+15.7), as well as in smaller markets such as Poland and Brazil.

Brown-Forman has also enjoyed remarkable success with its flavoured Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey extension. The flavoured variant has succeeded in recruiting non-traditional consumers such as women into the franchise.

Diageo also has the largest number of World Class Brands, with 28, including four in the top 10 (Johnnie Walker, Cîroc, Buchanan’s and Captain Morgan). That Diageo tally also includes four brands from the recently acquired USL India.

Paris-based Pernod Ricard follows with 18 entrants and three in the top 10 (Jameson, Martell and Absolut). Beam Inc. is well represented on the list with 11 brands, including its flagship Jim Beam at number nine. Bacardi follows with nine brands and Campari with seven.

In terms of categories, Scotch has the largest representation with 37 entrants. Vodka is next with 25 brands, followed by liqueurs at 18, rum with 13 and non-Cognac brandy with five.

The full list is published exclusively in the September issue of the IWSR Magazine.