The Regional Opportunity: Trial, Advocacy, and the On-Premise multiplier
Despite global On-Premise headwinds, (global On-Premise spirits performance –2.6% value, -5.5% volume), APAC’s hotspots continue to offer resilient routes to trial and trade-up for the Whiskey category. Southeast Asia posts one of the highest weekly visitation rates to bars and restaurants anywhere globally, with Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines trending up year-on-year. This strong channel visitation gives whiskey brands more chances to earn the first drink and the second recommendation.
Bartender influence remains pivotal. 42% of bartenders say they typically recommend their personal favorites, with cocktails (27%) and whiskey (16%) leading their top three suggestions. Knowledge levels behind the bar are high, yet there’s appetite for specialist learning—whiskey ranks #1 among categories bartenders want to explore further, making education assets a revenue lever, not a cost line.
Market Dynamics at play
South Korea: Premium disruption in a local stronghold
Whiskey dominates the On-Premise spirits mix (outside Soju), while international variants gain ground and malt bars accelerate premium discovery.
In South Korea, whiskey dominates the On-Premise spirits landscape, consistently holding around 70–73% of Spirits category share. Yet beneath this dominance, the market is shifting. American whiskey is showing a steady resurgence, climbing to over 11% of whiskey volume share, while Japanese and Irish whiskies are also gaining traction. Local brands such as Golden Blue are losing ground, even as Imperial remains resilient, signaling an opportunity for international players to capture consumers trading up.
The rise of malt bars in Seoul underscores this premiumization trend, moving drinkers away from mainstream blends toward single malts and craft narratives. As Korean culture continues to globalize in both directions the runway for Spirits is long even outside Spirits. With Soju and Beer dominating the market, gaining incremental share for Spirits and Whiskey is an attractive trade up opportunity.
Action for Suppliers
Build premium pathways via single malt flights, American style tastings, and bartender advocacy kits for malt bars. Use switcher focused content that reframes value around craftsmanship, not just age statements.
Action for Suppliers
Lead with highball storytelling, lighter serves, and social first content that showcases flavour and mixability. Trial “first sip” discovery sets with venues, tuned to the preferences of younger female audiences.
Japan: Younger female drinkers bring a mixing mindset
Growth pockets are emerging among women 18–34 who over index on cocktails, lighter ABV, and whiskey made-for-mixing cues.
Japan’s whiskey story is increasingly being written by younger women. Female consumers aged 18–34 are visiting On-Premise venues more frequently than older cohorts and are highly engaged with cocktails, with 38% choosing mixed drinks compared to 17% of all consumers.
When selecting whiskey, these younger drinkers gravitate toward cues like “low ABV” and “made for mixing,” signaling a preference for versatility and lighter serves over traditional age statements. Highballs and creative cocktails are their entry point, making serve-led storytelling essential. Brands that position whiskey as approachable, mixable, and flavor-forward, rather than heritage-heavy, will resonate most strongly with this demographic.
The Philippines: Win the high tempo night, then trade up
Lighter spirits currently dominate fast paced occasions; whiskey’s path is to differentiate in high tempo while activating premium cues consumers value.
In the Philippines, lighter spirits dominate high tempo occasions, with vodka, gin, and tequila leading the pack. Whiskey currently accounts for 28% of On-Premise consumption, but the category’s premium potential is undeniable: more than half of whiskey drinkers say they are willing to trade up, and exclusivity is the top motivator. These consumers are most often found in bars, clubs, and hotels, where energy and experience matter. Cocktail culture is thriving, and popular serves like Mojitos and Margaritas present an opportunity for whiskey riffs that feel fresh yet familiar.
To win here, brands must differentiate whiskey as the premium choice for nightlife and make significant investments in the market to disrupt local suppliers. Building in the channel with below the line activations, partnerships and perfect serve strategies provides a route to bring whiskey into the cocktail conversation alongside the more prominent incumbents.
Action for Suppliers
Design nightlife activations that position whiskey as the premium alternative; limited cask drops, “rare pour” passes, and collaboration on menus to insert whiskey twists on the nation’s favorite cocktails.
“Across APAC, whiskey growth isn’t about pushing one global story, it’s about winning the moment of consumption. Brands that tailor their serve, format, and premium cues to each market’s On‑Premise reality are the ones unlocking trial, trade‑up, and advocacy at scale.”
James Phillips – Head of On-Premise, APAC – NielsenIQ
Singapore: Luxury cue alignment and Scotch depth
Action for Suppliers
Spotlight provenance and ingredient quality in digital storytelling. Create luxury bar partnerships; Scotch verticals, highball masterclasses, that reinforce value for money perceptions while guiding guests up the ladder.
Action for Suppliers
For whiskey brands, the imperative is twofold: double down on cola-forward rituals to protect core occasions and innovate with whiskey-led RTDs to capture incremental growth.
Australia: Compete where consumption happens
Whiskey is #2 spirits category and rising in penetration; the battleground is bottled mixers and rapidly expanding RTDs, and so brands must optimize formats or be cannibalized.
In Australia, whiskey holds the second spot among spirits but continues to grow. The competitive battleground is shifting toward the right format for the right channel and occasion. Bottled mixers are the go-to serve for whiskey occasions, with cola accounting for 64% of serves, while neat shots are declining in this market. At the same time, RTDs are surging: 68% of whiskey drinkers consume them in the On-Premise, and more than half of RTD drinkers say they choose the format every or almost every visit. Tap and draught RTDs are gaining traction, particularly among older male audiences, signaling a structural shift in how spirits are consumed and providing operational benefits for venues.
China: On-Premise trial drives at home conversion; focus on the East
The On-Premise is a powerful funnel to retail in China; conversion intent over indexes vs global Target the East for whiskey, while activating premium tiers.
China offers a unique advantage for whiskey brands: On-Premise trial strongly influences retail purchase, with conversion intent over-indexing by 12 percentage points versus global norms. Regional dynamics matter—Eastern cities show the highest spirits penetration, with whiskey ranking alongside Baijiu as a top choice. Premium categories like Brandy and Cognac also present opportunities for laddering consumers up.
For whiskey, the strategy should centre on creating memorable On-Premise experiences that bridge to at-home consumption. Although the short-term crackdown on banquet culture has hit the channel and category, there remains a strong long-term opportunity for international Whiskey brands to enter and grow with the right targeted strategy.
Action for Suppliers
Stage premium discovery programs in East coast cities – guided tastings, limited releases and popups that bridge On-Premise trial to retail via follow ups, ecommerce bundles and loyalty hooks.
How suppliers can take advantage of the opportunities in the Whiskey category
Five cross-APAC moves to operationalize now
- Serve based storytelling: Lead with the glass consumers actually order—highballs in Japan/Singapore, cola mixes in Australia, cocktail riffs in Philippines—and equip bartenders with fast, photogenic recipes.
- Bartender education: Deploy advanced whiskey modules (cask types, maturation, regional styles) to harness recommendation power and differentiate menus.
- Premium cues that convert: Codify “exclusive/rare,” provenance, and ingredient quality into in-venue assets and digital content; make the value leap obvious and low friction.
- Format optimization: Treat RTDs (including draught) as opportunity, not threat—curate whiskey-led offers to protect share and attract new drinkers.
- Trial to retail bridges: Particularly in China, integrate digital follow ups and retail bundles to lock in repeat purchases after On-Premise discovery.
Access the Whiskey Playbook
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