The big news from this morning’s annual briefing by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) was that for the first time ever, sales of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey exports generated over $1 billion. Admiral Peter Cressy, president of DISCUS, referred to a “whiskey renaissance” owing to a growing middle class, a good product story (American heritage), and the spreading of cocktail culture, among other factors. Indeed, brands like Maker’s Mark have experienced growth while keeping its price relatively high—normally volume declines as the price rises. But Maker’s and others are now experiencing the best of both worlds.

In 2013, bourbon and Tennessee whiskey distillers cranked out 18 million cases, which meant almost $2.5 billion in supplier revenue (10 percent higher than the year before). Whiskies in general (including Scotch, Irish and Canadian whiskies, and blends) have grown as a category by 6.2 percent, a growth larger than any other sector—vodka only grew by 1.1 percent.