No hangover for Scotch makers as exports hit new high

Scotch whisky exports rose 10 per cent in 2010 to a new record of £3.45 billion ($5.54 billion), driven largely by emerging markets despite a small decline in overall volumes shipped – showing that consumers are turning more to expensive single malts rather than the blended standards.

The Scottish Whisky Association (SWA) said on Wednesday that exports - which account for just over 90 per cent of sales - increased for the sixth consecutive year in value terms, but volumes dipped 2 per cent to the equivalent of 1.06 billion standard bottles of scotch in 2010.

The long-renowned produce of Scotland added as much as £109 a second to the value of goods exported from the UK last year, the SWA figures showed.

In 2010 what was a record year, the spirit contributed £3.45 billion to the UK export market, up from £3.13 billion in 2009.

UK's revenue and customs data showed that the value of Scotch exports has risen by 60 per cent since 2000, with a total of £1.29 billion added to their value in the past decade.

Officials at SWA said the drop in volumes reflect "continued premiumisation" across the industry, with single malt exports rising by 18 per cent to £577 million, compared to a 5 per cent increase in the amount of blended whiskies shipped abroad.