Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s have long been leaders in the American whiskey market. In terms of sales, there simply isn’t a touch on them. Last year, as reported by The Spirits Business, Jack Daniel’s sold 14.6 million cases, whereas Jim Beam sold 16.7 million, ranking them as the two top selling whiskey brands globally. This is a crown that one of the pair has held for a minimum of five years. However, this popularity doesn’t translate as strongly to the bar scene as it used to.

Each year, Drinks International, a news platform for the liquor industry, surveys top 100 bars across 33 countries to discover the drink orders of consumers. The chosen bars consistently feature on renowned lists such as World’s 50 Best Bars and Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Following the survey, Drinks International publishes its conclusive Brands Report, providing an insight into the purchasing habits and trending brands in the world’s best bars.

Topping the list for the second consecutive year is Maker’s Mark, one of our beloved cost-effective bourbons, famed for its red-wax-dipped top. Jim and Jack, formerly the go-to brands for a “shot and a beer” or mixed drinks, have made room for slightly pricier counterparts. This shift indicates an openness among consumers to pay a little more for a superior pour, or the patrons of these surveyed bars are simply more willing to spend more.

Related: 2024’s Best Cheap Whiskies for A Budget-Friendly Bottle

Regardless, the titanic twosome of America’s whiskey finds itself in the seventh and eighth positions, in spite of their well-established reputation in the worldwide marketplace:

Maker’s Mark

Bulleit

Michter’s

Woodford Reserve

Buffalo Trace

Wild Turkey

Jim Beam

Jack Daniel’s

Rittenhouse

Four Roses

The growth of Maker’s Mark and other brands has begun to impact Jim Beam’s numbers, which sold about 300,000 fewer cases last year than they did the year before. It’s worth noting that Jack Daniel’s grew by 7.9 percent last year, but the brand has also stepped into the craft marketplaces with the release of an American Single Malt and the continuation of its successful, experimental Distillery Series. Maker’s Mark, meanwhile, sold 200,000 more cases in 2023 than they did in 2022, an increase of 5.3 percent, although it had a bigger 2022, growing 11.1 percent from 2021.

According to Drinks International’s annual American whiskey trends report, that trend should continue. Instead of relying on business data, this report is more subjective, since the bars themselves decide what climbs up the rankings. And while Maker’s might see competition from Michter’s, Jack and Jim don’t even make the list:

Michter‘s

Maker’s

Bulleit

Woodford Reserve

Buffalo Trace

Angel’s Envy

Blanton’s

Wild Turkey

Elijah Craig

Eagle Rare

Regardless, it seems like consumers are willing to spend a bit more on whiskey than they have in the past—and Jim and Jack are being left behind.

Related: 50 Best Whiskeys in the World 2024