The Distilled Spirits Council of the US makes first visit to Australia since 2019

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has announced it is coming to Australia for the first time in five years at the end of this month to host a series of trade events promoting US spirits. 

The trade tour will present an opportunity for DISCUS member brands to personally showcase their spirits and brands with Australia's liquor trade with the goal of educating about new US-led trends and forming new connections. 

“After years of growing our visibility in Australia and helping to raise awareness of the versatility of American spirits, we are so excited to be heading back to Australia to connect key trade with new brands they may not have known about who are looking to export into Australia, and to further increase opportunities for the brands already in market,” said DISCUS’ Manager of Export Promotions Joel Matticks. 

“Our previous efforts have led to brands gaining representation and sales opportunities in Australia, and we’re hoping that this visit garners the same results and leads to Australians being able to access an even wider range of quality American distilled spirits.”

Formal events will begin on Tuesday May 28 at The Ace Hotel, Surrey Hills, Sydney, where DISCUS brand members will host a mini trade show featuring products yet to arrive to Australia alongside products that have recently emerged onto market. 

The Melbourne event will take place two days later at The Stamford Plaza as part of the inaugural Melbourne Trade Show hosted by The Whisky List. DISCUS members will have their own section at the show that will focus on sharing products that currently aren’t available in Australia. 

The events form part of the DISCUS’ ongoing ‘Cheers! Spirits from the USA’ campaign which was first launched in Australia in 2021 to increase awareness and knowledge of the heritage, flavour profiles and quality of US distilled spirits in international markets. 

US distilled spirits exports into Australia are currently on the rise, reaching $132 million in November 2023 up 7.3% on the year prior. DISCUS largely credits this to the dynamic nature of Australia’s spirits market, which makes it willing to trial and experiment with new brands and styles. 

The 2024 tour will continue to build upon trends that emerged during DISCUS' 2019 visit, including strong growth in American Whiskey imports and the rise of on-premise consumption of American spirits. 

The tour will feature DISCUS member brands currently not available in Australian such as Traverse City Whiskey, Red Eye Louie’s and Arizona Distilling. It will also feature distilleries already available such as Angel's Envy, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River Whiskey, Ole Smoky, Penelope Bourbon, Sagamore Spirit, Uncle Nearest and Westward Whiskey.

While both events are free to attend, registration is essential. For more details and to register, visit the following link.