GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – Britain remains Switzerland’s largest source of whisky, an import market that has tripled since 1992, the Federal Agriculture Office said 12 December.
Last year the Swiss imported 4 million litres, more than a drop in the bucket for a nation of 8 million people, some of whom are not of drinking age. The quantity imported in 1992 was around 1.3m litres for a population of 6.9m.
British, notably Scotland’s single malts, accounted for 66.9 percent of the 2012 imports, while whisky from the US was 14.7 percent.
The US has been steadily nibbling market share: in 1992 British whisky was 87.2 percent of the market while American brands had 8.9 percent.
The average price, before several taxes are added, rose from CHF9.10 21 years ago to CHF14.10 in 2012.
Source: Swiss Agriculture Office