Whiskey Has Its Hold In The Jewish Market

Just as Burnetts Vodka has a massive consumer base with college students, whiskey has strong holdings in the Jewish population.

The New York Times recently examined why the Jewish population have been drinking more whiskey; Whether Jewish whiskey drinkers prefer whiskey that is kosher by nature, or whiskey that has the "extra insurance of a hechsher,"companies such as Glenrothes, Bowmore, and Auchentoshan, have made the effort to accommodate to the Jewish consumer. And unlike wine, which can contain some hidden ingredients that aren't kosher, whiskey is straight-forward in listing its ingredients. This makes it a very popular, and safe, drink for the Jewish community.

And whiskey producers are learning to not piss off their devotees. After a controversial move from Tuesday to Friday and Saturday last year, the New York sponsors of WhiskeyFest, got a taste of reality. Falling on the eve of the Sabbath, the event could no longer host a large portion of the regular attendees, the Jewish whiskey drinkers.  Keen not to miss out on the whiskey celebration, the Jewish Whiskey Company created Whisky Jewbilee, a successful pop-festival, whose popularity allowed it to return this fall, with a larger venue and a second date. With Whiskey Jewbilee only a few months away, the event already has new contributors knocking on its door, requesting to be apart of the event.