French spirits group Pernod Ricard is sharpening its focus on American whiskey with the creation of a new division, North American Distillers (NADL). This strategic move consolidates the company’s whiskey operations across the U.S. and positions it to compete more aggressively in one of the most dynamic spirits categories on the market.
NADL will oversee the global marketing, strategy, and production of Pernod Ricard’s growing portfolio of premium American whiskey brands, including Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler, TX, and the increasingly popular peanut-butter-flavoured Skrewball.
New division mirrors Pernod Ricard’s other global arms
NADL is structured similarly to Pernod Ricard’s other regional divisions such as Irish Distillers (home to Jameson) and Chivas Brothers (which manages its Scotch whisky portfolio). The goal is to provide focused leadership and global marketing support to its U.S. whiskey brands while enhancing long-term production capabilities.
Industry veteran Richard Black will lead the division as CEO. Black brings more than two decades of experience with Pernod Ricard, including roles at Chivas Brothers and most recently as global marketing director for Martell, one of France’s premier Cognac houses.
Describing American whiskey as a “dynamic spirits category,” Black emphasised the strong growth potential for the group’s U.S. brands. “Our investments made in Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler, Skrewball and TX underscore our ambitious commitment,” he said.
His mission, Black explained, is to “harness this potential and drive a singular focus on these brands and our operations, creating a top-tier marketing and sustainable operations team on the back of our peoples’ deep-rooted expertise.”
Jefferson’s distillery highlights sustainability push
One of NADL’s first major initiatives will be the launch of a new, carbon-neutral distillery for Jefferson’s Bourbon in Kentucky. Estimated to cost around US$250 million, the facility is expected to be a flagship site for sustainable whiskey production.
Black will be supported by Pierre Joncourt, senior vice-president of operations for Pernod Ricard North America, and Kaveh Zamanian, founder of Rabbit Hole whiskey, who will focus on whiskey development and brand marketing.
Pernod Ricard had initially created its American whiskey unit as a separate business within Pernod Ricard USA. The formation of NADL formalises and expands that structure, giving its American whiskey brands a stronger platform to scale globally.
American whiskey remains a key export for the U.S.
The creation of NADL comes at a time when American whiskey is booming in international markets. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (Discus), American whiskey accounted for 63% of total U.S. spirits exports in 2023.
Following the suspension of the EU’s 25% retaliatory tariffs on American whiskey in early 2022, exports to Europe jumped 61% year-on-year. Between 2021 and 2023, exports to the EU surged from US$439 million to US$705 million, making up half of all American whiskey exports.
However, uncertainty still looms. The EU’s current suspension on tariffs is set to expire on 31 March 2025. If a permanent resolution is not reached, the bloc is poised to reimpose duties at 50%, doubling the previous rate.
Despite the potential headwinds, the long-term trajectory remains positive. Over the past two decades, global exports of U.S. spirits have grown by nearly 280%, rising from US$587 million in 2003 to more than US$2.2 billion today.
Pernod Ricard invests beyond whiskey
While the spotlight is currently on American whiskey, Pernod Ricard is also expanding in other categories. In June, the company broke ground on a €25 million carbon-neutral distillery for its Japanese gin brand, Ki No Bi. The new facility is expected to increase production fivefold, underscoring the company’s commitment to scaling premium spirits across multiple markets.
With NADL now in place, Pernod Ricard is poised to compete at the top tier of the American whiskey segment, leveraging its global distribution muscle and deepening its commitment to sustainability and innovation in distilling. The move marks a significant step forward in the company’s North American ambitions—and a clear sign that U.S. whiskey is central to its future.