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It’s not easy to be top dog, whether it’s in the office, sports, or even bourbon. A visit to most liquor stores reveals an ever-growing selection of bourbons with a wide mix of characteristics and price points. However, one bourbon brand has enjoyed its status as the world’s best-seller for several years running: Jim Beam<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to data compiled by The Spirits Business<\/a>, the bourbon sold a stunning 16.7 million cases in 2025. At 12 bottles per case, that amounts to 200.4 million bottles. That’s far ahead of the second-best-selling bourbon, Evan Williams, at 2.9 million cases, or even the 13.4 million cases Jack Daniel’s sold, though JD is classified as a “Tennessee whiskey”. This was enough for Jim Beam\u00a0to hold onto the title, even as its sales fell nearly 5% between 2024 and 2025 (from 17.5 million cases in the former year).\u00a0It’s been the top-selling bourbon since at least 2023, when an even 17 million cases were sold globally.<\/p>\n It’s unclear how long Jim Beam has held the title, though it’s likely been since before most people drinking it today could legally buy it. There are documented references to it being the best-seller\u00a0in the late 1990s, all the way back\u00a0to 1970, although it’s difficult to say whether the brand ever briefly relinquished the crown.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n A brief history of Jim Beam’s strong distilling and strong sales<\/p>\n
ElenaVah\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n It’s been a long road to the top for Jim Beam. Members of the family have been distilling and selling various brands of bourbon since 1795, making the company nearly as old as the nation.\u00a0James Beauregard Beam, the man whose name the whiskey bears, led the family distillery around the turn of the 20th century. After production resumed following Prohibition, the whiskey took the name “Colonel James B. Beam Bourbon,” later shortened to the current “Jim Beam.” Over the course of centuries, the family has had plenty of time to finesse their bourbon recipe and develop generations of loyal customers in the United States and abroad.<\/p>\n Part of its success may be the bourbon’s wide availability and moderate price. Jim Beam (and its numerous flavored versions and other products) has maintained a presence in liquor stores and bars\u00a0and can be priced\u00a0as low as $17 for a 750-milliliter bottle. That places it squarely among the cheap bourbons you should always buy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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