Ireland comes in ninth place in ‘The Most Powerful Countries of Origin’ in the Power 100,  the annual look at the biggest and the best from the global spirits and wine market by brand valuation consultancy Intangible Business. Ireland has two brands in the Top 100 wine and spirits brands. However Scotland comes top of the table followed by the US, France and Russia. Cuba takes fifth place, Italy sixth, Mexico seventh and Sweden eighth. In terms of brands on the up, as the top-moving upwardly mobile brand, Diageo’s Johnnie Walker increased its 2008 score by 20 per cent, replacing Bacardi as the world’s second-most-powerful spirit brand.

The second-largest mover on the up is Patron Tequila. The brand’s total score is up seven per cent and Patron has become the top-selling ultra premium tequila in the world. Hennessy has continued its growth with a total score also up seven per cent. It stands well ahead of other cognac brands in the Power 100 and shows especially rapid growth in China, Russia and Vietnam over the past 12 months.

With a score up five per cent, Jim Beam lies in fourth position in the ‘Biggest Movers - Going Up’ position. It leapt seven places to 13 this year. Performing especially well in the Australian market; the Power 100 report points out that the bourbon category as a whole lacks the depth of heritage and product range to compete effectively with the Scotch whisky category across many international markets. The fifth ‘Biggest Mover - Going Up’ is Hardy’s wine. This looks poised to become the most powerful wine brand in 2009, according to Intangible Business. Gallo, its main competitor, has not experienced the same steady rate of growth and is only a fraction ahead of Hardy’s.