With the consumption of 1.3 million cases a year, Mexico is the second largest consumer of premium scotch whisky in the world, second only to the United States, according to the Scottish distiller Edrington.

On Monday, the company’s distribution agreement with tequila maker José Cuervo will come to an end. Edrington intends to be its own distributor and make its entire portfolio available in Mexico.

One of the company’s popular brands is The Macallan, a premium single-malt whisky whose sales run about 24,000 cases a year in Mexico, which is now among the top 10 markets in the world for the product.

“We had an international presence in all markets, but we were missing Mexico,” said Edrington México general manager Juan Campos at a press conference this week. “We see a great opportunity for whisky.”

The company wants to double its whisky sales here within the next five years, he said.

Edrington has opened offices in Mexico City and Guadalajara to that end.

Source: Expansión (sp), El Universal (sp)