Blackberry lifts Jack Daniel’s whiskey sales

Brown-Forman whiskey portfolio grew during a difficult fiscal year, even as sales of flagship Old No. 7 declined

11:34 a.m. June 4, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Brown-Forman on Thursday, June 4, reported fiscal year results, with its new Tennessee Blackberry helping offset lower sales of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey

A new blackberry-flavored Jack Daniel’s bottle helped Brown-Forman through a difficult year, even as sales slipped for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, the bottle that put Lynchburg on the map.

Brown-Forman, the Louisville-based owner of Jack Daniel’s, reported that its whiskey sales rose 3% in the fiscal year that ended April 30. The company credited the launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry, growth from Woodford Reserve in the United States, and favorable currency exchange rates.

But those gains came with a notable hometown catch: Sales of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey declined.

In Lynchburg, that matters. Jack Daniel’s is more than a label on a shelf. It draws visitors from around the world and has long shaped the town’s identity. The earnings report does not say what the decline means locally, but it shows the company leaning on new products as sales of its best-known whiskey slipped.

Brown-Forman reported $3.9 billion in net sales for the year, down 1% from fiscal 2025. Operating income fell 10% to $1 billion, while earnings per share dropped 17% to $1.53.

Fourth-quarter sales rose 2% to $912 million. Profits, however, fell sharply: Operating income dropped 53% to $96 million, and earnings per share fell 62% to 12 cents.

New flavor helps whiskey portfolio

Brown-Forman did not say how many bottles of Tennessee Blackberry it sold or provide separate sales figures for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. It did, however, identify the new flavor as one of the reasons whiskey sales rose despite the decline in black label Jack.

The report did not say whether the drop in flagship whiskey sales has affected production, jobs or tourism in Moore County.

Brown-Forman President and CEO Lawson Whiting said the company finished the year ahead of its expectations, pointing to new products, changes in its U.S. distribution system and cost-cutting efforts.

Company finds more growth outside U.S.

Brown-Forman found more growth overseas than at home during the year.

Net sales in the United States fell 7%. Brown-Forman pointed to lower Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey sales, along with the end of two outside business arrangements unrelated to the Lynchburg brand.

Sales in established international markets were flat. Brown-Forman said those markets were hurt by declines in Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as by the removal of U.S.-made liquor from store shelves in most Canadian provinces.

Emerging markets told a different story. Sales rose 14%, with the Jack Daniel’s family of brands growing in Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil.

Travel retail sales, which include airport and duty-free sales, rose 6%. Brown-Forman said increased passenger travel helped drive higher sales of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey in that channel.

Cash flow rises despite sales decline

Although overall sales and earnings fell, Brown-Forman reported strong cash flow.

Cash from operations rose by $402 million to $1 billion. Free cash flow increased by $462 million to $893 million.

The company returned $827 million to stockholders during the year, including $427 million in regular dividends and $400 million through its stock repurchase program.

Brown-Forman said it expects the coming year to remain difficult as people remain cautious about spending and overseas markets stay unsettled.

For fiscal 2027, Brown-Forman projects sales to remain about flat after adjusting for currency shifts and business changes. On that same basis, it expects operating income to fall between 3% and 5%.

Brown-Forman said it plans to lean on cost savings, changes to its U.S. distributor system, and continued new-product work, including a wider rollout of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry.

In Lynchburg, Old No. 7 still carries the name. This year, the new blackberry bottle helped carry the load.