http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/06/03/tennessee-whiskey-distillers-shortage/9898781/

Roll back the barrels: Whiskey shortage looms

Yes, indeed, according to distillers and industry observers, who point to a worldwide boom in consumption of bourbon and whiskey, and in particular Tennessee whiskey, the fastest-growing variety.

From millennials transitioning from craft beers and wine, to baby boomers coming back into the fold — and international consumers experiencing it for the first time — American whiskey is enjoying a revival.

Annual sales rose 10.2 percent in the past year alone, according to the Washington-based Distilled Spirits Council.

"We have seen an explosion internationally," said David Ozgo, chief economist for the DSC, the trade group representing America's distillers. Exports of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey exceeded $1 billion last year, up from $400 million just a decade ago.

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To underscore the possibility of a shortage, gains in whiskey sales are outpacing production increases by at least 2-to-1, industry experts say.

That's prompting distillers to rush to head off a crisis, said Clayton Cutler, chief distiller at the TennSouth Distillery in Lynnville, one of the newest players.