In a hypothetical “Star Wars” scenario, Darth Vader could use the dark side of the Force to telekinetically shatter a glass bottle of vodka from across the room, for instance. When it comes to spirits within the U.S. beverage market, however, consumers are going over to the dark side in a much less violent manner: They’re simply purchasing more whiskey.

The whiskey segment increased 11.6 percent in volume for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 26 in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, gas and convenience stores, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains, compared with the prior-year period, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), a Chicago-based market research firm. Leading this volume growth was the Irish whiskey segment, which grew approximately 20 percent in volume last year, according to analysts. Edward Hsyeh, U.S. analyst for Chicago-based Euromonitor International, attributes much of that growth to Jameson Irish Whiskey, which increased nearly 20 percent in volume in the 52 weeks ending Jan. 26 in IRI-tracked channels, compared with the prior-year period. Jameson is a brand of Irish Distillers, which is a subsidiary of Paris-based Pernod Ricard.