Scotch connoisseurs in New Brunswick may need to find a new drink of choice to wash away the following bad news.

Johnnie Walker, Bell's Extra Special and J&B Rare, along with eight single malt scotches, are being pulled off of New Brunswick liquor store shelves as the distributor is looking to take the products elsewhere.

Dana Clendenning, president and chief executive officer of NB Liquor, said most Canadian provinces will soon be out of these brands of scotch as Diageo, the world's largest spirit supplier, is redirecting its products to more profitable markets in China, Russia and India.

"They advised us that due to limited supply they are reallocating their scotches to other markets that are more profitable to them, including Asian markets and India. This isn't the situation unique to NB Liquor, they are doing it to most, if not all liquor jurisdictions in Canada," Clendenning said.

NB Liquor's spirits sales grew by 3.5 per cent last year to roughly $90 million. So Clendenning said it isn't as if New Brunswickers aren't drinking enough scotch, but the supplier is just trying to capitalize on more lucrative countries.

"There are more profitable markets in the world," he said. "I'm told there is a worldwide shortage of scotch that may be driving up these prices."

A price of a bottle of some of the blended scotches starts at $23 and the single-malt scotches went up to $80.

The single malt bottles that are on their way out of New Brunswick include Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, Talisker, Cragganmore, Oban, Lagavulin, Brora and Clynelish.

Clendenning said the corporation is now replacing the missing bottles with additional brands of Ballantines, Teachers, Famous Grouse, Chivas, Grant's and new lines from Famous Grouse Black, Famous Grouse 30 and Dewar White Label.

Scotch enthusiasts who favoured some of the discontinued brands may be upset, but NB Liquor said the new bottles should help satisfy the average drinker.

However, for those who are partial to one of the brands that will soon be heading overseas, Clendenning said there are about 5,000 bottles still on the shelves across the province and people can find out where those bottles are by checking the corporation's website.

"We don't expect to run out until after Christmas," he said. "The other scotches that are coming in to fill the void will come in January and February."

Clendenning said he expects some people will go out early and stock up. However, he said some others may choose to head to New Brunswick's Spirit Festival in Fredericton on Nov. 20 and 21 to test out some other products that are remaining in the province.