Aug 29 (Reuters) - Brown-Forman ( BF/A ) missed

first-quarter profit and sales estimates on Thursday, hurt by

higher input costs and weaker demand for its pricey whiskey and

spirits.

The company's whiskey business, which includes Jack Daniel's

Tennessee Whiskey, posted a 5% fall in sales for the quarter

ended July 31 as consumers wrestling with rising costs of living

cut back spending on its higher-margin products.

Liquor makers such as Brown-Forman ( BF/A ) and Constellation Brands ( STZ )

have been struggling to boost sales for their premium

brands with consumers increasingly switching to affordable

alternatives.

Meanwhile, high expenses of raw materials such as agave, a

key ingredient for tequila, and wood barrels overshadowed the

benefits from consecutive price hikes and easing costs of supply

chain disruptions.

The company's quarterly gross margin fell 330 basis points

to 59.4%.

Brown-Forman ( BF/A ) posted a first-quarter net income of $195

million, or 41 cents per share, compared with $231 million, or

48 cents, from a year earlier.

Analysts on average expected the company to earn 46 cents,

according to LSEG data.

The company posted net sales of $951 million, missing the

Wall Street estimate of $997.2 million.

Brown-Forman ( BF/A ) maintained its forecast for fiscal year 2025,

anticipating a challenging operating environment due to

macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties.