If you’re headed to a holiday party this month, chances are good that either Tito’s Handmade Vodka or Fireball Cinnamon Whisky will be on the bar.
Unflavored vodka remained Pennsylvanians’ drink of choice during the 2020-21 fiscal year, bringing in $307.6 million and topping the sales list in 53 of the state’s 67 counties, followed by American whiskey (13 counties) and Canadian whiskey in nearby Greene County.
And among vodkas, Tito’s is the king — with its 750-milliliter, 1-liter and 1.75-liter sizes taking three of the top five spots for liquor sales. Mini bottles of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, however, took the No. 1 spot.
That is according to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s annual report, which was released Wednesday.
Stephanie Price of Murrysville was shopping Wednesday evening at Fine Wine & Good Spirits store in Plum, and her purchase aligned with the PLCB’s list of customer favorites: vodka.
“I picked up a bottle of Ketel One,” she said.
Last fiscal year, the PLCB set a record for net income, bringing in nearly $209 million.
This fiscal year, they beat that mark by more than $60 million, outpacing not only pandemic sales but those from the good ol’ pre-pandemic days as well.
“That was a little more unexpected,” said PLCB spokesman Shawn Kelly. “We knew that sales were going back up after the brief store shutdown, but that was more surprising.”
Alcohol sales in 2020-21 totaled $2.67 billion, nearly $239 million more than 2019-20.
E-commerce took the biggest hit across sales categories, which is little surprise considering most Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores reopened July 1, 2020.
“We saw a transition back to brick-and-mortar sales,” Kelly said. “But the e-commerce numbers were still up over what they’d been in (pre-pandemic) years.”
The month with the biggest sales spike is traditionally December, and it was no exception in 2020, at $319 million. However, the biggest single sales day was March 16, 2020, as customers anticipating the statewide closure of liquor stores spent $29 million.
And once again, Allegheny County accounted for the most sales volume per county at $347.6 million, 14.4% of statewide sales. Westmoreland County ranked ninth with nearly $72 million in sales.
Among wine drinkers, 26 counties — including Westmoreland, Allegheny and Butler — preferred California cabernet sauvignon, with box red wine (19) and beverage wine (14) not far behind.
Pennsylvanians also are spending more on tequila, with sales of premium varieties in the $40 to $60 range rising more than 80% in 2020-21. Overall, tequila sales rose by about 52% over the past year.
“It’s interesting to take a look at trends like the increase in ‘premiumization,’ as well as the (91.3%) increase in the ready-to-drink sales category” Kelly said. “It gives you a snapshot of where the industry is heading as a whole.”
Click here for the full report.
