Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Covid-19 lockdowns spur shift to high-end liquor

Covid-19 lockdowns spur shift to high-end liquor

U.S. sales of spirits such as tequila and whiskey have grown at the fastest pace in decades as more Americans drink at home

Americans are splashing out on pricier whiskey, tequila and other spirits during the pandemic, helping distillers post their strongest sales in four decades despite widespread bar closures.

People who can’t spend on concerts, travel and watching live sports are splurging instead on high-end spirits to drink at home, say alcohol executives. That drove U.S. distillers’ revenue up 7.7% to $31.2 billion last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council—or DISCUS—a trade body. It said the figures marked the fastest growth and highest sales for at least 40 years.

“Consumers’ behavior has shifted as a result, in part, of certain things they’re unable to do or not do to the same degree,” said Kathryn Mikells, finance chief of Johnnie Walker maker Diageo PLC. “They’re spending more money on food and beverage. They’re interested in treating themselves.”

Spirits costing above $40 per 750 milliliters accounted for 40% of the U.S. spirits industry’s growth last year, compared with 34% in 2019, according to DISCUS. High-end liquors are among the most profitable spirits for alcohol makers.

The trend toward premium products is reflected across the wider consumer-goods industry as many Americans use their disposable income differently. Pricier household cleaners, candles, spaghetti and paper towels have sold strongly, according to research firm IRI. Procter & Gamble Co. recently said its quarterly sales were helped by pricey dish detergent and a $300 electric toothbrush. Retailers like Neiman Marcus Group Inc., Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s Inc. have flagged a similar jump in spending on things like high-end handbags and jewelry.

Liquor giant Diageo on Thursday reported a big jump in U.S. spirit sales for the second half of 2020, driven by higher-end booze. Its tequila brands Don Julio and George Clooney -founded Casamigos—both of which sell for about $50 a 750 milliliter bottle—grew North America sales by 55% and 137%, respectively.

Tequila has benefited from the shift to at-home drinking as Americans increasingly drink the spirit in more ways, including on the rocks, with soda and in cocktails beyond margaritas, Ms. Mikells said.

Unlike in Europe and other parts of the world, Americans have long drunk more at home. Even before the pandemic, four out of every five alcoholic drinks in the U.S. were bought in liquor stores, supermarkets and other “off premise” channels, rather than in bars and restaurants. That trend has accelerated.

“Things that were really firing before Covid have picked up really strongly, and tequila has benefited from that,” Ms. Mikells said.

Spirits volumes in nine-liter cases—a standard industry measure—climbed 5.3% last year, up from growth of 3.3% in 2019, according to DISCUS. Total beverage alcohol sales by volume grew 3%, indicating Americans bought more booze overall last year.

American whiskey sales rose 8.2%, cognac grew 21% and tequila and mezcal combined jumped 17%, according to the DISCUS figures, which reflect overall industry numbers.

Sales of ready-to-drink cocktails surged 39%, which executives said was driven by at-home entertaining, new product launches and a desire for convenience.

However, a continuing dispute with Europe that has seen the U.S. slap a 25% tariff on imports of single malt scotch took the shine off the spirit, with revenue dropping 2.1%.

Through the pandemic, the spirits industry accelerated its previous share gains over beer and wine. While sales of sparkling wines have done well, still wine—a popular buy at restaurants—has declined, industry tracker IWSR said. Beer also has suffered partly because of a shortage of aluminum cans, an interruption to brewing in Mexico and out-of-stock issues in addition to the closure of bars, it added.

“The gap has gotten wider in spirits’ favor,” Lawson Whiting, chief executive of Jack Daniels owner Brown-Forman Corp. , said in December.

Like Diageo, Brown-Forman said it has seen pricier products under its Woodford Reserve and Old Forester bourbon brands grow strongly.

“This has been unlike any other recession that we’ve experienced,” Mr. Whiting said. “In the U.S., ultra- and superpremium spirits are gaining share at faster rates than in the pre-Covid time periods.”

Consumers stuck at home are also buoying e-commerce alcohol sales. Online alcohol retailer Drizly in January said its annual sales grew 350% from a year earlier.

Diageo, which lists a larger percentage of pricey brands online than in stores, is marketing its spirits online as indulgent treats and gifts. The company has invested in direct-to-consumer sales through its sites for Haig Club and Malts.com and said it has also increased the availability and visibility of its brands for sale online.

Distillers have benefited from law changes in many states allowing restaurants and bars to, for the first time, offer cocktails for home delivery or click-and-collect. Ohio and Iowa last year both moved to make their cocktails-to-go measures permanent. DISCUS, which has joined forces with restaurant trade associations, is lobbying for others to do the same.

“We believe if some of these are made permanent, they can really be part of the economic recovery to help restaurants, bars, taverns and craft distilleries,” said DISCUS CEO Chris Swonger.

Whether the pricey booze trend outlasts the pandemic remains to be seen. As venues reopen, executives expect people to socialize less at home and shift their disposable income. The large volume of spirits currently sitting in pantries could dampen sales in the months to come.

Still, Pernod Ricard SA’s North America head Ann Mukherjee says the Chivas Regal whiskey owner is betting that interest in making high-end cocktails or sipping a fine cognac at the end of a night will stick.

“Consumer palates have opened up, and many have figured out how to make cocktails at home,” she said, pointing to recent strong demand for Pernod’s coffee liqueur, Kahlua, as a cocktail ingredient. “The bar for bars has become a lot higher.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×