Woo Woo!
Ohioans spend record amount on hard liquor in 2008
Posted by Michael Sangiacomo/Plain Dealer Reporter January 15, 2009 17:09PM
Ohioans spent over $700 million on liquor in 2008.The top-selling liquor brands in Ohio in 2008 (in gallons)
COLUMBUS - Despite a tough economy, Ohioans ran up a quite a tab for hard liquor last year.
The sale of "spirituous liquor" -- having an alcohol content of at least 21 percent -- reached a record level of $719.2 million in 2008, the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control announced today.
That broke the old record, set in 2007, by $32.6 million.
But the record sales numbers don't mean Ohioans are hitting the bottle more. They're drinking better, more expensive liquor, officials said.
"Ohio has seen a steady increase in liquor dollar sales for several years, mostly due to increases in product prices, a continuation of the trend of consumers buying more premium-priced products, and a rise in the level of consumption," said Director of Commerce Kimberly Zurz.
Four of the top 10 brands most imbibed by Ohioans were types of vodka, with the Kamchatka brand being the runaway best seller. Jack Daniels Whiskey was second. Bacardi Superior Light Rum, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Jagermeister rounded out the top five.
In terms of volume, Ohioans bought 10.5 million gallons of liquor last year -- an increase of 270,153 gallons over 2007 -- but far less than the record amount of 13.5 million gallons in 1982.
That 10.5 million gallons of liquor sold last year equates to 1.344 billion shots of booze.
The sales resulted in a record net profit for the Liquor Control department of $213 million, which they poured back into the state budget.
The top-selling liquor brands in Ohio in 2008 (in gallons)
Kamchatka Vodka: 380,465
Jack Daniels Whiskey: 359,873
Bacardi Superior Light Rum: 328,920
Captain Morgan Spiced Rum: 285,763
Jagermeister: 284,488
Smirnoff Vodka: 277,937
Crown Royal Whiskey: 275,027
Absolut Vodka: 267,159
Black Velvet Whiskey: 250,070
Korski Vodka: 227,403
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Kamchatka Vodka is #1 in Ohio? Yikes!
Look at Black Velvet at #9! Wooo!
Johnnie Walker's my fave though.