Liquor, which once lost ground to beer, soju and wine, is recently gaining popularity as people are enjoying drinking at home amid the pandemic, according to industry sources Sunday.

E-mart said liquor sales increased 23 percent year-on-year after analyzing alcoholic beverages sold between March and May this year. Sales, in particular, rose 36.4 percent and 36.5 percent in April and May, respectively.

Lotte Mart also saw its spirits sales grow 30.8 percent from May 1 to June 17 on-year.

By type, sales of whiskey, which is the basis of liquor, increased 30.7 percent, E-mart said. Sales of vodka, mojito, Jagermeister and Bacardi, which are mixed with cocktails, also increased by nearly 40 percent.

With the popularity of liquor, sales of glasses for on-the-rocks, or with ice, and cocktail-only tumblers jumped 36.9 percent and 80.0 percent, respectively.

High-end spirits sold better at supermarkets as customers rarely visited duty-free shops in the wake of coronavirus.

E-mart said sales of high-end spirits such as Johnnie Walker Blue, Valentine’s 21 and Royal Salute rose 20 to 60 percent. It was unusual as such drinks are usually sold at duty-free shops, department stores and liquor stores. 

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)