Tequila sales are soaring in America

Business Insider

By Kate Taylor

May 5, 2016

Americans are drinking more tequila than ever before.

Tequila sales doubled in the US in the last 10 years, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, reports Bloomberg.

While in 2005, Americans were spending just less than $1.2 billion a year on tequila, in 2015 the figure had skyrocketed to $2.3 billion.

This isn’t a simply a matter of people paying more. There is simply more tequila being consumed in the US than just a few years prior, with Americans drinking twice as much tequila by volume in 2015, compared to 2002.

So why are Americans suddenly drinking so much tequila?

The rise of cocktail culture in the US has helped make the liquor trendy, with bars mixing up everything from classy takes on the margarita to wild original concoctions. As a result, super-premium tequila increased its volume by an explosive 651% in 13 years.

Meanwhile, sales of value tequila also continue to grow, as the liquor maintains its status as a go-to for shots and less classy takes on mixed drinks.

“By offering both well-aged High End and Super Premium products, as well as affordable Value brands, tequila is accessible to all Americans,” writes the Distilled Spirits Council of the US in a report.

In other words, when it comes to tequila, consumers across the US can all drink to that.