Tequila and vodka top Virginia spirits sales
The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) has revealed its top-selling spirits of 2025, with Tito’s maintaining its leadership position.
The government-run Virginia ABC controls the sale and distribution of all spirits across the state.
For the eighth year in a row, Texan brand Tito’s Handmade Vodka was the best-selling product in Virginia ABC stores last year, with sales totalling US$75 million.
However, sales of the vodka declined by US$236,017 when compared with 2024, with slower sales for most bottle sizes.
Taking the second spot was LVMH-owned Hennessy VS Cognac, with US$32.2m in sales.
It was followed by Brown-Forman’s flagship Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey at US$27.4m, Suntory-owned Jim Beam Bourbon (US$22m) and Bacardi’s Patrón Silver Tequila (US$20.3m).
Rounding out the top 10 products were: Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson Irish whiskey (US$20m), Suntory’s Maker’s Mark Bourbon (US$19m), Heaven Hill-owned Lunazul Blanco Tequila (US$18m), Bacardi’s Grey Goose Vodka (US$17.6m) and Brown-Forman’s Woodford Reserve Bourbon (US$17.3m).
Hennessy VS saw the largest overall year-on-year decline of US$6m, followed by Patrón Silver at US$5.4m.
Tequilas represented six of the top 10 fastest-growing brands. Diageo-owned Don Julio Tequila Reposado, which added US$10 million compared with the prior year, led sales growth at Virginia ABC.
Dwayne Johnson’s Teremana Tequila Reposado followed, expanding from US$9.2m to US$14m.
Meanwhile, Diageo-owned Crown Royal saw sales of its blackberry-flavoured Canadian whisky grow by US$4.4m.
Virginia ABC noted that vodka was once again the leading category with 1.6m cases sold. Tequila was second with 1.1m cases, followed by straight Bourbon whiskey at 800,181 cases, cordials at 526,040 cases and rum at 403,326 cases.
Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails grew their volume by 9.5% last year.
Virginia ABC highlighted growth in new products such as Sazerac-owned BuzzBallz RTD cocktails, which sold US$2.4m last year.
The state was also a launch market for Sazerac’s Fireball Blazin’ Apple Whisky, which sold US$1.2m.
Virginia ABC said it had also increased its supply of ‘sought-after’ whiskeys, with sales of Sazerac’s Buffalo Trace growing by US$1.4m last year.
In addition, the newly released Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked Bourbon hit more than US$500,000 in sales.
Virginia ABC stores also offer nearly 400 spirits distilled in the state. Sazerac-owned Bowman Brothers Virginia Straight Bourbon captured US$2.4m in sales, followed by John J Bowman Virginia Straight Bourbon at US$1.8m, Cirrus Vodka at US$1.7m, Isaac Bowman Port Finish Whiskey at US$787,546 and Waterman Spirits Perfect Crush at US$606,377.
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