At LaBarba Permit Service, we always enjoy seeing the most recent data for which spirits are most popular at bars, restaurants and liquor stores and distributors across the United States. Currently the most recent data we have available comes from a survey performed by YouGov between November 2017 and April 2018. The survey received 20 million responses about a wide variety of personal preferences, which included people’s favorite spirits and spirits brands.

Many people know about the craft brewing boom that’s been happening across the United States. Less publicized but just as influential in the liquor industry is the craft distilling and liquor boom, which has led to a resurgence in the popularity of hard alcohol. The industry reached record sales in 2017—a total of $26.2 billion, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. It was the eighth year in a row liquor gained market share against beer—spirits now account for about 36.6 percent of total alcohol sales.

If you’re in the process of securing a liquor license in Dallas, TX, keep the following brands in mind—these are the brands that ended up in the top five most popular spirits for 2018:

• Crown Royal: This Canadian whiskey brand is most popular among Generation X and Baby Boomers. It saw big gains in 2017 and 2018, as a brand-new marketing campaign also helped boost the flavored whiskey selection it had on the market. Overall sales for Crown Royal increased in part due to the surges of Crown Royal Regal Apple and Crown Royal Deluxe, as well as a strong showing in late 2017 by Crown Royal Vanilla.
• Bailey’s: Bailey’s made the list as one of the most popular liqueurs in the world, bolstered by the release of new flavor varieties, including a strawberries and cream edition that saw significant success in the United States. It also released a dairy-free, gluten-free variant, Bailey’s Almande, to allow it to achieve certified “vegan” status, meeting the growing demands from diet-conscious consumers. Bailey’s has been a fixture in the industry for years, and its popularity holds steady.
• Smirnoff: Smirnoff remains one of the best-selling vodkas in the world, thanks to its massive advertising campaigns featuring celebrity influencers and its ubiquity in local bars and restaurants. While vodka lovers would probably take many other brands over Smirnoff in terms of quality, its reliability and consistency (plus its retail affordability) have continued to make it one of the most popular spirit brands available on the market.
• Bacardi: Bacardi remains the world’s best-selling rum brand and is the second-most popular spirit in the United States. Much like Smirnoff, it is reliable and ever-present, while also affordable for people in retail locations. Also, like Smirnoff, it is one of the most frequently-used spirits in its category in bars and restaurants across the nation.
• Jack Daniel’s: Jack Daniel’s was the most popular spirits brand in the United States for 2018. It is a good quality, accessible whiskey that is consistent and reliable, and has the benefit of being a true “all-American” brand, unlike the other entries on this list. The brand has also been at the forefront of experimenting with new flavors while keeping its classic Tennessee Whiskey recipe available for whiskey fans across the country.

For more information, contact the consultants at LaBarba Permit Service to discuss liquor licenses in Dallas, TX.