Overall imports of alcoholic beverages totaled US$89.5 billion during 2014, up 26.9% since 2010. The following countries consumed 98.2% of the value of all liquor shipments for 2014.
American Importers
United States imported $18 billion worth of liquor representing 20.1% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $4.7 billion
2. Malt beer: $4.3 billion
3. Whiskies: $2 billion
4. Vodka: $1.6 billion
5. Miscellaneous liquor: $1.1 billion
6. Distilled grape liquor: $1 billion
7. Sparkling grape wines: $925.4 million
8. Liqueurs: $910.7 million
9. Ethanol (undenatured): $651.3 million
10. Gin: $328.8 million
UK Importers
United Kingdom imported $7.5 billion worth of liquor representing 8.4% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $4 billion
2. Sparkling grape wines: $994.1 million
3. Malt beer: $683.9 million
4. Whiskies: $325.2 million
5. Ethanol (undenatured): $277.9 million
6. Liqueurs: $248.6 million
7. Fermented drinks (cider): $230.7 million
8. Vodka: $196.4 million
9. Distilled grape liquor: $165.6 million
10. Ethanol (denatured): $107.7 million
German Importers
Germany imported $6.7 billion worth of liquor representing 7.5% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $2.9 billion
2. Malt beer: $622.1 million
3. Ethanol (undenatured): $597.6 million
4. Whiskies: $504.6 million
5. Sparkling grape wines: $490.5 million
6. Rum: $339.5 million
7. Liqueurs: $319.6 million
8. Miscellaneous liquor: $241.4 million
9. Ethanol (denatured): $216 million
10. Distilled grape liquor: $194.4 million
Canadian Importers
Canada imported $4.2 billion worth of liquor representing 4.7% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $1.8 billion
2. Ethanol (denatured): $814 million
3. Malt beer: $597.8 million
4. Whiskies: $185.2 million
5. Liqueurs: $165.5 million
6. Sparkling grape wines: $126.9 million
7. Vodka: $121.6 million
8. Miscellaneous liquor: $107.4 million
9. Fermented drinks (cider): $90.4 million
10. Rum: $84.5 million
French Importers
France imported $3.2 billion worth of liquor representing 3.6% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Whiskies: $947.1 million
2. Grape wines (not sparkling): $748.3 million
3. Malt beer: $687.2 million
4. Ethanol (undenatured): $152.5 million
5. Vodka: $146.3 million
6. Distilled grape liquor: $127.9 million
7. Liqueurs: $91.9 million
8. Sparkling grape wines: $74.6 million
9. Miscellaneous liquor: $58.8 million
10. Rum: $52.9 million
Japanese Importers
Japan imported $3.1 billion worth of liquor representing 3.4% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $1.1 billion
2. Sparkling grape wines: $468.2 million
3. Ethanol (undenatured): $462.4 million
4. Whiskies: $270.7 million
5. Fermented drinks (cider): $232.8 million
6. Liqueurs: $164.4 million
7. Malt beer: $64.5 million
8. Distilled grape liquor: $61 million
9. Grape must (unfermented): $33.9 million
10. Vodka: $17.8 million
Chinese Importers
China imported $2.9 billion worth of liquor representing 3.2% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $1.4 billion
2. Distilled grape liquor: $691.2 million
3. Malt beer: $404.1 million
4. Whiskies: $107.4 million
5. Sparkling grape wines: $82.6 million
6. Miscellaneous liquor: $68.4 million
7. Liqueurs: $20 million
8. Ethanol (denatured): $19.3 million
9. Fermented drinks (cider): $16.5 million
10. Vodka: $13.5 million
Here are the most valuable liquor imports for 2014, listed in descending order by dollar value. Also shown is the increase in value for each alcoholic beverage category since 2010.
Data source: Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis
Top Alcoholic Beverage Importers
Most Valuable Liquor Imports 2014
Research Note: Import numbers rarely match the source exporters’ stats. Reasons for import-export statistical discrepancies include re-exports, time lags, misallocations, distinct trade reporting systems, different quantity measurements and country confidentiality rules. Also, transportation and insurance costs are sometimes added to import totals.
Dutch Importers
Netherlands imported $2.8 billion worth of liquor representing 3.1% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $1.1 billion
2. Ethanol (undenatured): $460.3 million
3. Whiskies: $326.4 million
4. Malt beer: $318.9 million
5. Sparkling grape wines: $104.9 million
6. Liqueurs: $90.5 million
7. Rum: $87.3 million
8. Miscellaneous liquor: $77 million
9. Distilled grape liquor: $63.6 million
10. Vodka: $54.7 million
Russian Importers
Russia imported $2.7 billion worth of liquor representing 3% of global purchases led by
the following items:
1. Grape wines (not sparkling): $917 million
2. Whiskies: $469.2 million
3. Distilled grape liquor: $393.5 million
4. Sparkling grape wines: $202.3 million
5. Malt beer: $198.2 million
6. Miscellaneous liquor: $113.3 million
7. Vodka: $96.6 million
8. Vermouth, other flavored wines: $81.6 million
9. Fermented drinks (cider): $78.3 million
10. Liqueurs: $67 million
Singaporean Importers
Singapore imported $2.5 billion worth of liquor representing 2.7% of global purchases led by the following items:
1. Distilled grape liquor: $838.6 million
2. Whiskies: $564.1 million
3. Sparkling grape wines: $359.4 million
4. Grape wines (not sparkling): $269.5 million
5. Malt beer: $178.5 million
6. Ethanol (undenatured): $68.7 million
7. Miscellaneous liquor: $53.6 million
8. Liqueurs: $47.1 million
9. Vodka: $35.1 million
10. Gin: $14 million
