US Control State Spirits Sales: Whisky Drives October Declines

New data from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) shows another difficult month for US control state spirits sales, as October brought sharp drops across several major whisky categories. The Spirits Business reports that Canadian whisky, Scotch, and rum recorded some of the steepest declines, pulling overall spirits performance down in both volume and value.

US Control State Spirits Sales: Overall Performance Weakens

NABCA tracks monthly results across 18 control states, where government agencies manage alcohol sales and distribution. According to the association, October spirits volumes fell by 0.8%, and values declined by 2.1% compared to the previous year. These numbers follow a modest 0.7% volume increase in September, though value still slipped by 0.9%.

Looking at a 12-month rolling window through October 2025, US control state spirits sales dropped by 1.1% in volume and 2.2% in value, signaling sustained pressure across the category.

Whisky Categories Drag Down US Control State Spirits Sales

Major categories struggled to keep pace. Vodka decreased by 1.7%, while rum dropped by a sharper 6.1%. Scotch whisky fell by 5.4%, and Canadian whisky faced the largest decline at 12%. The Spirits Business emphasized how these declines concentrated the drag on October’s overall results.

American whiskey—the second-largest segment after vodka—slid by 0.9% in both volume and value. Over the past 12 months, it declined by 3% in volume and 1.8% in value, reinforcing the broader slowdown.

Bright Spots: Tequila and RTD Cocktails Gain Momentum

Despite widespread declines, two categories helped lift US control state spirits sales in pockets. Irish whiskey gained 1.8% in volume, though its value slipped slightly by 0.7%.

Tequila continued a strong multi-month trend, growing 2.2% in volume in October, even as value dipped by 1.4%. Over the past year, tequila stood out as the only major category besides cocktails to expand—up 3.4% in volume and 2.2% in value.

The biggest surge came from the “cocktails” category, which includes ready-to-drink (RTD) products. October volumes soared by 19.5%, with value up 24.2%. Year-to-date gains nearly matched that pace, rising 24.9% in volume and 24.2% in value.

State-by-State Breakdown of US Control State Spirits Sales

Results varied widely across the 18 markets. Pennsylvania—the largest control state by volume—grew 1% in volume and 0.5% in value. Year-to-date, it posted a 2.5% volume increase, one of the strongest performances in the group.

Other states with notable October growth included:

• Utah: +15%
• New Hampshire: +13.5%
• North Carolina: +4.7%
• Alabama: +4.7%
• Montgomery County, MD: +12.4%

Meanwhile, West Virginia posted the largest October decline, falling 10.3%. Additional major drops came from:

• Michigan: –8.9%
• Mississippi: –4.7%
• Ohio: –3.1%
• Iowa: –6.2%
• Idaho: –1.8%

On-Premise US Control State Spirits Sales Remain Uneven

On-premise channels across 14 control states delivered a mixed result in October. Volumes rose by 0.6%, but values slipped by 1.6%. Over the 12-month period ending October 2025, on-premise volumes decreased by 0.8%, and values dropped by 2.5%, revealing continued pressure in bars and restaurants.

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Source of Information

The Spirits Business Article — Whisky hinders spirits sales in control states, written by Nicola Carruthers

The image of the article is courtesy of © MD via Canva.com