Most Popular Liquor in Every State

By: Nora Khoury-Potrus


We all have our own personal preferences when it comes to choosing our liquor of choice. Those trends can sometimes catch hold across entire states –– which is why we put together this guide on the Most Popular Liquor in Every State.

Highlights

  • 18 out of 50 States in the U.S. consider whiskey to be the best liquor

  • The most popular liquor in Texas is Tequila

  • The most popular liquor in Wisconsin is Brandy

  • 16 States consider Vodka to be the best liquor

  • 4 states each consider Cognac, Scotch, and Tequila to be the best

  • Bourbon, Gin, Rum, Brandy, Vermouth, and Absinthe were favorites of one state each

What is the most popular liquor in America?

When it comes to the entire United States the liquor that is loved the most is whiskey. 18 out of 50 states in America consider whiskey to be the best liquor, with a mixture of states favoring whiskey across the midwest, southern united states, and west coast.

 

What are the Most Popular Liquors in Each State?

Most popular liquor in every state

🥃 Whiskey (18 States)

Whiskey emerged as the top choice in 18 states, particularly prevalent in the Midwest and South.

  • Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota

  • South: Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia

  • West: Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming

 

🍸 Vodka (16 States)

Vodka was favored in 16 states, dominating the Northeast.

  • Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island

  • Other States: Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Virginia

 

🥃 Cognac (4 States)

Cognac was the most popular in:

  • Georgia

  • Louisiana

  • Maryland

  • Mississippi

 

🥃 Scotch (4 States)

Scotch led in:

  • Alaska

  • Kansas

  • Utah

  • Vermont

 

🍹 Tequila (4 States)

Tequila topped preferences in:

  • Arizona

  • California

  • New Mexico

  • Texas

 

🥃 Bourbon (1 State)

Bourbon was uniquely the favorite in:

  • Kentucky

 

🍸 Gin (1 Jurisdiction)

Gin was most popular in:

  • Washington, D.C.

 

🍹 Rum (1 State)

Rum led in:

  • Hawaii

 

🥃 Brandy (1 State)

Brandy was the top choice in:

  • Wisconsin

 

🍸 Vermouth (1 State)

Vermouth was most popular in:

  • Utah

 

🍸 Absinthe (1 State)

Absinthe topped preferences in:

  • Nevada

 

References: 

https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/most-popular-liquor-in-every-state/

https://www.foodandwine.com/most-popular-costco-alcohol-per-state-8669611

https://www.fredminnick.com/2022/08/22/study-shows-favorite-liquor-by-state/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/thrillist/the-iconic-soft-drink-of_b_5446344.html

https://www.realsimple.com/the-most-popular-cocktail-in-every-state-7510512

https://www.shaneco.com/theloupe/articles-and-news/most-popular-beer-in-every-state

https://archive.attn.com/stories/6420/most-popular-alcoholic-drinks-united-states

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/20-states-most-distilleries-us-073644715.html