(Radio Iowa) – Alcohol sales have been up during the pandemic and this holiday season is typically a busy time for the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division as people go to holiday parties or buy alcohol as gifts. I-A-B-D spokesman, Jake Holmes, says tastes haven’t changed much.  “Iowans seem to be pretty consistent with the types of alcohol they like. There’s been some movement with different brands — but American vodka, Canadian whiskies, and spiced rum continue to be the top three categories,” he says.

Black Velvet Canadian whiskey was the top seller in the last fiscal year. “It’s held that top spot for a number of years. Tito’s Vodka was number two and Captain Morgan was number three. And then the number one Iowa-made product was Blue Ox vodka,” according to Holmes.

Sales increased eight-percent in the fiscal year that ended in June. Holmes says it hasn’t let up since then. “So far sales are trending even high than they were. They are up a little over 14 percent at this point,” Holmes says. Iowa and the rest of the country have seen alcohol sales increase during the pandemic.