The country’s whiskey imports surpassed 30-thousand tons for the first time to hit an all-time high last year.

According to data by the Korea Customs Service on Tuesday, imports of whiskey products came to 30-thousand-586 tons in 2023, up 13-point-one percent from a year earlier.

Inbound shipments of whiskey dropped from 20-thousand tons in 2019 to around 16-thousand tons in 2021 before soaring to 27-thousand tons in 2022 and surpassing 30-thousand tons last year for the first time.

The surge is attributed to the rising popularity of whiskey-based cocktails among young consumers.

However, the combined value of imported whiskeys decreased two-point-seven percent on-year to 259-point-six million dollars on increased shipments of cheaper labels.

Meanwhile, the volume of imported wine slipped a record 20-point-four percent on-year to 56-thousand-542 tons last year, decreasing for the second consecutive year.