According the “Top 100 Distilled Spirit Brands Worldwide” rankings published in the recent issue of the well-known liquor magazine Impact, the sales volume of Jinro soju has topped the list for five years in a row with 6.5 million boxes (9 liters per one box), up 4 percent from last year. If recalculated to 360-㎖ bottles, the number of bottles sold stands at 1.625 billion bottles, which means that each one of some 35 million adults over 19 years of age drank 46 bottles last year. However, this ranking is based on sales volume, not on sales earnings.

The Russian vodka Stolichnaya was ranked second with 55 million boxes, followed by another vodka Moskovskaya with 31.2 million boxes. The Philippines' San Miguel and Brazilian Pirassununga 51 were ranked fourth and fifth with 29.7 million boxes and 22 million boxes, respectively. Among the scotch whisky brands, Diageo's Johnnie Walker Red was placed 20th in the overall ranking with 7.8 million boxes.

Impact said that Jinro had maintained the top spot and even managed to put more space between it and the next closest contender, adding that the company continues to grow despite the recent take-over.

(englishnews@chosun.com )