China's extravagant drinking habit: By the numbers
Well-heeled Chinese consumers are acquiring a taste for pricey whiskies and wines. And in a country where a PBR costs $44, the numbers quickly add up...

The Chinese bourgeoisie, growing rich from the country's property and banking industries, is developing expensive tastes — and not just for sports cars and designer bags. Thanks to a new craze for high-end alcoholic drinks, the Chinese rising class is spending thousands of dollars on imported beer, whisky, and wine. Here's a data-focused look at the booze boom:
$2,720
Price of a bottle of 62 Gun Salute, a Scotch whisky brand launched in China last month by Royal Salute Whisky (18,000 CNY)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
24 carat
Quality of gold on the crest, collar, and crown of the 62 Gun Salute bottle
$80 million
Amount China spent on Scotch whisky in 2009
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
20 percent
Share of the global Scotch whisky market accounted for by Chinese consumers
$160 million
Projected amount China will spend on Scotch whisky in 2014
22 percent
Annual growth in Chinese Scotch whisky consumption since 1990
$152
Average price of a bottle of imported wine in a Shanghai wine bar (1,000 CNY)
97 percent
Growth in the volume of Bordeaux wine exported to China in 2009, making it the biggest market for Bordeaux wines outside the European Union
13.7 million
Liters of Bordeaux wine Chinese drinkers bought in 2009
1.3 billion
Liters of Bordeaux wine Chinese drinkers are projected to buy in 2013
60 percent
Increase in the price of a bottle of Lafite Rothschild 1982 in the past year, driven by Chinese demand for the vintage Bordeaux
$1,000
Current asking price in China for a low-end bottle of vintage Lafite Rothschild
8
The Chinese number that Lafite Rothschild has incorporated into the design of its vintage 2008 bottles' labels. The vintner hopes the character, considered auspicious by Chinese consumers, will help boost sales yet further.
$44
Cost, in China, of a bottle of "Blue Ribbon 1844" beer, known in North America as Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR)
$1.50
Approximate cost, in North America, of a "tall boy" 24 oz. can of Pabst Blue Ribbon
$30 billion
The value of China's beer market, the biggest in the world by volume
$0.30
Approximate cost, in China, of a can of domestic Chinese beer (2 CNY)
Sources: Reuters (2), China Daily, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Asia News, New Yorker, Daily Market
-
The Chelsea Townhouse: London luxury feels right at home
The Week Recommends This boutique hotel strikes the right note between sophisticated and cosy
-
What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles
-
Floral afternoon teas to enjoy during the Chelsea Flower Show
The Week Recommends These are the prettiest spots in the city to savour a traditional treat
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical