The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) recently released its 2018-2019 annual fiscal year report detailing Fine Wine & Good Spirits wine and liquor sales in Pennsylvania.
It revealed that Lebanon County residents are purchasing less wine and liquor—at least from Fine Wine & Good Spirits locations run by the PLCB.
This past fiscal year, Fine Wine & Good Spirits sales in Lebanon dropped .52 percent, from $14.16 million to $14.09 million.
One potential reason for this decrease is the increase in non-PLCB stores selling wine, as well as the continued proliferation of beer sales at convenience stores across the state.
Across the state, sales increased by .97 percent, from $2.43 billion to $2.5 billion. Total sales include some non-alcoholic items, so alcohol sales are slightly lower.
Lebanon’s decrease in sales, combined with Franklin County’s increase, caused it to drop from 27th to 28th in Pennsylvania counties with the greatest sales.
For reference, Lebanon is the 25th most populated Pennsylvania County with a 2018 population of 141,314, according to the Census Bureau. This puts annual sales at close to $100 per person, on average.
However, on a statewide level, individual consumers only make up 75 percent of spirits sales, and 74 percent of wine sales. The remainder are sold directly to licensees.
The report also listed the distribution of alcohol sales in each county. In Lebanon, the top product was whiskey, with sales totaling $3.2 million.
Lebanon was one of 62 counties with whiskey as its top product. Airplane-sized Fireball Whiskey was the best-seller statewide.
Here’s Lebanon’s spending breakdown, ordered from highest to lowest.
| Product | Sales |
| Whiskey | $3,206,576 |
| Vodka | $2,216,478 |
| Red Table Wine | $1,466,252 |
| Rum | $1,382,187 |
| White Table Wine | $1,268,076 |
| Liqueur/Cordials | $997,974 |
| Box Wine | $889,784 |
| Brandy/Cognac | $568,643 |
| Tequila | $376,990 |
| Sparkling | $339,759 |
| Rosé/Blush | $319,312 |
| Gin | $295,662 |
| Beverage Wine | $240,180 |
