According to the China Chamber of Commerce for Importers and Exporters of Food, Indigenous and Livestock Products (CFNA), sales of imported spirits reached 58.68m litres in the first half of this year, up 10.5 per cent year-on-year, with sales of $1.15bn, up 34 per cent year-on-year.

Customs data also showed that the value of imported spirits rose nearly 29 percent in July from a year earlier, and nearly 35 percent in August.

Brandy and whisky reported the most growth among spirits in the first half of the year, with imported brandy up 16 per cent in volume and more than 31 per cent in value. At the same time, the volume of whisky imports increased by almost 8% and the value of imports increased by more than 18%.

Marta Zhang, senior research analyst at Mintel, said: "The renewed enthusiasm for social gatherings is expected to drive a surge in indoor alcohol consumption that will revitalise the sector."

According to the report "China's Alcoholic Beverage Consumption Habits 2023" released by Mintel, the outdoor alcoholic beverage market is expected to reach 700 billion yuan ($95.95 billion) in value by 2027, with a total growth rate of nearly 11% over five years. In addition, the value of imported spirits products is expected to rebound this year, driven by surging demand for whisky.