Last month, Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation (TTL) committed to purchasing a shipment of 20,400 bottles of Lithuanian rum that Chinese customs authorities rejected.
In mid-January, TTL announced that it would make 6,000 bottles available for purchase starting February 1, the first day of the Lunar New Year. However, TTL says due to popular demand it increased its initial offering to 9,000 bottles.
A local convenience store chain allowed consumers to preorder the rum in late-January, however the preorder quota quickly sold out within minutes of becoming available.
A remaining 1,200 bottles of the rum were distributed to TTL’s various distilleries around Taiwan and went on sale on Tuesday. All 1,200 bottles were sold out within the first hour of the distilleries’ opening. The rum attracted long lines at TTL’s various distilleries, and each visitor was only allowed to purchase one bottle.
TTL says that the remaining 10,000 or so bottles will be shipped and available for purchase after the Lunar New Year holiday.