Ahmedabad residents will have to pay more alcohol on new year's eve

Bacchus lovers in the Ahmedabad beware! This new year, if you wish to keep up those ‘high spirits’, be prepared to pay more — and pay through your nose.

Bootleggers in the city do not wish to miss as big an opportunity as this, and they have already upped the prices of most brands of liquor available in the city.

While the highest demand among IMFL brands is undoubtedly for Director’s Special, Royal Stag and Green Label, the prices of almost all brands have seen a 50% to 100% increase in the city.

Whiskey is the favoured beverage of most of the city’s liquor lovers, while beer too finds many takers. It is only natural then, that the prices of the latter have skyrocketed.

“Beer, which used to cost Rs100 per unit till some days ago, now costs Rs150 to Rs200. These prices will remain as they are, over the next two days,” a bootlegger told DNA.

The bootlegger added that the price of a bottle of Director’s Special/Green Label has gone from Rs300 to Rs450 for these two days, while that of Royal Stag has gone from Rs400 to Rs550.

The price of a bottle of Signature, another of Amdavadis’ favourite whiskey brands, has increased from Rs700 to Rs1,000. “This one is the most expensive among the medium-range brands. The prices of premium range brands have also almost doubled,” the bootlegger said.

Sources said that bootleggers in the city had already stocked up on liquor, several days before the party season began.

“The demand usually picks up pace around Christmas, and peaks on December 31 every year,” the bootlegger said. Sources also said that special delivery people have been deployed for this period, to cater to the increased demand.