NEDS' favourite Buckfast is Britain's best-selling aperitif - after boozers downed ?31million worth of the potent tonic wine last year.
The notorious brew surged ahead of a string of posh tipples, including Martini and Croft sherry, as sales soared by 40 per cent.
Last night Buckie bosses claimed the super-strong booze - slammed for alleged links to anti-social behaviour - is now being sipped by more sophisticated drinkers. And they revealed negative stories about the fortified wine are helping boost sales across the country.
Jim Wilson, of distributors J Chandler, said: "Distribution is building wider and wider and, strangely enough if there's a lot of adverse publicity it sends the product into areas we didn't expect it to. There's a lot of trial."
Recent figures revealed Buckfast was mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in Strathclyde from 2006-2009 - an average of three every day.
And last night critics of the drink claimed the leap in sales would lead to even more anti-social behaviour across Scotland. Jackie Baillie, Labour's health spokeswoman, said: "I find it astonishing that sales have risen so much. Figures from Strathclyde Police have shown the link between Buckfast and crime.
"Research has shown the profile of the a Buckfast drinker is a young male from the west of Scotland. I would be interested to see proof of any change in this."
Labour's justice spokesman Richard Baker added: "Obviously not everyone who drinks Buckfast causes anti-social behaviour. But it would be inappropriate for J Chandler to trumpet sales while refusing to take this link seriously."
Buckfast sales last year outstripped Harveys Bristol Cream sherry at ?26million and Martini at ?24million. Croft Original sherry was fourth in the list with off sales of ?17million, and Buckfast also beat posh ports including Cockburn's and Taylors.
An Off Licence News spokesman said: "It's a remarkable achievement for a brand with no advertising budget and one which, perhaps, demonstrates that there's no such thing as bad publicity."
The notorious brew surged ahead of a string of posh tipples, including Martini and Croft sherry, as sales soared by 40 per cent.
Last night Buckie bosses claimed the super-strong booze - slammed for alleged links to anti-social behaviour - is now being sipped by more sophisticated drinkers. And they revealed negative stories about the fortified wine are helping boost sales across the country.
Jim Wilson, of distributors J Chandler, said: "Distribution is building wider and wider and, strangely enough if there's a lot of adverse publicity it sends the product into areas we didn't expect it to. There's a lot of trial."
Recent figures revealed Buckfast was mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in Strathclyde from 2006-2009 - an average of three every day.
And last night critics of the drink claimed the leap in sales would lead to even more anti-social behaviour across Scotland. Jackie Baillie, Labour's health spokeswoman, said: "I find it astonishing that sales have risen so much. Figures from Strathclyde Police have shown the link between Buckfast and crime.
"Research has shown the profile of the a Buckfast drinker is a young male from the west of Scotland. I would be interested to see proof of any change in this."
Labour's justice spokesman Richard Baker added: "Obviously not everyone who drinks Buckfast causes anti-social behaviour. But it would be inappropriate for J Chandler to trumpet sales while refusing to take this link seriously."
Buckfast sales last year outstripped Harveys Bristol Cream sherry at ?26million and Martini at ?24million. Croft Original sherry was fourth in the list with off sales of ?17million, and Buckfast also beat posh ports including Cockburn's and Taylors.
An Off Licence News spokesman said: "It's a remarkable achievement for a brand with no advertising budget and one which, perhaps, demonstrates that there's no such thing as bad publicity."
