(Yicai Global) Jan. 31 -- A limited edition Year of the Dog liquor made by leading Chinese baijiu maker Kweichow Moutai Co. sold out in seconds online as consumers flocked to purchase the widely sought after alcohol.

The limited run went available simultaneously on Tmall, run by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., JD.com, run by JD.Com Inc., and Kweichow Moutai's own e-commerce platform at a price of CNY1,699 (USD268), state-backed China Securities Journal reported. Sales were limited to one per person and the firm did not reveal how many bottles were made available.

Market insiders pegged the value of the 2018 limited edition baijiu at CNY150,000 three years ago, but the company has sought to curb market speculation and the forecasts fell dramatically to just CNY4,000 in 2016. Moutai reluctantly raised the price of its flagship product from CNY1,299 to CNY1,499 last year as production declined and demand soared.

On Tmall, the product's monthly sales leapt from zero to more than 2,000 and were quickly marked as sold out. Kweichow Moutai will sell several batches a day via its own online store until Feb. 5, and its offline shops will also have some for sale.

The Chinese New Year holiday begins on Feb. 15 this year, with New Year's Day falling on Feb. 16. It is the year of the dog under the Chinese zodiac system.