Over 70 million bottles of gin were sold in the UK to year end 2018

Over 70 million bottles of gin were sold in the UK to year end 2018, up some 10 million bottles on the year before! The Gin category grew by 42% last year after five consecutive years of double-digit growth and is the fastest growing category in the alcohol sector in the UK.

Demand and sell through shows no sign of slowing with several new gins appearing weekly in the UK and there is a definite trend towards new flavour innovation, wether that be a specific ingredient or taste layer, it can be fruity, woody, herbal or spicey or combinations of all.

This is the first time that gin drinkers have been able to experience really interesting new tastes in the gin category, a category that producers claim offers far more interesting and sophisticated flavours which in turn lend themselves to a host of new cocktails and venues in which to drink the cocktails too.

For several decades we have seen a steep decline in public houses with several shutting daily at one point. Today new gin venues are appearing weekly with a focus on offering a wide variety of new gins and new mixers and equally exotic garnishes, everything from saffron to samphire, it really is a taste revolution.

There is something new created in every region too, each gin offering a unique interpretation of something local, traditional or an ingredient or taste.

We spoke to Welsh gin producer Snowdonia Spirit Co who believe that the humble gin and tonic cocktail, as a simple mix of a juniper based spirit and a citrus based mixer, is a refreshing and equally great tasting alcoholic beverage…  “ What is exciting for the gin drinker today is the vast choice of taste variations offered and they are loving it, it really wasn’t on offer five years ago “

The UK spirits industry really hasn’t experienced such a boom before and while gin certainly having its moment, there is measurable interest in other spirits too with sales of whisky and rum growing positively too.