The WSTA’s (Wine and Spirit Trade Association) Market Report was published yesterday and guess what spirit got top billing… yep, gin. In 2017, over 51m bottles of gin were sold - that’s an increase of 27%, 9.5m bottles and £104m - and the biggest news, this means that customers bought the equivalent of a bottle for every adult in the UK last year. 16 million of these were sold in the 12 weeks leading up to December 31st - that £413m worth of gin imbibed over the festive season - you thirsty bunch.
This boom in gin sales can be laid at the door at the volume of distilleries and gin brands in the UK - there are now 315 distilleries in the UK which is more than double the number that were operating in 2013 - plus the number of gin brands is now well over 100, doubling the number since 2011.
Last year was also a record-breaking year for British gin exports, which broke the £500m barrier to hit £530m in value sales.
So with the Ginaissance slowing no signs of showing - what’s your new favourite? We’re enjoying Gin Sul (delicious German gin made with Portuguese lemons), Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz (try it with Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon), Gunpowder Gin (in honour of St Patrick’s Day!) and the gin that never gets old, Portobello Road Gin.