As all gin connoisseurs know, different gins are identifiable by their unique botanical profiles. For instance, Edinburgh Gin has oodles of Scottish softness thanks to wonderful native botanicals including heather and milk thistle. And this is all offset with some zesty additions to highlight gin’s characteristic citrus notes!
Botanicals are a substance obtained from a plant and used typically in medicinal or cosmetics and gin.
Gin parties, gin menus, ginvent calendars and even a Ginstitute hotel: the UK’s renewed passion for all things gin is fast creating a whole new industry.
There are 315 distilleries in Britain – more than double the number operating five years ago. According to figures collected by HM Revenue & Customs, which hands out licences to produce spirits, nearly 50 opened last year, while just a handful shut up shop.
Demand for interesting gins, made by small scale craft and artisan producers has driven a near-20% rise in the total amount of the juniper-flavoured spirit sold.
A total of 47m bottles worth £1.2bn were served up last year – enough, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), for 1.32bn gin and tonics.
Waitrose’s spirits buyer, John Vine, said local and regional sales were driving the trend, rather than the international brands. Sales of artisan brands at the grocer are up 167%, compared with a 30% rise in mass-produced brands.
“The rise in craft gin is certainly shows no sign of slowing,” Vine said. “To meet demand, this week, we have introduced three new local and regional craft gins.”
This popularity has been brilliantly captured by award winning Impossimal artist Peter Smith with his new artwork due to be released this spring "Let The Party Be Gin" you can pre order now by contacting the gallery. Also as well as Let The Part Be Gin we will have his three other titles Minted, Whisky Business and for Four Fox Sake in the gallery soon, email gallery@artmarket.co.uk or call on 01482 876003.
This popularity has been brilliantly captured by award winning Impossimal artist Peter Smith with his new artwork due to be released this spring "Let The Party Be Gin" you can pre order now by contacting the gallery. Also as well as Let The Part Be Gin we will have his three other titles Minted, Whisky Business and for Four Fox Sake in the gallery soon, email gallery@artmarket.co.uk or call on 01482 876003.
