Page 48 - Thirst Magazine Issue No. 3 Coffee & Tea

WHO ARE THE WORLD’S BIGGEST GIN CONSUMERS?

BRITAIN? THE U.S.? NOPE - THE PHILIPPINES!

change the profile of how the juniper comes such wonderful synergy with the cocktail
through in the gin. By moving away from the movement because the level of diversity in the
traditional juniper-forward tasting notes that gin market gives bartenders so many different
had negative connotations for many younger flavor profiles to play with. This in turn leads
drinkers, and with their stylish blue bottle, to many ways to twist drinks with their own
Bombay Sapphire became the flag bearer for palate and style by playing with the gin and
more diversity in modern gins. the garnish. Certainly it is no coincidence
Following the success of Bombay Sapphire, that the re-emergence of both the cocktail
other major players entered this area of the and gin movements have risen in parallel in
market with Tanqueray 10 and Hendricks recent years, with each helping the other to
having significant global success for Diageo introduce a new generation to their craft.
and William Grant & Sons respectively. So from this sprouts the dominant and
By moving away from the juniper forward resurgent gin market of today, and all of the
approach that typified gin through its dark incredible and wonderful gin brands that we
ages of the 70’s and 80’s, the success of these find from around the globe. I’m often asked
products clearly influenced a new wave of gin about my favorite gin brands and whilst
distillers and rectifiers into producing more I would definitely name Portobello Road
creative and imaginative botanical blends than Gin amongst them (okay, there was always
had previously been the case (Tanqueray 10 going to be at least one British gin in there!)
is the only gin to have been inducted into the others would definitely include West Winds
San Francisco Spirit Competition Hall of Fame (Australia), Glendalough (Ireland), Citadelle
whilst The Wall Street Journal has declared (France), Gin Mare (Spain), Deaths Door
Hendricks the world’s finest gin). (USA) and Napue (Finland) - none of which
Many of these new producers fall into immediately spring to mind as ‘traditional’
the ‘craft’ and ‘artisanal’ areas of the market, gin producing places.
producing small batches of wonderfully As an intriguing end to our journey
diverse gins, using unique botanicals not in gin, there is one market that has been
previously seen in gin distillation. Whilst we a cornerstone of the industry for years,
have already discussed how many of the herbs also proving the truly global nature of the
and spices come from around the globe even popularity of gin. Who are the world’s biggest
in traditional gins, with more modern gins it gin consumers? Britain? The US? Nope - the
is interesting to see products with localised Philippines! Somewhere in the region of 22
flavor profiles making waves internationally. million cases of gin are consumed each year in
Ki No Bi in Japan uses largely botanicals only the Philippines (a staggering 41% of GLOBAL
found growing around their Kyoto distillery, consumption!!), most of which are the local
with the notable inclusion of bamboo leaf. brand, Ginebra San Miguel. San Miguel have
Calamity Gin from Texas gets incredibly been producing gin in the Philippines since
fresh floral notes from that most ubiquitous the 1830’s, and with the brand able to spend
of Texan flowers the Blue Bonnet, and at roughly 80% of the wholesale price per bottle
the Glendalough Distillery in Ireland, fresh on advertising, coupled with the fact that a
foraged botanicals such as wood sorrell and litre of gin will cost you the same as a litre of
sea woodruff lend a fresh meadow taste to beer in Manila, we have an idea of why this
their wonderful gin. popularity has been sustained!
Crucially, these craft producers really engage So when considering our journey today,
with a new generation of connoisseur-ist what do I think about the modern global
consumers, for whom the quality of their drink, influence on the gin market? I would certainly
and an opportunity to learn about it are integral. answer that as indicated from the tale above,
The current boom in the cocktail market not only is it going from strength to strength,
has also helped greatly. For me, gin has but rather it was ever thus.

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