The History & Rise of the Scottish Gin Market

Gin, an acclaimed spirit that has rightfully earned its place of pride as a staple in every bar. It is a popular spirit, with the range and versatility to elevate any cocktail or enjoyed with a pairing tonic. With fans stretching across borders, demographics and cultures, gin has truly risen to fame as a crowd favourite. 

Despite being renowned for its roots in whisky, Scotland has strong connections to the spirit, producing some of the most renowned bottles of gin. With its abundant soil and beautiful landscapes, Scotland’s natural biodiversity sowed the seeds for botanical spirits to thrive. Gin has carved a place for itself in the pages of Scottish history and continues its legacy to this day.

 

Gin’s Arrival Onto Scottish Shores

An early version of gin, known as Jenever, was brought to Scotland by the Dutch. Composed of juniper berries (imported to the Netherlands from Scotland, as the berries were plentiful), Jenever was brought into Scottish ports such as Leith and Dundee. By the 1700’s the Scottish gin market was steadily emerging with eight licensed distilleries in Edinburgh alone – not counting the illicit distilleries across the country, keeping up with consumer demand. Bottles of gin were in high demand and the first gin craze had Leith at its centre. With an already thriving whisky industry, Leith had established craftsmen with skills in glass bottle making and warehousing. 

The early Scottish gin market faced unprecedented difficulties with parliament passing the 1729 Gin Act, which significantly raised the tax on gin, making it unaffordable for the majority of consumers. Legal distillers were heavily penalised as a result. However, this was quickly overcome as distillers would find loopholes to produce gin and comply with the gin act. The market only grew more from this restriction, with 8 Gin Acts following through the 1700s in an attempt to keep a lid on the industry’s growing demand. 

A Modern Ginaissance

Since its roaring early beginnings, the rise of competing spirits and the increased cost of grain meant that gin took a backseat. Yet, its tale was not over as the rise of trailblazing brands in the 2000s opened up the doors once more, inviting a contemporary gin renaissance. Scottish gin brands such as Edinburgh Gin made Scotland a major player in the global gin industry. 70% of the UK’s gin is produced in Scotland, a reflection of its thriving gin scene today, with the spotlight now celebrating smaller, artisanal distilleries.

The reasons for Scotland’s dominance over the market is a combination of factors.

First of all the expertise in pot distillation brought from the whisky industry, which completes the completion in botanical flavours. The heritage of whisky in the region meant that craftsmen (such as glassmakers, and barrel coopers) were in abundance.

Secondly, the thriving botanical landscape that is present in Scotland. The diversity of botanicals means distillers can use the unique flavours found locally to create a distinct taste with a story. Juniper berries, Scottish pine, and coriander seeds are just a few staple ingredients found in the thriving, fertile landscape. Along the coast, distillers have created gins from ingredients such as sugar kelp from Scottish shores, creating a taste of home like no other.

 

Contemporary Bottles of Gin: A Flavour Revolution

The Scottish gin market today is a thriving industry, bursting with innovation, modern flavours, and contemporary distilling methods. Scotland is home to three of the biggest gin brands enjoyed by the masses but is also home to some of the most premium, artisanal gin in the industry. Scotland meets the UK’s growing demand for dynamic, new flavours and of the 48 million bottles of gin sold in 2020, 27 million were flavoured gin. 

Edinburgh Gin is a titan in the gin market, a proudly Scottish brand specialising in contemporary flavours. Carving a name for itself in the spirit sector, Edinburgh Gin draws inspiration from its home city as well as Scotland’s diverse botanical landscape. With adventurous flavours such as lemon and jasmine, watermelon and lime, Edinburgh Gin has made ripples in the Scottish gin market. 

Artisanal gin with distinctive flavours that capture the landscape is something that Isle of Barra Distillery has perfected. Paying homage to their Scottish coastal heritage, their Barra Atlantic gin is composed of a symphony of flavours, with a smooth taste from Hebridean waters. Encompassed in bespoke and decadent glass packaging, marbled to mirror the glistening seaweed found along the Scottish coast, the gin is a celebration of its home.

Rich History, Thriving Future

With a focus on innovation, flavour and craftsmanship, the future of Scottish gin looks fruitful. The industry’s commitment to producing quality gins, bold contemporary flavours, and years of expertise suggests that Scottish gin is set to continue expanding. With a strong heritage, expert craftsmen, and a distinct palette of flavours on their doorstep, Scottish gin remains unique and sought after.

 

Looking to reflect heritage, craftsmanship, and luxury through glass packaging? Contact us to discuss your next award-winning gin bottle.