MANY a dram will have been sipped over the weekend as Burns Night was celebrated worldwide. But while whisky may be Scotland’s favourite tipple, it is that most-English of drinks – gin – that is hot on its heels north of the Border.
Two-thirds of the UK’s gin is produced in Scotland; gin exports were worth nearly £400 million between January and October 2016, and total gin sales broke the £1billion mark last year.
So what was the catalyst? Well, it appears we have the HMRC to thank for the boost in craft distillers in Scotland. HMRC changed stance on still sizes, and was prepared to consider granting licences to distil spirits on stills smaller than 18 hectolitres. This, says Simon Fairclough, was the game-changer for budding craft distillers.
Scotland is a now a driving force in the gin industry, according to Fairclough, who is managing director of Glenshee Craft Distillers in Perthshire. He hails the forming of the Scottish Craft Distillers Association in 2014 as the launch pad for wannabe distillers, helping them grow the industry. Since then, more than 20 craft distilleries have opened and there are more than 100 different expressions made in Scotland.
There is even a Scottish tourist gin trail, created by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, to showcase a selection of gin distilleries and bars.
Fairclough also founded Gin Club Scotland in 2014, with a mission to bring artisanal gin to the masses. It was the world’s first touring gin club – running tasting sessions the length and breadth of the country – and beyond – featuring 100 or more different gins, ranging from locally made, small-batch craft gins to imported brands.
“The future of gin in Scotland is bright. The number of craft distillers is rising in tandem with consumer interest in the category. Like whisky buffs, gin-lovers are promiscuous – building collections to represent different flavour profiles, provenance and brand stories. So, from a demand perspective, there’s every likelihood that domestic sales of gin will continue their upward trajectory,” says Fairclough.
Liam Hughes (above), chief of Glasgow Distillery Company which makes Makar gins, said: “Scotland obviously has a track record of producing high-quality spirits, so it is no surprise that as the interest in gin has risen, some of the best gins on the market have come from Scotland. Allied to that, we have an in-depth talent pool coming out of Heriot-Watt University, which has established itself as the premier distilling university globally.”
With more than 30 gin producers in Scotland and more due to open does the Scottish gin market face saturation? Hughes doesn’t believe so. “The future is very bright for high-quality products with provenance,” he adds. “Consumers want a connection with what they are drinking. Inevitably there will be winners and losers over time and possibly some takeovers or mergers, but the market has a long way to go just yet.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here