2019 – another phenomenal year for Scottish Gin

Here we are at the end of another year (is it just us, or was it a very quick one?). 2019 will be memorable for many reasons, but for us, it been all about keeping you up to date with the new distilleries and gins popping up in Scotland and making sure our A-Z of Scottish Gin and Distillery Map of Scotland are as up to date as they can be.

But it’s no mean feat, keeping up with the seemingly endless list of new Scottish Gin brands appearing on the market. There are many brand new gins and some are gins that were previously made elsewhere but are now distilled in Scotland. And that’s not even mentioning the numerous new expressions of Scottish Gins being released!

100+ Scottish distilleries

So far in 2019, we’ve recorded almost 40 new gin brands and an incredible 25 new distilleries that have opened their doors this year. Tyree Gin, Isle of Barra Gin and Whitetail Gin are now all distilling on their island homes, and some other well-known gin brands opened their doors, fulfilling their distillery dreams this year.

When we started recording distillery and gin brand numbers in 2016, we could never have imagined the number of distilleries would have more than trebled and the actual number of Scottish Gins would more than quadruple in just 3 years. As we approach a new decade, there are more than 100 distilleries producing gin here in Scotland.

What does 2020 hold?

None of us has a crystal ball, and while there is always the threat that the gin bubble will suddenly burst it’s unlikely that this is going to happen any time soon. What is clear, from speaking to industry professionals, is that gin producers will have to continue to evolve and innovate new ways to grab the public’s attention if they are to grow and survive.

It’s a very exciting time for the Scottish Gin industry and the wonderful people who make up the community. As ever, The Scottish Gin Society is proud to be supporting and promoting it and watching with eager excitement to see what the future brings!

Being at the heart of the Scottish Gin community in Scotland, we know how collaborative and innovative the industry is, but with so many new names coming on board, how much longer can the industry sustain this rate of growth? And what is the effect on the Scottish Gin category as a whole? 

There has long been debate about these issues, but contrary to many predictions, the industry continues to flourish with many brands are looking at new ways to grow their distribution in this crowded market.

Every step of the way

The Scottish Gin Society will be continuing to monitor all the new releases and we’ll keep on bringing you news of exciting new Scottish Gins for you to try.

The Scottish Gin Society Founder, Stephen White says:

“The Scottish Gin Society Team have continued to log the growth in the Scottish Gin sector this year. At the end of 2018 I predicted that 2019 would be just as busy as last year – I wasn’t wrong! But what will 2020 bring? It’s impossible to say but as ever, we expect it to be an exciting ride!”

So, here’s a measure of how busy 2019 has been, below are some of the Scottish Gins we have added to our records (in no particular order). As always, we work hard to verify where each of the gins is distilled, speak to the producers and get a bit of the background story.

The Scottish Gin Society is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to promote and celebrate the Scottish Gin category and bring an entertaining and accurate picture of the market to gin lovers around the world. We hope our online A-Z gives you some great inspiration for your next Scottish Gin & mixer.