FROM THE JOURNAL - DISCOVER GIN
THE GIN FRONTIER
The story of gin is still being written.
From established distilling nations to emerging craft producers, discover how this remarkable spirit is finding new homes, new botanicals and new stories across the globe.
Not so long ago, if you asked someone where gin came from, the answer would almost certainly have been "England."
Today, that's only part of the story.
While the UK remains the spiritual home of modern gin, the last two decades have seen an extraordinary shift.
Gin is no longer defined by one country or one style. Distillers around the world are taking a spirit with centuries of history and making it unmistakably their own.
The result is one of the most exciting chapters in gin's story.
A Changing Landscape
For many years, the UK led the global craft gin boom. Hundreds of new distilleries appeared, supermarket shelves filled with colourful bottles, and flavoured gins introduced a whole new audience to the category.
More recently, the UK market has begun to mature. Some distilleries have closed, others have consolidated, and consumers have become more selective. Rather than chasing the next novelty, many are returning to quality, authenticity and provenance.
In many ways, that's a sign of a healthy market. Gin isn't disappearing – it's growing up.
A World of New Flavours
While the UK finds its feet again, other countries are only just beginning their gin journey.
Australia has embraced native botanicals such as lemon myrtle and finger lime. South Africa has introduced the world to the extraordinary flavours of fynbos.
Japan has woven ingredients such as yuzu, sansho pepper and sakura into elegant, refined spirits. India is rediscovering the botanicals that once travelled the spice routes to flavour London's earliest gins.
Elsewhere, new distilleries are appearing in places that would barely have featured on the gin map a decade ago. Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and China are all developing their own distinctive styles, inspired by local landscapes, traditions and ingredients.
Rather than copying London Dry, they're creating something that couldn't come from anywhere else. From my point of view, this is the most exciting thing about gin.
The World's Biggest Gin Drinkers
When people think of gin, Britain usually steals the headlines. But the world's biggest gin market is actually the Philippines, where gin has long been part of everyday life.
Millions of cases are sold every year, driven largely by local brands that have become woven into the country's culture. It serves as a reminder that gin's story is far bigger than Europe alone.
From Local Spirit to Global Passport
One of the greatest changes in modern gin has been the celebration of place.
Today's distillers aren't simply asking, "What botanicals should we use?"
They're asking, "What grows here?"
Seaweed from rugged coastlines. Alpine herbs from mountain meadows. Rainforest spices. Desert citrus. Native berries. Wild flowers. Ancient tea leaves.
Every region has something unique to contribute, and that's exactly what makes exploring gin so rewarding.
The Gin Frontier
Perhaps the most exciting part of gin's story is that it isn't finished.
There are still countries where craft gin is only just beginning to emerge.
New distilleries are opening every year, local botanicals are waiting to be discovered, and fresh ideas continue to challenge what gin can be.
Who knows where the next great gin will come from?
A tiny island.
A mountain village.
A city you've never visited.
Or a country that has never distilled gin before.
That's the beauty of the gin frontier.
The map is still being drawn.