For Bombay Sapphire, 2016 was a gem of a year.The Bacardi USA brand’s shipments soared 21% last year to nearly 1 million cases, according to Impact Databank. Tom Swift, Bombay Sapphire’s vice president, brand managing director, says Sapphire is well-positioned for further progress as upscale labels continue to take share in the gin category.

“Premium gin is in growth mode, and Bombay Sapphire has been responsible for much of that momentum,” says Swift. “We’re still seeing growth and interest in gin cocktails spreading across the country. There’s an ongoing shift from lower-priced domestic brands to imported, premium and craft gin brands.”

Overall, Bombay Sapphire ($27 a 750-ml.) has posted only one year of decline since 2009. And since then, it has expanded by about 50%. The total gin category in the U.S. market has declined by nearly 1 million cases in that period, with mid-range and budget brands largely responsible for the slide. The original Bombay gin also trended upward last year, with shipments rising 6.2% to 195,000 cases.

Swift says Bacardi will continue to leverage Sapphire’s super-premium credentials and its following among mixologists as it looks to extend the upswing. For the past 11 years, the company has courted the mixology community with its “World’s Most Imaginative Bartender” competition, among other on-premise initiatives.