Imported Gin’s $25 And Over Tier A Bright Spot For The Category

While the overall gin market in the U.S. continues to decline, upscale gin imports posted another healthy gain last year, according to Impact Databank. For many years, the success of the $25 and over segment was driven largely by Hendrick’s from William Grant & Sons, which has long stood out for its flavor profile and novel approach to limited releases. But recently the high end has garnered traction by targeting younger demographics with an emphasis on boutique brands and innovative barrel finishes.

Hendrick’s remains the clear market leader in the segment by a healthy margin, despite slowing to a 1% increase to just under 600,000 cases in the U.S. last year. That came after tacking on nearly 150,000 cases from 2020-2022. Moreover, the brand registered a double-digit gain worldwide in 2023, with impressive performances in Italy, Spain, and global travel retail, according to Impact Databank. This month, Hendrick’s introduced Grand Cabaret, a new limited release from master distiller Lesley Gracie’s Cabinet of Curiosities series. The purple-hued gin is characterized by stone fruit flavors and retails at $40 a 750-ml.

Second-ranked Empress 1908 from Milestone Brands is projected to nearly double this year, due primarily to the success of its Elderflower expression ($40 a 750-ml.), after surging 45% last year to 133,000 cases. Empress 1908 is also a key player in Canada, where it moved an additional 50,000 cases last year. Austin, Texas-based Milestone, also known for Dulce Vida Tequila, acquired Empress in its deal for Canada’s Victoria Distillers in 2022.

The Botanist from Rémy Cointreau followed up another solid year in 2023 by launching a new line of barrel-aged gins last month—Islay Cask Rested and Islay Cask Aged. Both are bottled at 46% abv and carry a suggested price of $50 a bottle. Fourth-ranked Citadelle from Maison Ferrand has more than doubled its volume in the past five years, according to Impact Databank, while Beam Suntory’s Roku brand from Japan is the U.S. market’s largest-selling gin from the eastern hemisphere.

Beyond the top five, growth in the upscale imported gin sector was also registered last year by Palm Bay’s Drumshanbo (60,000 cases) and Brown-Forman’s Fords (56,000 cases). Foley Family also recently entered the category with Lighthouse, a new gin label from New Zealand retailing at $50 a bottle. With $25 and over brands carrying the lion’s share, imports accounted for more than half of the overall gin category in the U.S. for the first time ever in 2023, according to Impact Databank.

Tagged : Brown-Forman, Drumshanbo, Empress 1908, Foley Family, Fords, Hendrick's, lighthouse, milestone brand, Palm Bay, Remy Cointreau, The Botanist, William Grant & Sons

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