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68 CATEGORY FOCUS Gin
Let the fun begin! Growing by a phenomenal 184% between 2014 and 2020, Irish gin is a premium-plus product for which consumers have rightly developed high expectations. Don’t risk disappointing these discerning shoppers by failing to stock an interesting selection of the flavourful, botanical infusions available, writes Gillian Hamill
T
he Irish Gin Strategy 2022-2026 from Drinks Ireland|Spirits has set ambitious goals to grow exports in key markets and develop a vibrant domestic Irish gin market. Irish gin sales experienced a number of years of very fast growth, where sales soared. In fact, the category grew by 184% between 2014-2020, with at least 37 distilleries on the island now producing Irish gin. Due to restrictions on the on-trade sector, gin – as with all alcoholic drinks – was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic but has recovered as the on-trade reopened, and global travel retail continues to recover. Ireland is currently the dominant market for Irish gin, but the strategy puts a heavy focus on driving export growth - earmarking the UK, USA, Germany and Canada as the key targets in the coming years.
Hendrick’s Gin combines no less than 11 botanicals, using two distinctly different stills
ShelfLife June 2022 | www.shelflife.ie
As Drinks Ireland|Spirits points out, Irish gin is a premium-plus product which has been established as a world-leader in terms of quality and authenticity. This has and will be key to positioning the category internationally, “The Irish gin sector has grown extremely quickly in recent years, driven by innovative and ambitious producers and brand owners, dedicated to creating quality and authentic products,” says David Boyd-Armstrong, chairman of the Drinks Ireland|Spirits’ Irish gin working group, and joint founder and head distiller of Rademon Estate Distillery, which creates Shortcross Gin. “Our strategy will enable the industry to take advantage of the opportunities in the domestic and international market and face the various challenges ahead,” BoydArmstrong continues. “A key part of our
strategy centres on protecting the Irish gin category, and we will be working to seek the introduction of rules covering the marketing and labelling of Irish gin in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to ensure consumers know what they are buying.” “Irish gin has been a true national success story in recent years,” adds Vincent McGovern, director of Drinks Ireland|Spirits. “Our members employ dozens of people across both urban and rural Ireland producing this much-loved spirit and exporting to markets across the globe. Following a number of years of very fast growth, and in the context of the ever-changing national and international conditions, there was the need for a fresh strategy for the sector, to ensure it can recover from Covid-19, and continue to grow in the years ahead.”
No ordinary gin brand
Palace, situated in Garvin, South Ayrshire, Scotland, under the direct supervision of award-winning master distiller, Ms. Lesley Gracie. While other brands create spectacles, Hendrick’s Gin says it creates journeys, rewarding its audience’s thirst to venture into
The unusual and alluring taste of Hendrick’s Gin is created by what the brand describes as the divine symphony of no less than 11 botanicals, using two distinctly different stills and further infused with rose and cucumber, resulting in an impeccably smooth and wonderfully refreshing gin, with a delightfully floral aroma. The two leaders of this peculiar ensemble of stills are the Bennett, an antique copper pot dating back to 1860, and the Carter-Head, hailing from 1948 (of which only a few exist today). The Hendrick’s family of stills has flourished and now stands at a proud six, comprising four Bennett style stills and two Carter-Head stills. The Bennett stills steep the botanicals in spirit overnight before distillation, resulting in a rich and complex liquid. The Carter-Head gently steams the botanicals in a basket atop its lofty neck, yielding a lighter, more delicate spirit. Each batch of Hendrick’s Gin is crafted just 500 lovely litres at a time in the Hendrick’s Gin
Hendrick’s Cucumber Lemonade ● ● ● ● ●
1 part Hendrick’s Gin 1 /2 part Lemon Juice 1 /2 part Simple Syrup Top with Soda Water 3 rounds of Cucumber and 1 wheel of Lemon to Garnish
the unexpected and unusual. Reward your curiosity this summer and sip the unusually refreshing Hendrick’s Cucumber Lemonade. For further information, visit www.hendricksgin.com. Hendrick’s Gin is distributed by Richmond Marketing Limited in Ireland.
