WSTA launches London's first gin-focused tourist tour

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 11 November, 2015

Gin has made it onto the London tourist map, thanks to a new tour launched by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association this week.

The London Gin Trail takes in twelve locations across the capital.

From Sipsmith and the City of London Distillery to Duke's Hotel and the American Bar at the Savoy, the itinerary includes some of the city's most iconic gin-related destinations.

Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, said: "We are thrilled to be announcing the launch of the WSTA London Gin Trail.

"This is a hugely exciting time for everyone involved in the UK gin industry and our gin trail is the start of a fascinating venture to share the origins, art and innovations involved in producing this Great British spirit.

"British gin has a strong, vibrant history. By publishing the gin trail map we hope to mark its renaissance and ensure its future as a quintessentially British, internationally recognised spirit."

Welcoming the announcement, Elizabeth Truss, secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, said: "This new trail captures the traditional roots of British gin making, with historic distilleries like Beefeater, and the architects of our gin revival, like Sipsmith, who are creating exciting new twists on a classic.

"Now tourists from all over the world can come to the UK and experience the very best of the British gin industry.

"This is a particularly exciting time for the gin industry with the UK being the biggest exporter of gin in the world, selling enough globally to make over 1.6 billion gin and tonics.

"I want to harness the ambition of our 'gin-trepreneurs', helping them to grow the UK's reputation for quality gin both here and abroad."

WSTA London Gin Trail 2015

The other destinations on the tour are: Hush, Graphic Bar, Berry Bros & Rudd, the Houses of Parliament Shop, Beefeater Gin, 214 Bermondsey, Happiness Forgets, and the the East London Liquor Company.

The WSTA London Gin Trail is the first tour of its kind dedicated to gin.

The Scottish Whisky Association reports that 1.5 million tourists visited whisky-related attractions in Scotland last year, spending a total of £50 million.

Distilleries or bars wanting to become future London Gin Tour destinations should contact the WSTA on info@wsta.co.uk.

Gin exports have risen by 37% in the past five years, with sales to 139 countries, worth a total of £1.76 billion.

Exports in 2014 hit £394 million, up from £288.4 million in 2010. The UK now exports some 140 million bottles of gin each year.

Truss hopes that the gin trade can grow to match whisky, exports of which hit £4 billion in 2014.

The duty on UK spirits is the fourth highest in the EU. UK consumers pay £7.74 of duty per litre, compared to £2.05 in Germany.

Despite this, 73 new distilleries opened in the UK between 2010 and 2014, 56 of them in the last two years. There are now 73 UK gin brands, up from 31 in 2010.

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