Spotlight on Scottish gin inside the Scottish Parliament

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 04 November, 2016

Scotland's contribution to the UK's gin boom took centre stage at a meeting of MSPs and producers inside the Scottish Parliament, where it was recognised for being one of - if not the - biggest gin exporters in the world.

Scotland's contribution to the UK's gin boom took centre stage at a meeting of MSPs and producers inside the Scottish Parliament last night, where it was recognised for being one of - if not the - biggest gin exporters in the world.

The event, organised and hosted by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) to bring together Members of Scottish Parliament and Scottish gin producers, took a closer look at the industry, which currently produces two-thirds of all gin made in the UK.

According to the WSTA, the gin boom shows no signs of stalling, with the spirit seeing double-digit growth year after year in the UK on- and off-trade.

Earlier this year, this uplift led to combined sales breaking the £1 billion industry mark six months ahead of forecasts.

It's been estimated that over half of the world's gin exports come from Scotland, which would make it the world's biggest exporter of gin.

Twelve new distilleries opened in the country last year - a quarter of all new distilleries opened up across the UK - according to HMRC.

The Scotland Gin Trail was launched earlier this year by the WSTA to showcase some of Scotland's top gin distillers.

This increase in sales over the past few years has bolstered the Treasury's coffers, with gin paying £450 million in duty and VAT annually (WSTA data).

Current growth rates mean these contributions will hit over 1/2 £bn in 2017.

Internationally, three out of every four bottles of gin imported round the world is from the UK, illustrating a demand for British gin across the globe.

In terms of value, British gin makes up 66% of all gin exports around the world, accounting for £422m out of the £641m total value.

Also at the event, the WSTA Award for Excellence was presented to Hendrick's master distiller, Lesley Gracie, for her contribution to Scotland's gin industry and for the role she played in the creation of Hendrick's gin.

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