50 MARKET WATCH | MARKETWATCHMAG.COM | JUNE 2019
soda,” says Eau Claire brand ambassador Colin Stiles. “The
tonic we came up with has about 72% less sugar than Fever-
Tree, which itself has around 70% less sugar than mass-market
tonic brands. Our tonic was designed to pair perfectly with
our Parlour Gin, and we’ve made a high-quality RTD Gin
& Tonic as well.” While the Eau Claire Gin & Tonic is not
currently available in the U.S., Stiles notes that the distillery
is in talks with retailers in the U.S. looking to label a similar
product under their own brand. Eau Claire’s Parlour Gin ($48 a
750-ml.) is a lemon-forward dry gin that features 15 different
botanicals, many of which are sourced from the distillery’s
own nearby farm.
In London, Sipsmith has also innovated extensively in the
Gin & Tonic sphere, launching flavored syrups designed specif-
ically for seasonal Gin & Tonic creations and marketing its
flagship London Dry gin as key to high-quality Gin & Tonic
iterations. Sipsmith co-founder Sam Galsworthy notes that
the entire lineup excels behind the bar. “We use our London
Dry offering to bring sophisticated moments to consumers
looking for a special Gin & Tonic, Martini, or other classic
cocktail,” he says. “Our other expressions play a supporting
role to London Dry—our Sloe gin, for example, is a premi-
um alternative expression in mixologists’ hands.” Beam
Suntory acquired a controlling stake in Sipsmith in 2016,
gaining global distribution of the brand’s portfolio, which
includes the flagship London Dry gin ($33 a 750-ml.), Sloe
gin ($40), the 57.5% abv V.J.O.P., or “Very Junipery Over
Proof” ($48), and, more recently, the limited-edition Lemon
Drizzle gin ($40).
Even at retail, the prowess of gin as a cocktail ingredient
is evident. “People are finally trying Negronis, Aviations,
and their gin-based ilk at the bar,” says Kirstyn Litchfield,
owner of The Austin Shaker in Austin, Texas. “Then, they’re
coming in at the retail level and looking to recreate those
drinks at home, and that often leads into a conversation
about all of these other gin cocktails that they can try.” The
Austin Shaker offers around 80 gin brands, with such labels
as The Botanist, Martin Miller’s, and St. George Spirits
among the top sellers.
While U.S. gin volumes remain in decline, the super-
premium-and-above tiers—led by innovative craft entrants—
are attracting attention from coast to coast. “We’re seeing
more complex and unfamiliar expressions of gin being bottled,”
Galsworthy says. “New sub-categories of gin are being formed
all the time with the advent of flavored variants. This is ulti-
mately driven by consumer curiosity for this ever-changing
category, and their willingness to experiment.” mwTOP TEN GIN BRANDS’ SHARE
OF THE U.S. MARKET—2008 vs. 201810.8 million 9-liter cases = 100%Seagram’s
28.1%Tanqueray
13.2%New Amsterdam
3.9%
Gilbey’s 4.4%Barton
3.2%Other Brands
20.9%Beefeater 5.1%
Gordon’s 7.7%Bombay 7.8%9.2 million 9-liter cases = 100%2008
2018
Source: IMPACT DATABANK ©2019Burnett’s
3.0%Fleischmann’s
2.7Seagram’s
20.2%Tanqueray
14.9%
Hendrick’s
4.7%
Beefeater 4.8%Barton
3.6%Other Brands
21.3%Gordon’s 5.3%
New Amsterdam 7.2%Bombay 12.2%Gilbey’s
3.2%Burnett’s
2.6%GIN CONSUMPTION
IN THE U.S.—1970-2018
(millions of 9-liter case depletions)Calendar Years
Source: IMPACT DATABANK ©2019- 5
10.012.515.017.520.0’
’15 ’18’
’70 ’75 ’80 ’85 ’90 ’95 ’00 ’05 ’10