Lance Winters , master distiller of St . George Spirits , which recently released an aged gin .

Colorful gins such as the bluehued Empress star in popular layered cocktails .

“ Anyone who ’ s a whiskey , bourbon or rye drinker will be a fan of aged gin ,” says Lecours . “ We have an aged gin in our portfolio ; it ’ s been around for a while , and it was kind of a sleeper option , but we are seeing a resurgence in it now . Is 2023 the year of the aged gin ? I can ’ t say for sure , but it could certainly go that way .”

Flavored and infused gins have also both shown promise in consumer trends . “ The flavored gin acceptance in the U . K . is certainly around ,” says Shaw . “ I really haven ’ t the same level of success in the U . S . What I have seen is innovation in flavor is not dominant like in vodka — with an orange vodka , you taste orange .

In gin , if orange is used as part of the botanicals , then it ’ s more the essence of orange that makes up the complexity .” Pink gin is also quite popular , Shaw notes . “ Gin Lane , one of our brands , makes a pink gin that ’ s a classic dry gin with Angostura bitters . It ’ s been very popular with bartenders and mixologists .”

One of the latest trends right now is the indigo gins , he adds . “ You ’ re seeing more of that in the market with the violet hues . Really , I think the innovation in flavored gin is all about the subtleties of different botanicals .”

Empress Gin tries to stay ahead of the curve in offering products that people want , and marketing strategies that resonate . “ We are seeing a lot of new flavors coming out ,” says Lecours . “ People are playing with things that aren ’ t typically known to go in gin . For example , we have a floral gin coming out this year . It ’ s all about pushing the envelope .”

A little color doesn ’ t hurt either . “ We have that iconic indigo hue that lends itself really well to cocktails and layering cocktails ,” he notes . “ From that , we ’ ve had a lot of success on social media that ’ s happened organically .

A new audience emerging is Gen Z , Lecours adds , “ and they ’ re a very decisive consumer group . They search out the experience and the story behind what they ’ re consuming , and that ’ s who marketing and brands will be catering to .”

REDISCOVERING THE CLASSIC Shaw notes that these innovations may have come as demographic changes started to solidify . “ These lighter gins are really geared towards a younger demographic and geared towards a non-gin-drinking demographic . I think a lot of it will interest

vodka drinkers as something beyond an alternative to vodka . They ’ re looking for a complex flavor profile in a clear spirit .”

Meanwhile , Brook of Brookies Gin is confident that the wave of newcomers will eventually find their way to the classic styles of gin .

“ So many of these newer innovations bring people to the category , which is great . They pull people in , and we say , ‘ Well , while you ’ re here , why don ’ t you try what a great classic gin is .’ With more people coming into the gin category , I think it ’ s going to be a really good thing in the end .”

The world of gin is evolving , he notes . “ With how much it ’ s changed today , we ’ re always asking what that new innovation will look like . It ’ s going to be exciting to see what comes next .”

www . cheersonline . com Summer 2023 • 35