*This article was originally released in February 2023 and updated with new data and additional material in February 2025.
During the pandemic, the gin category saw a boost of optimism, with volumes rising for the first time since 2009. More recently, the category has seen a return to the status quo with 9.6 million 9-liter cases sold in 2023, representing a 2.2% drop from 2022 totals.
However, as a favorite in overseas markets like the UK and the EU, gin presents a long runway for growth in the U.S. In fact, at its peak, the category sold 19 million cases domestically in 1979. Certain markets and current trends may present an opportunity for the category to capitalize on this room for growth.
If you’re building or thinking about launching, a gin brand in the U.S. market, we’re giving you an overview of where the category stands in the modern market.
How Big is the Gin Market in the United States?
The gin category in the U.S. is led by brands like Tanqueray, Seagram’s, Bombay Sapphire, New Amsterdam, and Hendrick’s. However, of these top-performing brands, only Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s experienced any volume growth in 2023, with their volumes increasing by 2.4% and 0.5%, respectively. Volumes of Seagram’s experienced a drop of 8.2% from 2022 to 2023. Empress 1908 led the top 50 gin brands in volume growth with a 36.6% increase from 93,000 cases to 127,000 cases sold. The states that were responsible for selling the most 9L cases of gin included:
- California – 1.1 million cases
- Florida – 716k cases
- New York – 579k cases
- Georgia – 535k cases
- Texas – 465k cases
The states and territories responsible for selling the most gin cases per capita included:
- Washington D.C. – 77k cases (149 per 1,000 adults)
- New Hampshire – 121k cases (111 per 1,000 adults)
- Delaware – 57k cases (73 per 1,000 adults)
- Louisiana – 232k cases (70 per 1,000 adults)
- Maryland – 312k cases (68 per 1,000 adults)
Gin is also already making a big impact in the European market, with the global value of the category projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% between 2024 and 2032 and reach a value of $20.4 billion by 2032. The growing popularity of gin overseas highlights the long runway for the category domestically.
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The Trends Driving Gin’s Popularity
Premiumization
Gin is another category that’s future seems to be tied to the upswing of premiumization.
In 2023, 43% of the gin category’s gross revenues came from the high-end premium ($135-$205) segment.
Premium gins have also seen some high-profile investment activity over the last few years. Among the most notable acquisitions are John Paul DeJoria’s purchase of Waterloo Gin and Brown-Forman’s purchase of Gin Mare. In 2024, the gin category saw 4 high profile acquisitions go through in the spirits category.
Experimentation
An emphasis on unique infusions is also pushing the category forward. Craft brands are now more likely to use unique ingredients like figs, clover, and botanicals, among other things, to transcend the traditional flavor profiles of London dry gin.
Gin remains an influential spirit in cocktail culture as well. In 2022, VinePair reported that the Negroni, which traditionally uses gin as the base spirit, became the most popular cocktail in the world for the first time.
The category’s future also remains a potential bright spot for growth and innovation. Currently, the 25-34 age group represents the largest share of gin drinkers, accounting for 20% of the category’s total share.
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