The US Gin Launch Timeline
June 25, 2014
For the purposes of categorizing and tracking the American gin renaissance, I created this timeline of when different gin brands launched in the US, with a number of caveats:
As the goal is to closely look at what happened in 1980-2010ish, I didn't include most new brands launched after 2009ish.
- The older brand dates may not reflect the real first import date into the US. They are indications that they were probably around a very long time.
- If the brand reformulated in a meaningful way (ex. Plymouth) I used the re-release date.
- I have tried to focus on the US, rather than international, release date.
- For Type of Gin, I categorized things into Dry, Genever, and Old Tom. I'm not trying to define which are "New Western" or whatever we're now calling the lighter, modern style. Those are labelled as Dry.
- This post offers some analysis of the chart and gin history.
- I cited my sources and have made a strong attempt to be accurate. It is not my intention to misrepresent or disinclude any brand.
- If you have something to add (missing or incorrect information for brands launched 2009 or before), you can leave a comment below or email me.
- Sorry about the formatting!
Gin Brand | US Launch | Origin | Type of Gin | Notes | Source |
Booths | 1740 | UK | Dry | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booth's_Gin | |
Gordon's Original London Dry | 1769 | Dry | first distillery in US 1934. Looks to have multiple distilleries | Wikipedia | |
Tanqueray London Dry | 1830 | UK | Dry | Wikipedia | |
Boodles | 1845 | UK | Dry | First bottled in the United States by Seagram's. In 2012, redesigned bottle and an alcoholic strength of 80 proof. The botanical recipe remains the same. Has always been made in the UK. |
Wikipedia/PR contact According to a former PR employee, "Boodles was invented by the Seagram Company in the 1960’s. I don’t know where the year 1845 came from, but it is nothing to do with any distillery or product launch." |
Seagram's | 1857 | Canada | Dry | According to Regan, Seagram's gin wasn't introduced to the US until 1939. | http://pernod-ricard.com/551/brands/see-all-brands/local-brands/seagram-s-gin |
Beefeater | 1876 | UK | Dry | Wikipedia | |
Boomsma Stirling London Dry | 1883 | Netherlands | Dry | http://www.boomsma.net/ | |
Bombay Original Dry | 1959 | UK | Dry | Bottle says 1761 | Pr Rep |
Bombay Sapphire | 1987 | UK | Dry | PR Rep | |
Cadenhead's Old Raj | 1995 | UK | Dry | Launched in UK 1972. "I believe the gin would have been exported to American from around the 1992 to 1995 period." - brand email | http://www.the-complete-gentleman.com/SpiritsGinBrandsCadenheadOldRajBlueLabelGin.html |
Bendistillery Cascade Mountain Gin (Crater Lake Gin) | 1996 | USA | Dry | Name changed from Cascade Mountain to Crater Lake in 2012. Flavored by post-distillation maceration. | |
Junipero | 1996 | USA | Dry | anchor website | |
Citadelle | 1996 | France | Dry | 1994 in Europe | pr rep |
Tanqueray Malacca (defunct) | 1997 | UK | Dry | 1997-2001, then a special edition in 2013 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanqueray |
Plymouth Gin | 1998 | UK | Dry | Launched in 1793. Reformulated and relaunched in 1990s. | Regan |
Beefeater Wet (defunct) | 1999 | UK | Dry | https://summerfruitcup.wordpress.com/tag/beefeater-wet/ | |
Van Gogh | 1999 | Netherlands | Dry | "released in 1999" Regan | pr rep |
Bardenay | 2000 | USA | Dry | brand rep | |
Tanqueray No TEN | 2000 | UK | Dry | Regan | |
Hendrick's | 2000 | UK | Dry | brand rep | |
Broker's | 2001 | UK | Dry | Broker’s was originally launched in 1998 and it was introduced into the U.S. Market in 2001 | PR Rep |
Hampton's | 2001 | USA | Dry | Regan | |
Leopold's American Small Batch Gin | 2001 | USA | Dry | Distiller | |
Juniper Green Organic London Dry | 2002 | UK | Dry | Launched in UK in 2000. | importer email |
Martin Miller's | 2003 | UK | Dry | UK launch 1999 | http://www.martinmillersgin.com/the-gin/ |
Sarticious (Defunct) | 2003 | USA | Dry | closed but Blade Gin is same recipe made at another distillery | brand rep |
Magellan Blue Gin | 2003 | France | Dry | brand contact | |
Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength | 2003 | UK | Navy Strength | pr rep | |
CapRock Organic Dry | 2004 | USA | Dry | "Peak Spirits founded in 2004" Regan | Regan |
209 Gin | 2005 | USA | Dry | Distiller | |
North Shore Distiller's Gin No 6 | 2005 | USA | Dry | "north shore distillery est in 2004" Regan | distiller |
Zuidam Dry | 2005 | Netherlands | Dry | brand material | |
Zuidam Genever | 2005 | Netherlands | Genever | brand material | |
Aviation | 2006 | USA | Dry | Distiller | |
Bluecoat American Dry | 2006 | USA | Dry | Regan | |
Death's Door | 2006 | USA | Dry | Owner | |
DH Krahn | 2006 | USA | Dry | http://martini-lounge.blogspot.com/2006/11/dh-krahn-gin-launches.html | |
G'Vine Floraison | 2006 | France | Dry | Brand rep | |
Rogue Spruce | 2006 | USA | Dry | started getting awards in 2007 | http://www.grizzlyliquor.com/Packages/Gin/Gin03.htm |
Bulldog London Dry | 2007 | UK | Dry | Offices in NY | Regan |
Dry Fly Washington Dry | 2007 | USA | Dry | "first distilled in Sept 2007" Regan | Regan |
Greylock Gin | 2007 | USA | Dry | Distillery launched in 2007, not positive about gin. | http://berkshiremountaindistillers.com/about-us/about-berkshire-mountain-distillers/ |
New Amsterdam | 2007 | USA | Dry | Camper notes | |
Rehorst Premium Milwaukee | 2007 | USA | Dry | "Opened in 2006" Regan | http://www.jsonline.com/business/29543669.html |
Right Gin | 2007 | Sweden | Dry | http://altamarbrands.com/our-brands/right-gin/essential-facts/ | their website |
Tanqueray Rangpur | 2007 | UK | Dry | Regan | |
Genevieve | 2007 | USA | Genever | Regan | |
Hayman's Old Tom | 2007 | UK | Old Tom | https://imbibemagazine.com/Old-Tom-Gin | |
Blade - Rusty Blade | 2008 | USA | Aged | brand rep | |
Citadelle Reserve | 2008 | USA | Aged | pr rep | |
12 Bridges (defunct) | 2008 | USA | Dry | distillery closed in 2012 | http://www.the-complete-gentleman.com/SpiritsGinBrands12BridgesGin.html |
G'Vine Nouaison | 2008 | France | Dry | Brand rep | |
Knickerbocker Gin | 2008 | USA | Dry | http://www.mlive.com/kalamabrew/index.ssf/2008/12/_holland_more_new.html | |
Organic Nation Gin (defunct) | 2008 | USA | Dry | http://www.organicnationspirits.com/about/ | |
Whitley Neill | 2008 | UK | Dry | "launched sept 2005" in UK | brand rep |
Bols Genever | 2008 | Netherlands | Genever | PR | |
Boomsma Fine Young Genever | 2008 | Holland | Genever | 1883 founded. On US market by 2008 but date may not be exactly correct. | http://www.boomsma.net/ |
Beefeater 24 | 2009 | UK | Dry | Wikipedia | |
Blade Gin | 2009 | USA | Dry | Same recipe as Sarticious | brand rep |
Damrak Amsterdam | 2009 | Netherlands | dry | Regan | |
Greenall's Original London Dry | 2009 | UK | Dry | 1761 Launch | Regan |
Nicholas | 2009 | USA | Dry | "first bottle born on april 24, 2009 at 10pm" Regan | Regan |
Oxley | 2009 | UK | Dry | brand material | |
Port of Barcelona (defunct?) | 2009 | Spain | Dry | http://martini-lounge.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-port-of-barcelona-gin.html | |
Ransom Old Tom | 2009 | USA | Old Tom | "first batch bottled March 2009" Regan | Regan |
Cold River Gin | 2010 | USA | Dry | http://stuffboston.com/2010/10/04/original-gin#.U3p839JdX4U | |
Nolet | 2010 | Netherlands | Dry | PR Rep | |
Bloom | 2011 | UK | Dry | launched in UK 2009-2010 | http://www.the-complete-gentleman.com/SpiritsGinBrandsBloomGin.html |
Bols Barrel Aged Genever | 2011 | Netherlands | Genever | PR Rep | |
Bombay Sapphire East | 2012 | UK | Dry | pr rep |
The Regan cited as a source is gaz regan's Bartender's Gin Compendium, which has collected information from many gin brands.
This post was assembled with the support of Anchor Distilling, makers of Junipero gin and Genevieve genever-style gin.
In Spain, Port of Barcelona is called Port of Dragons and is still pretty much alive and kicking.
Posted by: François Monti | June 27, 2014 at 05:25 AM
Thanks - Will update the chart in a couple of weeks.
Posted by: Camper English | June 27, 2014 at 08:42 AM