The people who truly get gin, who can nose a glass and pick out the juniper from the coriander seed from the angelica root from some wild foraged coastal herb that some distillery stumbled upon, those people are not necessarily the loudest voices online and that's the tension at the heart of everything. Social media rewards the visual, the immediate, the shareable and gin in its purest form is a slow pleasure, a considered one, the kind that rewards patience and knowledge and a certain willingness to sit with complexity rather than blast past it. On World Gin Day 2026, Slurrp taps into all the elements of a gin craze, a love for gin and a fading taste for gin, in one glass!
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It makes so much sense as a concept because what gin has always needed isn't more flashy ads or another influencer holding a balloon glass with a dehydrated lemon wheel, it needs a home for the people who already love it deeply and loyally, the ones who never actually left even when the zeitgeist moved on, who are still hunting down small-batch releases and arguing passionately about the juniper and all things that make a bottle of gin shine.
Why Gin Isn't Dominating Cocktail Culture Like It Once Did
There's something almost poetic about gin's relationship with social media, here you have this deeply complex, botanically rich spirit that has been distilled, infused and obsessed over by master craftspeople for centuries, yet somehow it keeps getting swallowed up by the endless scroll of trending cocktails and photogenic neon drinks that look incredible on a grid but taste like sugar and nothing else.
In places like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa and Delhi, gin might be at a crossroads much like the people and guests who come over to the bar and order a drink. Explaining that really well, Sameer Shaw, Head Mixologist, Penthouse, Mumbai, tells Slurrp, “While agave spirits, especially tequila and mezcal, have seen tremendous momentum over the last few years, gin offers an incredible range of flavour profiles that allow us to build drinks with precision and creativity.”
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The bar here has an array of cocktails and drinks that take you on a trip around the world yet Mr Shaw has seen how gin becomes the reason why the cocktail menu is so versatile. He says that guests today are far more curious and informed than they were a few years ago. While consumers once simply ordered a gin and tonic, they now frequently ask about botanicals, production methods, regions of origin, and the differences between various gin styles. He also notes that the growing popularity of agave spirits has encouraged drinkers to explore beyond their usual choices. Rather than viewing this shift as a challenge for gin, many see it as an opportunity to engage in deeper conversations and introduce consumers to styles of gin they may not have previously considered.
While this is a pretty honest view from behind the bar, Fay Baretto, Bar Chef & Founder, Mr Bartender & The Crew takes a slightly different view. “If a guest says “I don’t like gin” are they rejecting juniper or your interpretation of it?” Fay explained, “Most of the time they’re reacting to one memory of gin: usually aggressive juniper, bad tonic, or a badly balanced drink. Gin is probably one of the most shape-shifting spirit categories we have. The question is less ‘do you hate gin?’ and more ‘has anyone translated it properly for you yet?” Fay feels that the business is growing more hooked on noise.
According to him, there is a greater emphasis on additional ingredients, methods, intricate garnishes, and detailed explanations. He observes that restraint might be more difficult than complexity since it gives little space for hiding flaws. In Fay’s opinion, a well-executed, clean Martini says far more about a bartender's talent and understanding than an extravagant 14-ingredient clarified milk punch.
How The Obsession With Presentation Overshadowed Gin
Gin can feel fresh and exciting again, but the answer isn't softening what makes it gin in the first place. Ditch the juniper, and you're basically left with vodka that can't commit to an identity. What's genuinely compelling is when distillers lean into regional botanicals, terroir, texture, and climate to reimagine the spirit — while still honouring the backbone that defines it and maybe that’s what is getting lost in terms of today’s world, where people are moving away from gin?
But was gin ahead of its time? Varun Sharma, Head of Bar at Hosa in Goa, voices out, “I don’t think gin peaked too early. Gin has been around for a long time and has continued to evolve with changing trends and consumer tastes. Its popularity grew with the rise of the Gin & Tonic, a refreshing drink that gives bartenders plenty of room to be creative with garnishes like citrus fruits, herbs, and flowers.”
Varun goes on to draw a clear picture, saying gin’s success is not just about how it looks. People enjoy gin because of its unique botanical flavours and its ability to work well in many different cocktails. The attractive presentation helped make it popular, but its versatility and flavour are what have kept it relevant over the years.
So the only question remains: why does it feel like people are letting gin slip away so soon? What is it that’s making them tick? Varun has an easy answer for all those wondering. He says, “A drink becoming accessible is often a sign of its success. People don't stop drinking something just because it becomes popular; they move on when they stop finding it exciting or when new trends come along.
Many gin cocktails such as the Gin & Tonic, Gimlet, Martini, Negroni, and Tom Collins and many more have been enjoyed for decades and continue to be ordered around the world. Their popularity hasn't made them less relevant. In fact, their simplicity, balance, and great taste are what keep them alive.”
After The Gin Rush: Can Brands Go The Distance?
The craft spirit boom that once made it irresistible has cooled, oversaturation killed the excitement. Too many indistinguishable botanical blends flooded shelves, leaving consumers fatigued and confused. Demand has softened as tequila, mezcal, and Korean soju steal the spotlight. Younger drinkers chasing novelty have largely moved on. Yet gin persists and remains a bartender's staple, essential in classics like the Negroni and Martini that never go out of fashion. Home mixologists still reach for it. Supply stays steady because distilleries already exist and shutting down is costly.
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Mr Kunal Madan, Chief Marketing Officer, Radico Khaitan says, “I wouldn't say consumers are confused, but they are becoming more discerning. While flavour innovation helped drive interest in the category, consumers today are looking for authenticity, craftsmanship, and a strong brand identity. The focus is gradually shifting from novelty to quality and provenance, which is helping premium brands build stronger consumer loyalty.” Slurrp also took the opportunity to ask him if we people are marketing gin as a drink, or as a lifestyle people want to belong to? He expressed, “Gin has evolved beyond being just a drink and has become part of a broader lifestyle conversation. Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that offer experiences, culture, and occasions they can relate to. That said, long-term success still depends on delivering a quality product that consumers genuinely enjoy and return to.”
A gin rooted in India's rich botanical legacy, where every ingredient carries a story of origin, tradition, and terroir is the element that’s fading to keep gin in the spotlight. Standard expression celebrates native flavours, while the premium edition refines and elevates that identity further. The real opportunity isn't in the recipe — it's in the narrative.
However, the category has since entered a phase of consolidation. The initial excitement of "craft gin" as a novelty has plateaued, with consumer curiosity now demanding more than just artisanal positioning. Shelf clutter is driven by a flood of new entrants, has made differentiation increasingly difficult, and many smaller labels have struggled to sustain visibility beyond launch momentum. On the trade side, gin retains strong on-premise relevance.
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Bartenders continue to champion it as a versatile base spirit, keeping it alive in cocktail menus even as consumer-driven hype softens. The off-premise, however, tells a more cautious story; retail velocity for mid-tier gin has slowed, with growth concentrated at the premium and ultra-premium end. What it enters now is arguably more valuable: a maturity cycle where only brands with genuine substance, storytelling, and cultural grounding will sustain long-term equity.
The Gin Comeback Story Starts With Craft
Where the first wave was driven by novelty, this revival is driven by narrative, craft, and a deeper connection to place and process. Artisanal producers are winning back attention by doing what large-scale brands structurally cannot — telling a hyper-specific story.
Every botanical sourced from a named region, every small-batch distillation run, every hand-labelled bottle signals intentionality. For a consumer increasingly fatigued by generic "craft" posturing, that authenticity carries real weight and Nisaki Gin by Nidhi Kedia might just be paving the way for that.
Nidhi tells Slurrp, “At Nisaki, we believe the way forward is through innovation. By introducing unexpected flavours, colour-changing expressions, and creative serves, we're giving consumers a fresh reason to engage with gin. Artisanal brands have the freedom to push boundaries, tell authentic stories, and create memorable experiences – ultimately helping the category evolve and remain exciting for a new generation of drinkers.”
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The biggest challenge for gin today is not competition from other spirits, but relevance in an era where consumers have endless choices. Younger drinkers are exploring categories based on experiences rather than loyalty, and depth and versatility are often overlooked. Craft gins have an opportunity to change that by showcasing authenticity, innovation, and a strong sense of place. The conversations thereafter make you wonder.
When a gin changes colour, it naturally starts conversations. So, Slurrp asked another question: What do you think is the greatest challenge here, especially for a crowd and a world where trends dominate everything? “The challenge isn’t about getting people to talk about a colour-changing gin; it’s ensuring they’re still talking about it six months later.”
“In a trend-driven world, products often become viral before they've had the chance to become meaningful.” Rounding off the conversation on why the gin craze has sifted and artisanal gins are bringing it back, Nidhi says, “ We believe the most successful innovations are those that balance excitement with substance. The colour change may create the first interaction, but it is the quality, creativity, and emotional connection to the brand that transforms a passing trend into lasting affinity.”
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The on-premise channel is amplifying this revival meaningfully; bartenders, always the gatekeepers of spirits' credibility, are increasingly championing artisanal labels, building cocktail menus around provenance-led gins that offer something worth talking about. A well-crafted botanical story gives a bartender a reason to recommend and a consumer a reason to remember.