Why will China drink, and create, more gin in 2021? Chinese gin distilleries are copping London Dry

Chinese gin distillers are known for sourcing local, provincial botanicals that define their flavour profiles. This year, Porcelain Shanghai Dry Gin, created by serial restaurateur Shakib Pasha from Hong Kong and Hubert Tse (who hails from a family of Liaoning spice makers), became the latest Chinese craft gin to hit the market. 

“Liaoning, where the distillery is located, is home to our spice-making family for generations. It also has great natural water quality. The province has concentrations of baijiu distilleries, and the Snow Beer factory [the largest single beer brand in the world] is just a few hours’ drive from the distillery. One of China’s largest spice markets is in Shenyang – where [our] family buys and sells their spice ingredients frequently,” Tse reveals. “Gin gave us the opportunity to retell the story of Chinese craftsmanship.” 

Closely following London Dry Gin guidelines, Porcelain Shanghai Dry Gin contains at least 90 per cent Chinese native botanicals, is one-shot distilled to at least 70 per cent alcohol by volume, and has only water added after distillation. The gin is also the first in the world to use Mongolian juniper berries, which produce a naturally sweeter and more mellow finished product. 

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In Chifeng, a city in the southeast of the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, chef Daniel Brooker distils Dragon’s Blood. Its botanicals are part-distilled and part-cold compounded, resulting in a distinct blood-red colour. Tapping into his expertise as a chef with over 20 years’ experience, Brooker’s distillery launched two products – Dragon’s Blood, which contains botanicals of wild juniper, Mongolian mountain pepper, Yunnan golden roses and orange peel, while the barrel-aged Gold Dragon features ingredients such as Mongolian desert orchid. In addition, the distillery has its own orchard, which grows up to 90 per cent of the spirit’s ingredients.

Bringing their distinctively flavoured spirits to the global stage, locally distilled Chinese gins have already been lauded for their efforts. This year, Porcelain’s mandarin edition of its gin won a silver medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which is regarded as one of the oldest and most influential competitions in the spirits industry worldwide.

Launched as one of the first international spirits distilled in China, Peddlers Gin is regarded as a pioneer, paving the way for other Chinese craft gin distilleries. Peddler’s signature Shanghai gin won a gold medal at the China Wine and Spirits Awards 2018. Its sister product, a barrel-aged gin with notes of smooth caramel, smoked Sichuan pepper, pinot noir grapes and fresh stone fruit, clinched silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards last year.

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Accolades for local gin distillers have been complemented by savvy packaging and marketing efforts. Befitting its carefully crafted spirit, the Porcelain Gin team commissioned an artfully refined bottle. Given a chinoiserie look by artisanal design house Lala Curio, it is produced – in porcelain, no less – by Hong Kong ceramic brand Loveramics and resembles an elegant Tang dynasty vase. The brand is also planning for a limited edition series, with an upcoming tea-based gin, and is expanding its gin experience with a distillery tour and showroom for public visits in Liaoning.

“ The idea of launching a premium gin from China really excited us. The gin was created in Shanghai, and we saw an opportunity to build a distinctive brand identity inspired by the city’s history and culture,” says Joseph Judd, co-founder of Peddlers Gin.

For Brooker, attention to detail and craftsmanship extend beyond his Dragon branded gins. Every bottle is personally packaged, from the label printed on Japanese paper to the wax dip and seal imprinted on it. Brooker also hosts gin dinners and guest bartenders in hospitality locations across China.

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The championing of Chinese gins has also been supported by other notable players in the gin ecosystem. Renowned Asian tonic maker, East Imperial, has hosted top local distillers such as Peddlers at the Gin Jubilee, Asia’s premiere annual gin festival, which was held for the second time in Shanghai in 2018.

As China welcomes a steady recovery from the pandemic and cocktail enthusiasts fill bars all over China, craft gin brands are looking forward to a warm reception for their new offerings from both bar owners and drinkers.

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