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The Gin Guild Welcomes 31 New Members at Spring Installation as Global Membership Reaches 642
Charles Maxwell
The Spring Installation, held on Thursday, 30 April 2026 at London’s historic Guildhall, brought together distillers, brand owners, hospitality professionals, supply chain partners and leading figures from across the global gin community.
The new intake reflects the continued breadth, calibre and international relevance of the Guild’s membership, with established global names, independent distillers, emerging producers and specialist industry partners joining the organisation.
The Gin Guild’s Gin Industry Annual Dinner has become one of the most significant events in the global gin calendar, providing a formal moment of installation for new members, alongside an evening of networking, fellowship and category-wide celebration. The 2026 event again featured gins from across the membership, drawn from the Guild bar, including products from new members and recent launches from existing members.
Charles Maxwell, Grand Rectifier of The Gin Guild and founding director of the organisation, said:
“Welcoming 31 new members to The Gin Guild is a powerful reminder of the depth, diversity and ambition that continues to define the gin category. The Guild has always been a meeting point for people from every part of the gin world, from distillers and brand owners to bartenders, writers, educators, suppliers and global advocates.
“At a time when parts of the spirits sector are facing real commercial pressure, it is more important than ever that gin has an independent, international body committed to quality, shared knowledge, responsible enjoyment and the long-term strength of the category. Gin has come an extraordinary distance, and while no successful category moves forward without challenge, I remain confident in its resilience, creativity and global appeal.”
The Spring Installation followed a period of continued activity for The Gin Guild, including the development of industry guidance, educational resources and sustainability support for producers of all sizes. Its initiatives include Gin-Note™, the Guild’s flavour guidance framework designed to help brands communicate the unique characteristics of their gins, and the Sustainability Toolkit for Gin Distillers, created to support practical environmental improvements across the sector.
The event also took place at a time of wider challenge for the UK spirits sector. The Gin Guild recently joined seven other spirits industry representative organisations in highlighting concerns around UK spirits duty, citing HMRC data showing a £94m fall in spirits revenue in 2025/26 and revenue £1.1bn lower than forecast when the new alcohol duty system was introduced in 2023.
While the Spring Installation was a celebration of the category’s people, craft and creativity, the Guild said its growing membership also reflected the importance of collaboration, advocacy and practical support during a changing market.
Pal Gleed, Director General of The Gin Guild, said:
“The Spring Installation is always a highlight of the Guild calendar, and this year was no exception. Our growth is significant, not only because of the number, but because of the quality and breadth of the people and organisations from around the globe joining us.
“The gin industry remains one of the most innovative and internationally connected parts of the spirits world. Our role as the Guild is to bring that community together, champion excellence, share knowledge and provide a forum where people can learn from one another. The category is not without its challenges, but the strength of the people in this room, and across our wider membership, gives us every reason to be optimistic about gin’s future.”
Founded in 2012, The Gin Guild brings together individuals and organisations involved in the distillation, production, promotion, distribution and appreciation of gin. Its membership includes leading global spirits businesses, craft distillers, brand owners, master distillers, bartenders, educators, writers, suppliers and category specialists.
The Guild does not promote any single brand. Instead, it provides a neutral, international forum for the advancement of gin, promoting excellence, knowledge exchange, responsible consumption and custodianship of the category.
The Gin Guild’s next major industry event, Ginposium 2026, will take place on Friday 12 June at RSA House in London, bringing together some of the world’s most respected personalities and experts from the drinks and gin trade for a full day of insight, discussion and category knowledge sharing.
ENDS
Editor’s Notes
The Gin Guild’s Gin Industry Annual Dinner and Spring Installation 2026 was held on Thursday 30 April 2026 at Guildhall, 71 Basinghall Street, London, EC2V 7HH.
The 2026 Spring Installation welcomed 31 new members, including representatives of Never Never Distilling, Nicholson Gin, Papa Salt, The House of Suntory, Adnams, The Boatyard Distillery, Citadelle Gin, The Botanist Gin, Henstone Distillery, Kräuter Mix and Rosewood London, taking total Gin Guild membership to 642 globally.
The full list of new members, include:
Founder Nominated Rectifier
• Fabrizio Balbi – Global Advocacy & Experience Manager, Black Forest Distillers (Monkey 47)
Warden Rectifiers
• Declan McGurk – CEO, Boatyard Distillery
• Alexandre Gabriel – CEO, Citadelle Gin
• Enrique Pena – Master Distiller, Hijos de Rivera
• Richard Young – Founder & CEO, Julu Gin
• Tim Boast – Head Distiller and Co-Founder, Never Never Distilling
• Alex Johns – CEO, Nicholson Gin
• Charlie Maas – CEO & Co-Founder, Papa Salt Coastal Gin
• Jonas Larsson – CEO, Tevsjö Mill & Distillery AB
Kate Everett
The Write Impression
kate@thewriteimpression.co.uk
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