Highclere Castle Gin Expands Globally, Targets Latin America

29% Sales Growth in H1 2024 Boosted by U.S. Chain Partnerships

CENTERBROOK, CT -- Highclere Castle Gin, the award-winning super-premium gin, has closed the first six months of 2024 with global sales growth of 29%. Driven by aggressive growth, new market launches and a scaled sales strategy, the company has projected profitability two years ahead of original forecasts.

Launched in 2019, Highclere Castle Gin is crafted from botanicals sourced from the estate of the castle which shares its name, known to millions as the “Real Downton Abbey.” The 8^th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, owners and current residents of the castle, are co-founders of the brand, together with American spirits entrepreneur Adam von Gootkin. 

According to SipSource, the first half of 2024 has been challenging for most spirits brands in the U.S., with depletions down 3.4% over the past 12 months. The numbers for the latest 6-months (January 2024-June 2024) are significantly softer with spirits down 4.8%. 

”Against this challenging environment, Highclere Castle Gin has outperformed the industry,” said Co-Founder and CEO Adam von Gootkin.  “This performance is led by the U.S. where a collaboration with the largest spirit buying collectives and national chains have strengthened retail partnerships, resulting in 21% growth.”

Other Highclere Castle Gin highlights from the first half of 2024:

·       Launched  Italy in February with import distributor Proposta Vini.

·       Expanded worldwide duty-free presence through a relationship with 2.0 & Partners, specialists in airport duty-free distribution with an initial focus on the U.K. and EU markets, while expanding an existing presence in Dubai.

·       Partnered with Compañia Licorera de Nicaragua, SA for distribution throughout Nicaragua with a launch planned for October. This marks the brand’s entry into the South and Central American markets and will serve as a strategic beachhead for further expansion throughout the region.

·       Entered Canada with prestige placements in Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac and its sister property the Queen Ann hotel. 

·       Expanded partnership with Viking Cruises. Highclere Castle Gin was added to the Silver  Package, making the brand the house pour gin on 85 vessels.

Earlier this year, the company made a significant investment in digital and ecommerce initiatives to develop a proprietary platform to gain deeper insights into its customer base. The platform was implemented in Q2 and as a result, online bottle sales are up nearly 300% over 2023.

“As a brand that launched right before COVID, we’re used to operating in challenging times and having to pivot,” said von Gootkin. “During the recent economic pressure, we’ve made the right decisions about where to direct our focus and our resources, and the results are clear. I couldn’t be prouder of our team.”

About Highclere Castle Gin

Highclere Castle Gin launched in 2019 with a goal of producing the finest gin in the world. Using botanicals grown on the Highclere Castle estate, known as “The Real Downton Abbey,” the super-premium gin was created to celebrate Highclere's reputation for entertaining, its commitment to agriculture, and to honor its storied traditions. The recipe was crafted over the course of two years together with the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, the owners of Highclere Castle who manage the gardens and the estate along, with Founder, American spirits entrepreneur, Adam von Gootkin. Since its launch, Highclere Castle Gin is now the most awarded premium gin in the world.