The spirits market in Latin America is vibrant and diverse, influenced by cultural traditions and regional specialties. For those willing to seek beyond the big names and typical offerings – there’s so much to discover. Most notably in my opinion, is the region’s Gin scene.
It will be no surprise to many gin drinkers that the category has massive growth potential across South America. Nor is the fact that there are excellent producers making gin there. The flashes of brilliance, trailblazing brands, international accolades, and growing momentum for the category have been clear to see for a while.
So, is 2025 the year that South America becomes the innovation and influence epicentre for a category that’s stagnating in previously hot markets? Or at the very least, will it be the year we finally see some of the region’s brands splash over into Europe, Asia, and the USA, with Latin American gin grabbing headlines and listings?
Time for a deep dive…
Where does gin fit in the Latin American spirits market?
In terms of what’s made there – the spirits market in Latin America is primarily dominated by traditional drinks. These include cachaça in Brazil, pisco in Peru and Chile, tequila and mezcal in Mexico, and increasingly, rum. As you’d expect, these spirits are deeply embedded in the culture and form a core part of the regional identity.
The dominance of these traditional spirits can’t be overstated.
Some connoisseurs may have heard of a few of the more established gin brands. Most gin drinkers are interested in the use of Amazonian botanicals (or entire Brazilian biomes) and they seem to like how regional flavours add a distinct twist to the spirit. But beyond that, neither do they or the mainstream public associate gin with the continent at all.
Understandably so—cachaça has a strong national identity in Brazil. There are almost a thousand producers and several thousand bottlings between them. In many ways, it is the spirit of Brazil. Meanwhile, pisco also has strongholds within Peru and Chile.
Between these two spirits alone, it’s easy to see why gin has had a hard time establishing itself domestically. Gin is so new in comparison; other spirits are so dominant. All the while, international brands sweep up much of the demand there is in such price sensitive markets. As is always the case – overcoming cultural inertia is a significant hurdle.
Arturo Isola knows this well. His gin, Amazzoni, was one of the first craft gins in Brazil and has worked to grow the category ever since. “Brazil is a huge market; but it still lacks advocacy and education on good things. For Brazil, the biggest challenge is… time… The market here officially started in 2017, not before. It is very young and unregulated. It will take a while to get to stable conditions… Running a spirits brand here is not easy… only the constant and resilient will thrive.”
Looking at it from this side of the Atlantic, it’s unsurprising that we don’t think of gin as coming from Latin America either.
Put bluntly, it’s not a region that has managed to export its major spirits with consistent influence or knowhow. Look at the effort that’s gone into exporting cachaca and the pitiful results… Likewise, despite some great recent government-backed export and tourism initiatives to increase awareness and educate the trade, the Pisco Sour is about as much as the average European or American drinker knows about the spirit. If both of those are the ‘established’ spirits – there’s a lot to of work to do for the likes of gin to break out.
I’m optimistic though. The reason I think it’s going to happen? It’s clear that agave-based spirits are changing the narrative.
Both tequila and mezcal have achieved significant export success, are trending and are reaching record year on year growth volumes. Tequila has always been known and enjoyed far and wide, but it has outmanoeuvred American whiskey in recent years and shed its old image. Both tequila and mezcal have become premium spirits categories, with stories of provenance, process, and authenticity driving their popularity. Sotol is even becoming a thing now!
Sure, it’s Mexico centric and Agave based – but the halo effect is real for countries further South too. From a regional gin maker’s perspective, this shift in external perception allows the world to see Latin products as something with quality and potential, not just esoteric or cheap. And that’s a precedent that’s far easier to follow.
The emerging gin movement
Another reason I think this could be a pivotal 18-month period is that there is now a noticeable groundswell. From those early names in Peru and Brazil, a craft gin movement has been gaining momentum across Latin America. Especially in Argentina.
“The rise of gin in Argentina happened between 2021 and 2023, with over 300 national gin brands emerging during that time,” Bosque Gin director Juan A. Chereminiano explained to me. “It was an impressive explosion. COVID was a key trigger. Many people began experimenting and distilling at home, and even some beverage producers, especially craft breweries, started exploring gin.”
As you might expect, after an initial boom that went from a few dozen to several hundred producers, the market has begun to consolidate. Some brands have faded, while others have capped out and are aimed at a small, very local market. Think micro brands with a presence in local bars and an open-door distillery where tourism and DTC is both the driver and aspirational ceiling.
Thankfully through, many have also developed into genuine international contenders.
Where it’s all heading is challenging to predict. Argentina is facing a recession, with consumption reportedly falling by over a quarter due to new economic policies.
As Chereminiano put it “This makes it challenging to analyse the development of an industry that was previously on a steady rise. [looking ahead] The current economic crisis will be another hurdle for brands that are not prepared to prove their value in the market and approach projects from a business perspective.”
Despite the headwinds, what’s driving the industry is creativity, local pride, and the desire to craft something distinctly Argentine. Native botanicals like yerba mate and other regional ingredients give these gins a unique provenance. Even those using more traditional ingredients are doing so in uniquely authentic ways – such as Bosque’s use of Patagonian juniper and casks from renowned winemakers.
It’s clear to me that Argentina has come to the table and staked its place on the global map. Not in a completely alien way, nor through anything completely unexpected either. It continues the story of modern gin and teases us with a new chapter for it.
“Gin has long ceased to be exclusively for the English or, for that matter, Europeans. It has become global. This crossing of borders and access to information encouraged other regions to challenge a ‘classic’ industry with new, disruptive concepts, and, above all, products of very high quality.”
Bosque Gin director Juan A. Chereminiano
It’s great to see that pioneering brands like Príncipe de los Apóstoles are no longer the only ones flying the flag for Argentine-made gin. Bosque Gin has arguably taken that mantle now, while Gin Pla, Athos, Montarraz, Della Casa, and Gina are all solid offerings. They are exciting brands to say the least! And the list doesn’t stop there – Summa Gin, La Restinga, Gin Chanteclair and Minari Gin are also turning heads while both Apóstoles and its founder Renato Giovannoni (also a co founder in Amazzoni Gin) continue to be an important influence in shaping the story of the spirit.
Together, these brand’s use of innovative botanicals and their dedication to reflecting Argentine terroir is creating a mecca for gin lovers, quickly placing Argentina as a hotspot for the category.
Excitingly, it’s still early days. In the next two years, we will see a more mature Argentine gin industry. Yet what’s already emerging is a confident voice, a few makers showing the knowhow to manoeuvre internationally, and some unbelievable quality inside the glass.
Combine this with a sense of escapism and the ability to weave cultural narrative into brand identity, and Argentina might just carve out a name for itself to rival what Australia did back in 2018-2020.
Leading distilleries and influential players across Latin America
In researching this piece, what’s clear to me is that the groundswell is not confined to Argentina. There are influential gin makers across the continent who are passionate about creating juniper infused spirits that tell the story of Latin America.
In recent years, Chile’s gin industry has also rapidly expanded. From Last Hope launching in 2017 in the south to Gin Nativo in the north, there are now around 100 gin brands across Chile, many of which are gaining international recognition. Gin Elemental and Gin Provincia are great products. Meanwhile, Tepaluma Gin from the Patagonian highlands secured a gold medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, one of several awards it has received.
Expanding the map further, the likes of Canaima (Venezuela), Crespo (Ecuador), La Republica (Bolivia), Bertoni (Parauay), Ginca (Peru), Selva (Colombia), Sur Gin (Uruguay), YVY and BEG Gin (Brazil) are each echoing this across the continent.
Many are using native botanicals as a differentiator and to create unique products that capture the essence of their environment. It’s a tried and tested method straight from the craft gin maker’s playbook of other places around the world.
However, what’s most compelling to me is that they are also bringing in community and the human connections that make the region so diverse and charming.
Mexico City made Condesa Gin, now part of Gallo Wines, is a master at this. Its identity is not just about local botanicals —it’s about how those ingredients connect to the culture and its long-held rituals. In doing so, it shows how gin can be a conduit to tell a much bigger, more complex story of people, rites of passage and purposeful symbolism.
Condesa Gin serves up some local flavours and shows the untapped potential gin has to connect with a different narrative and consumer.
Cocktail culture: A key opportunity for gin in Latin America
Beyond the brands themselves, the ever-rising craft cocktail culture presents opportunities for gin. Mexico and Argentina now have world-class bars that are bringing cocktail culture to Latin America and influencing the rest of the world. Bars in Mexico City and Buenos Aires are making their mark, with several listed in ‘The World’s 50 Best Bars.’
This recognition highlights their impact locally and globally. They are fostering a sophisticated cocktail culture that celebrates local ingredients. The current hero of many of their menus is tequila and mezcal, but increasingly – it also includes local gins.
As a result, these bars are helping introduce the category to a broader audience domestically, and in far more sophisticated ways than imagined a decade ago. Meanwhile, the bartenders emerging from the scene are growing in influence and traveling far and wide in what remains a close nit global community. Their advocacy of said local gins will play a huge role in shaping the fortunes of those brands…
It’ s a factor that the likes of Canaima, Condesa, Bosque and producers are aware of too. Commenting on the huge potential in it, Chereminiano says “The growth of mixology in Latin America is an incredible channel for craft spirits, which are, in a way, also protagonists. The offerings from the continent’s top bartenders and bars are remarkable because they are genuine, authentic, and identity-driven. Anchoring in origin, land, stories, and local products positions these offerings on another level. Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia are at an extremely high level in terms of mixology and culinary offerings. This is the best platform for the region’s spirits.”
Growth beyond borders
If you take a moment to assess it, the conditions seem right for Latin American gins to expand into export markets, and the likes of Amazzoni and others are doing just that. For example, now backed by Pernod Ricard, Arturo Isola told me that “Amazzoni is now in over 20 markets across the US, Europe, and Asia, with the goal of reaching 30+ by the end of 2025”.
The question will be how much of their regionality they can lean on, and how much of a path is needed to be created by the individual brands themselves.
For example, Latin food, music, and culture have always been prominent factors in Latin America’s global appeal. These cultural elements resonate worldwide, creating a rich context that draws people in. If gin producers can tap into this cultural allure, it could help boost their products in export markets.
But that’s also a risk and can potentially limit the reach and be perceived as too nostalgic, or even become a gimmicky pastiche. No doubt, these were considerations that Diageo went through when they chose not to double down with their Tanqueray Bosanova release. In Brazil, it was all about the namesake music, the lore of Copacabana and Latin flair. While this may have worked in other markets, it was rebranded to Tanqueray Paradiso in Europe and had a far broader ‘tropical’ vibe surrounding it. Nothing wrong with that, but perhaps it was a missed opportunity.
For those who do find the right balance, highlighting the connection between gin and the vibrant Latin culture could position these products as must-have experiences. As always, the key is doing so with both authenticity and cultural sensitivity.
Challenging landscape, but full of opportunities
Latin America’s gin movement is rapidly evolving, transforming a region once overshadowed by other spirits into an exciting hub of juniper-based innovation. Producers are blending local botanicals with authentic cultural narratives, carving out a distinctive identity that resonates both locally and globally.
As this movement gains momentum, the potential for Latin America made gin to make a global impact grows clearer.
Most excitingly, by embracing their unique heritage, local producers aren’t just creating more gin, they’re crafting evocative experiences that invite the world to taste Latin America in every glass. And that’s a journey well worth toasting.
Written by Olivier Ward, 02/12/24
