Against sky-high rents, 100 percent alcohol duty, and a global spirits slump, a stubborn band of Hong Kong distillers keeps the spirit alive
Making Gin Where Everything Works Against You
There are easier places to make gin. London has its history. Edinburgh has its infrastructure. The Cotswolds has its pastoral charm. Hong Kong has astronomically high rents, 100 percent alcohol duty, and a city so land-strapped that a 2,600 square foot distillery counts as spacious. None of that has stopped a small, committed group of craft gin producers from not only launching in Hong Kong but insisting on staying. Their stories are as interesting as their spirits.
N.I.P: If We Can Do It Here, We Can Do It Anywhere
N.I.P craft gin was born out of a somewhat brash hypothesis: if a gin brand can survive in Hong Kong, it can probably survive anywhere. Co-founder Jeremy Li, a former brand consultant with no background in distillation, launched the label six years ago. In 2026, it celebrates its sixth anniversary, still running out of its Kowloon commercial district space that costs, according to Li, around HK mid-five figures monthly in rent — comfortably several thousand British pounds per month. Add full alcohol duty obligations and the absence of any tax relief for craft producers — advantages that distillers in Scotland, Ireland, or even parts of the United States routinely access — and the numbers become challenging. Yet N.I.P has picked up awards, developed a loyal local following, and is now attempting the harder task of building that same recognition in overseas markets. Li admits the international push has been a tougher challenge than the domestic one. The “made in Hong Kong” story resonates powerfully at home, but requires a different kind of persuasion abroad.
Riding the Ginaissance, Surviving the Hangover
The founders of Hong Kong’s small craft gin scene were, like many of their global counterparts, inspired by the so-called “Ginaissance” — the remarkable global gin boom that saw the category grow by 35 percent between 2015 and 2019. That window of enthusiasm drew in enthusiasts and entrepreneurs across the world, including in Hong Kong. Now, that boom has given way to a global decline in overall alcohol consumption and only single-digit growth in gin. The question is no longer how to ride a wave; it is how to stay afloat when the tide has turned.
Hanabi Gin: Celebration in a Bottle
Nelson Siu, CEO and editor-in-chief of the wine and spirits magazine Wine Luxe, launched his Hanabi Gin label in 2021 to mark the publication’s tenth anniversary. His approach is unapologetically experiential. Limited production runs of around 400 bottles each, gold flakes floating in the liquid, cat illustrations on the label, and flavors like marshmallow and Sakura are designed to attract collectors, gift buyers, and curious newcomers who might otherwise be put off by the technicality of conventional gin marketing. Siu makes no apology for the accessible positioning. “I make gin because I genuinely enjoy the drink,” he has said, adding that it is one he can sip at any point in the day. The three editions of Hanabi are made in partnership with Hong Kong distilleries including N.I.P, as well as a California facility.
Chill Gin: Eyes on the Exit, Wisely
Zachery Chan, co-founder of established alcohol merchant HK Liquor Store, came to gin from a different angle. He launched Chill Gin in 2024 not out of passion for place but as a strategic hedge against declining retail sales. Available in two premium floral varieties designed for a market appetite that has proven durable even as overall gin sales soften, Chill Gin is now distributed in Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore, with European distribution on the horizon via its EU-based distillery. Unlike N.I.P, Chan is deliberately agnostic about the “made in Hong Kong” label. He is building an international brand with a view to eventually selling it and starting another — an entrepreneurial approach that speaks to the city’s commercial pragmatism.
Perfume Trees: Ambition That Travels
Perhaps the most globally ambitious of Hong Kong’s gin producers is Kit Cheung, seasoned mixologist and co-founder of Perfume Trees gin, launched in 2018. The label’s original identity was explicitly rooted in Hong Kong — botanicals including magnolia flower, aged tangerine peel, and Chinese angelica positioned it as a distinctly local product. Perfume Trees has since found its way onto the back bars of the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London and The Chancery Rosewood, among other prestige venues. But Cheung has evolved his storytelling strategy for Western audiences. Rather than leading with Hong Kong identity, he now leads with curiosity — what does magnolia flower taste like in a gin? It is a smarter, more portable pitch for a competitive international market. In November 2025, Cheung launched a second label, Yuki no Mado, made at a new distillery in Hokkaido, Japan. The name translates as “Snow Beyond the Window.” If Perfume Trees is the prestige expression, Yuki no Mado is designed for everyday pouring and bartending — a deliberate two-tier strategy.
Hong Kong as a Creative Forcing House
What emerges from these four stories is not just a tale of gin, but a portrait of Hong Kong’s enduring capacity to forge creative, commercially serious ventures under conditions of genuine adversity. The city’s entrepreneurs have always operated in a high-cost, high-competition environment that demands efficiency, quality, and ingenuity. The craft gin producers are, in their small way, demonstrating that spirit. For anyone interested in the broader world of artisan spirits, see The Drinks Business spirits section and the Craft Distillers Guild for context on the global craft spirits movement. The Discover Hong Kong food and drink guide also offers insight into the city’s evolving culinary and beverage identity. And for deeper reading on the economics of small distilleries, the IWSR drinks market analysis platform provides authoritative data on global spirits trends.
