World Gin Day was celebrated on 14 June. Origin and development of the anniversary and the predominant role of No.3 London Dry Gin
The second Saturday in June is now recognized throughout the world as the World Gin Daythe day dedicated to the juniper-based distillate, consumed in bars, restaurants and private homes on five continents. Yet, not many know that this anniversary (celebrated in 2026 on Sunday 14 June) has much more original origins than imagined.
From a British garden to a global celebration
It all started in 2009, in the United Kingdom. He was the enthusiast Neil Houston to design the day, with the explicit aim of celebrating gin and its growing popularity. The first year, the event was literally held in Houston’s backyard with a few friends. Yet, the success of the first edition meant that the second already expanded to include a tasting of American gins in a bar in Soho, London.
The turning point came in 2013, when Emma Stokesknown online as Gin Monkey, took over the reins of the event and transformed it into a truly international celebration. “Houston created Gin Day out of love for the category,” Stokes told The Spirits Business. «Over time, as gin markets grew around the world, producers, bars and mixology professionals began to take advantage of this day to promote their brands and cocktail programs. I was amazed by the growth it had.”
The peculiarity of gin
Gin, on the other hand, has a characteristic that few other spirits can boast: la ability to reinvent oneself without absolutely losing one’s identity. It can end up in a Martini in a London hotel, in a Gin Tonic elaborated in Madrid, or be reinterpreted by a small artisan producer on the other side of the world. It is ancient and contemporary at the same time, rooted in centuries of history but constantly evolving.
It is no coincidence that the reference distillate for several generations of bartenders: it is able to offer complexity, versatility and space for creativity. And its global diffusion is also reflected in the World Gin Week, inaugurated in 2026 from 13 to 20 June, which brought together 36 venues in 10 countries and five continents, from New York to Singapore, from Hong Kong to Mexico City.
No.3 Gin, ultra-premium excellence in the Italian summer
No.3 London Dry Gin fits into this celebratory context, distributed in Italy by the historic Pallini distillerywhich chose World Gin Day as the starting point for a season full of events. Born at 3 St. James’s Street in London, home of Berry Bros. & Rudd, the oldest wine and spirits merchant in the British capital, No.3 is the result of two years of research conducted with the best distillers in the world, including Dr. David Clutton, the only researcher in the world with a doctorate specifically on gin.
Recently certified 100 percent organic, the distillate stands out for the balance between juniper, citrus and spices, obtained through an infusion of selected botanicals for over 16 hours. It has won the title of best gin in the world four times at the International Spirits Challenge and it is the first gin to have won the Supreme Champion Spirit in 2019. In short, an absolute excellence that best represents what is celebrated on the second Saturday in June, and what it means to drink a gin of excellent quality (possibly in good company).
