Switzerland: Gins & Distilleries
On This Page: Swiss Gin and Distillery directory, reviews and tasting notes, distillery tours in Switzerland, interviews with Swiss distillers, and industry insights.
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The gin industry in Switzerland has experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by a surge in craft distilleries and a growing appreciation for locally sourced ingredients. Swiss gin producers often highlight regional botanicals such as alpine herbs, juniper from mountain regions, and unique flavours like Alpine herbs and flowers or wild berries, giving their spirits a distinct character. The country’s emphasis on quality, precision and sustainability extends to gin-making, resulting in small-batch products that appeal both domestically and internationally. This has been highlighted by several Swiss Gins being Winners in The Gin Guide Awards in recent years, including Edelwhite 57 Gin, Edelwhite Orange Spiced Gin, Jurassic Gin, Studer Sloe Gin, and Turicum Gin.
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Swiss Gin Reviews - A to Z
Edelwhite Gin (Entlebuch, Lucerne)
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Edelwhite Gin was launched in 2017 by Barb Grossenbacher from Canada, having previously run hotels and restaurants for 30 years before completing the Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma. The distillery is located in Ebnet, a small village between Lucerne and Bern, and is home to a 150L still. Edelwhite Gin features 27 botanicals including 14 that grow locally in the fields, meadows and mountainsides, with subsequent launches including Edelwhite 57 Gin and Edelwhite Winter Gin.
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Jurassic Gin (Alle, Jura)
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Inspired by a passion for nature, history and craftmanship, Jurassic Spirits was founded in 2021 by Lukas Mikula. The Jurassic Spirits distillery is located in the village of Alle in Jura - a region that lends its name to the 'Jurassic Period' and is famed for the discovery of over 4,000 dinosaur footprints. Distilled in a 150L still, Jurassic Gin was launched in 2022 and features classic and contemporary gin botanicals and Gingko Biloba - one of the world's oldest living tree species, with fossils of it found that date back to the Jurassic Period.
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Studer Gin (Entlebuch, Lucerne)
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The Studer Distillery was founded in Escholzmatt in 1883 by the four Studer brothers, producing confectionery and liqueurs using pears, cherries, raspberries and plums. The company is still family-owned today with the 4th and 5th generations now running the business. In 2005 the distillery began producing a wider range of spirits including vodka, absinthe, gins based on a family recipe from 1888, and the first Swiss-made rums. The Studer family have a distillery shop in Lucerne that also hosts tastings and cocktail masterclasses.
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Distillery Tours & Experiences in Switzerland
Many distilleries in Switzerland are open to visitors for guided tours and/or gin making experiences, which make for the ideal experience for gin lovers living in or visiting Switzerland. Many distilleries produce a wide range of spirits and their experiences cover these as well as gin, whereas distilleries such as Edelwhite Distillery, Gin Lab, Jurassic Gin, and Turicum Distillery have a focus on gin tours/tastings and gin making experiences.
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Meet the Makers
Get to know some of Switzerland's finest gin creators and distillers in our 'Meet the Maker' interviews. Find out what inspired them and how they created and launched their gin, how it's made, what botanicals are used, what you can experience if you visit their distilleries, how best to serve their gins and what they have planned for the future:
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Lukas Mikula
Jurassic Spirits, Jura Interview Coming Soon |
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Industry Insights: Swiss Gin
We caught up with Lukas Mikula of Jurassic Gin to find out what makes Swiss gin special, how the industry has grown in recent years, and what the future holds for Swiss gin.
What is Switzerland's history with spirits and distilling?
Distilling in Switzerland date back to the Middle Ages, when monks and farmers began to distil herbs, fruits and grains - primarily for medicinal and preservative purposes. The 1800s saw Switzerland become famous for two traditional spirits - absinthe and fruit brandies, with Kirsch (cherry brandy) becoming a national icon.
From 1897 to 1999, alcohol was tightly controlled and heavily taxed by the state - a system which kept Swiss distilling small, local, and traditional, but also restricted innovation. After the abolition of this federal spirits monopoly in 1999, new laws allowed small producers to distil freely. This triggered a renaissance of Swiss distilling - dozens of new craft distilleries emerged across the country and producers began experimenting with gin, rum, whisky, and botanical spirits.
How has the Swiss Gin industry developed in recent years?
Until about a decade ago, Switzerland was better known for fruit brandies and absinthe than for gin. However, inspired by the global craft-gin boom, Swiss distillers began experimenting with local botanicals and Alpine herbs. The first modern Swiss gins appeared around 2010–2012, produced by small family distilleries who wanted to express their regional identity through gin.
After 2015, gin production accelerated dramatically. More than 100 Swiss gin brands were created within just a few years. Distillers used Swiss mountain herbs, glacier water, juniper from the Jura, and local flowers and roots to craft distinctive profiles, with Each canton developed its own gin identity
What makes Swiss Gin different or special?
Swiss gin stands out for its exceptional purity and natural ingredients. Distillers use crystal-clear Alpine spring water — among the purest in the world — together with locally sourced botanicals such as mountain juniper, wild herbs, pine needles, and Alpine flowers. This combination creates gins that are clean and aromatic, reflecting the freshness of the Swiss landscape.
Most Swiss gins are made by small, family-owned distilleries using traditional copper stills. Much like Swiss watchmaking, gin production here reflects a culture of precision, craftsmanship, and respect for detail. Each distillery emphasises its local terroir, whether it’s Jura limestone, Alpine herbs, or glacier valleys, to produce spirits that are deeply connected to place.
What's next for the gin industry in Switzerland?
The future of Swiss gin lies in:
Future Swiss gins will go even further in expressing local terroir — Jura juniper, Alpine herbs, glacier water — while integrating eco-responsible practices such as renewable energy for distilling, Locally sourced botanicals, recycled and lighter packaging. Sustainability is not a trend in Switzerland — it’s a core national value that strengthens the identity of Swiss gin abroad.
What is Switzerland's history with spirits and distilling?
Distilling in Switzerland date back to the Middle Ages, when monks and farmers began to distil herbs, fruits and grains - primarily for medicinal and preservative purposes. The 1800s saw Switzerland become famous for two traditional spirits - absinthe and fruit brandies, with Kirsch (cherry brandy) becoming a national icon.
From 1897 to 1999, alcohol was tightly controlled and heavily taxed by the state - a system which kept Swiss distilling small, local, and traditional, but also restricted innovation. After the abolition of this federal spirits monopoly in 1999, new laws allowed small producers to distil freely. This triggered a renaissance of Swiss distilling - dozens of new craft distilleries emerged across the country and producers began experimenting with gin, rum, whisky, and botanical spirits.
How has the Swiss Gin industry developed in recent years?
Until about a decade ago, Switzerland was better known for fruit brandies and absinthe than for gin. However, inspired by the global craft-gin boom, Swiss distillers began experimenting with local botanicals and Alpine herbs. The first modern Swiss gins appeared around 2010–2012, produced by small family distilleries who wanted to express their regional identity through gin.
After 2015, gin production accelerated dramatically. More than 100 Swiss gin brands were created within just a few years. Distillers used Swiss mountain herbs, glacier water, juniper from the Jura, and local flowers and roots to craft distinctive profiles, with Each canton developed its own gin identity
What makes Swiss Gin different or special?
Swiss gin stands out for its exceptional purity and natural ingredients. Distillers use crystal-clear Alpine spring water — among the purest in the world — together with locally sourced botanicals such as mountain juniper, wild herbs, pine needles, and Alpine flowers. This combination creates gins that are clean and aromatic, reflecting the freshness of the Swiss landscape.
Most Swiss gins are made by small, family-owned distilleries using traditional copper stills. Much like Swiss watchmaking, gin production here reflects a culture of precision, craftsmanship, and respect for detail. Each distillery emphasises its local terroir, whether it’s Jura limestone, Alpine herbs, or glacier valleys, to produce spirits that are deeply connected to place.
What's next for the gin industry in Switzerland?
The future of Swiss gin lies in:
- Export growth through selective premium partnerships,
- Continued innovation,
- And a unified image of Swiss quality and craftsmanship.
Future Swiss gins will go even further in expressing local terroir — Jura juniper, Alpine herbs, glacier water — while integrating eco-responsible practices such as renewable energy for distilling, Locally sourced botanicals, recycled and lighter packaging. Sustainability is not a trend in Switzerland — it’s a core national value that strengthens the identity of Swiss gin abroad.
