UK gin sales and exports surpassed £2bn ($2.6bn) this year, according to a report released by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

The records indicated that British consumers purchased nearly 60 million gin bottles at retail outlets, pubs and restaurants, representing an additional 14.4 million bottles compared with last year. This is thought to have generated an extra £516m.

WSTA’s CEO Miles Beale said: “Gin has proved itself to be just the tonic for the government’s ambitions to grow exports of premium British products.

“On top of that, the gin boom in the UK has allowed our talented and innovative British distillers to invest and grow their businesses creating new jobs and boosting the British economy.

“Gin has proved itself to be just the tonic for the government’s ambitions to grow exports of premium British products.”

“If gin continues to grow at this rate, there’s no reason why the industry can’t set its sights higher. We could be talking about a £3bn gin empire by the end of 2020.

“But as things stand, instead of supporting this jewel in the crown of the British drinks industry, the Chancellor is set to raise spirits duty at the next budget.”

According to the latest data from WSTA’s unpublished market report, UK sales were worth more than £1.6bn ($2.1bn) between June 2017 and June 2018. This reflects a rise of 38% compared with the 2016-2017 period.

The records suggest that the combined yearly sales of gin in the UK and British gin overseas have doubled in the last five years. In 2013, the total value of gin sales reached just over £1bn ($1.3bn).

An increase in the number of gin brands, the growth of UK distilleries and the high temperatures seen in the UK summer months this year are some of the reasons that gin sales grow beyond expectations.