Craft Gin Club
Craft Gin Club, rebranded to The Curious Drinker in 2026, is a London-based direct-to-consumer spirits subscription and discovery company delivering curated gin, rum, tequila, whisky, liqueurs, and alcohol-free spirit boxes to curious adult consumers and gift buyers across the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Craft Gin Club does
Craft Gin Club, rebranded to The Curious Drinker in 2026, is a UK-headquartered direct-to-consumer spirits subscription and discovery company founded in London in 2015. The company delivers curated spirit discovery boxes — originally gin-focused, now expanded to rum, tequila, whisky, liqueurs, and alcohol-free spirits — paired with complementary mixers, garnishes, cocktail recipes, and snacks, with each box configured to enable over 14 cocktail serves at home. The core subscription runs on a monthly or bi-monthly cadence with member benefits including loyalty points, exclusive pricing, and first access to limited releases, while a complementary e-commerce storefront offers one-time cocktail sets (priced £50–69, e.g., Hugo Spritz £50, Old Fashioned £55, Vodka Mule £55, Margarita £69, Alcohol-Free £55), personalized gin and rum, gift memberships, and gift cards. The underlying technology stack is not described in available sources, and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability, proprietary recommendation engine, mobile app, or public API; the operation appears to rely on standard Shopify-based e-commerce infrastructure and a subscription/CRM layer.
The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, with no wholesale, retail, or B2B channels of significance. The company sells to two primary personas: curious adult consumers seeking to discover and enjoy premium craft spirits at home, and gift buyers purchasing subscriptions or one-time sets for friends and family. Marketing is multi-channel and historically lean on earned media — most notably the 2016 BBC Dragons' Den appearance, plus ongoing features in Stylist, Good Food, GQ, the London Standard, The Times, and The Independent — supplemented by social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), content marketing through recipe blogs, and email/newsletters. The company claims status as the UK's largest gin subscription service, has delivered over 3 million boxes since founding, and serves the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. Ownership is dispersed: a July 2023 Seedrs crowdfunding round raised over £800,000 from 702 retail investors, and the company was reportedly valued at nearly £16 million at peak. The company is led by co-founders John Burke (Co-Founder & Commercial Director) and Jon Hulme (Co-Founder, CEO & Managing Director), with 51–100 employees. As of April 2026, the business is reported to be on the brink of collapse with over £4 million in debt, an ongoing VAT dispute, and potential major restructuring, even as the rebranded storefront remains operational.
Craft Gin Club firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Craft Gin Club
- Legal name
- The Curious Drinker
- Website
- https://craftginclub.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Craft Gin Club, rebranded to The Curious Drinker in 2026, is a London-based direct-to-consumer spirits subscription and discovery company delivering curated gin, rum, tequila, whisky, liqueurs, and alcohol-free spirit boxes to curious adult consumers and gift buyers across the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Craft Gin Club industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alcoholic Beverages Subscription
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alcohol Subscription Clubs & Membership Retail (CRANAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Alcohol Gift, Basket & Specialty Packaging Retail (CRANABAG), Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Craft Gin Club is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Craft Gin Club business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spirit Subscription Boxes: Monthly or bi-monthly subscription boxes delivering premium craft spirits paired with mixers, cocktail recipes, garnishes, and snacks. Each box contains ingredients for over 14 cocktail serves. Subscription model provides recurring revenue with member benefits including loyalty points, exclusive pricing, and early access to limited releases.
- E-commerce Product Sales: One-time purchases of individual spirit bottles, cocktail sets, mixers, garnishes, snacks, and gift cards through the online storefront. Customers can purchase single cocktail boxes (Hugo Spritz, Old Fashioned, Vodka Mule, Margarita) ranging from £50-69 per box.
- Gift Memberships: Gift subscriptions allowing recipients to receive spirit discovery boxes as gifts. Provides another revenue stream and customer acquisition channel.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Spirits Subscription Boxes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Cocktail Sets |
| Subscription | Monthly | Gift Subscriptions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Craft Gin Club product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Craft Gin Club (now The Curious Drinker) operates a direct-to-consumer craft spirits subscription service, delivering monthly or bi-monthly curated boxes containing a premium craft spirit (gin, rum, tequila, whisky, liqueurs, or alcohol-free alternatives) paired with complementary mixers, garnishes, cocktail recipes, and artisan snacks sufficient for over 14 cocktail serves. The company also sells pre-configured cocktail gift sets (Hugo Spritz, Old Fashioned, Vodka Mule, Margarita, Alcohol-Free), personalised labelled spirits, gift memberships, and gift cards through its own e-commerce storefront.
Product overview
Craft Gin Club, rebranded to The Curious Drinker in 2026, operates as a UK-based spirits subscription service. The core offering is a monthly or bi-monthly subscription delivering premium craft spirits (originally gin, now expanded to rum, tequila, whisky, and other spirits) paired with complementary mixers, cocktail recipes, and artisan snacks. Each subscription box contains enough ingredients for over 14 cocktail serves. The product portfolio also includes individual cocktail gift sets (Hugo Spritz, Old Fashioned, Vodka Mule, Margarita boxes), alcohol-free spirits options, personalised gin and rum products, gift memberships, and gift cards. The company serves curious adult consumers seeking quality spirit discovery experiences delivered to their door.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spirits Subscription (Gin and Rum) Monthly or bi-monthly subscription box delivering a premium craft spirit (gin, rum, tequila, whisky, liqueurs, or alcohol-free alternatives) paired with complementary mixers, garnishes, cocktail recipes, and artisan snacks sufficient for 14+ cocktail serves. Members can swap spirits, change frequency, skip, or cancel anytime, and receive loyalty points, exclusive pricing, and first access to limited releases.
- Hugo Spritz Cocktail Box Pre-configured one-time purchase cocktail set containing the spirits, mixers, garnishes, and recipes needed to make Hugo Spritz cocktails at home, priced at £50.00.
- Old Fashioned Cocktail Box Pre-configured one-time purchase cocktail set containing the spirits, mixers, garnishes, and recipes needed to make Old Fashioned cocktails at home, priced at £55.00.
- Vodka Mule Box Pre-configured one-time purchase cocktail set containing the spirits, mixers, garnishes, and recipes needed to make Vodka Mule cocktails at home, priced at £55.00.
- Margarita Box Pre-configured one-time purchase cocktail set containing the spirits, mixers, garnishes, and recipes needed to make Margarita cocktails at home, priced at £69.00.
- Alcohol-Free Spirits Box Subscription or one-time purchase box featuring non-alcoholic spirits paired with mixers, designed for consumers seeking alcohol-free alternatives, priced at £55.00 for the one-time purchase.
- Gift Membership Gift subscription allowing recipients to receive spirit discovery boxes (gin or rum) delivered to their door on a recurring basis with everything needed to enjoy quality cocktails.
- Gift Cards Digital gift cards allowing recipients to explore the full product range and choose spirits and cocktail sets according to their preferences.
- Personalised Gin Customised gin product with personalised labels, allowing customers to create bespoke spirits for gifts or personal use.
- Personalised Rum Customised rum product with personalised labels, allowing customers to create bespoke spirits for gifts or personal use.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3 million boxes delivered to customers since founding in 2015
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Craft Gin Club
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Craft Gin Club technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Craft Gin Club partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Craft Gin Club competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beer52: UK subscription beer/spirits box company with direct-to-consumer monthly delivery, gifting, and now a wider alcoholic drinks portfolio — a near direct competitor in the UK subscription alcohol market.
- Wise Bartender: Cocktail kit / cocktail box DTC services (e.g. Cocktail Courier) that ship cocktail sets with spirits, mixers and recipes — directly comparable to the Hugo Spritz, Old Fashioned, Vodka Mule and Margarita cocktail boxes.
- Flaviar: US-based premium spirits subscription and discovery club offering curated tasting boxes with similar DTC subscription mechanics, member benefits and exclusive releases to Craft Gin Club / The Curious Drinker.
- The Whisky Club: UK-based whisky subscription club delivering curated spirit bottles on a recurring basis; mirrors the Curious Drinker's per-bottle spirit subscription model after the rebrand.
Broad incumbents
- The Whisky Exchange: Established UK online spirits marketplace and retailer operating at much larger scale; competes for high-end spirits purchases even if subscription is not the primary business model.
- Naked Wines: DTC alcohol subscription platform (originally wine, expanding into adjacent categories) with a similar crowdfunding-flavoured funding history and direct-to-consumer delivery model to The Curious Drinker.
- Master of Malt: Large UK online spirits retailer with its own subscription/tasting club offerings and extensive catalogue — broader incumbent that overlaps with The Curious Drinker across spirits retail and subscription.
- Laithwaites: Major UK direct-to-consumer wine (and increasingly spirits) subscription retailer — overlaps on DTC alcohol subscription mechanics and customer segment even though wine-led.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Craft Gin Club social profiles
Digital presenceCraft Gin Club financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Craft Gin Club leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Craft Gin Club funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Craft Gin Club M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Craft Gin Club
What does Craft Gin Club do?
Craft Gin Club (now The Curious Drinker) operates a direct-to-consumer craft spirits subscription service, delivering monthly or bi-monthly curated boxes containing a premium craft spirit (gin, rum, tequila, whisky, liqueurs, or alcohol-free alternatives) paired with complementary mixers, garnishes, cocktail recipes, and artisan snacks sufficient for over 14 cocktail serves. The company also sells pre-configured cocktail gift sets (Hugo Spritz, Old Fashioned, Vodka Mule, Margarita, Alcohol-Free), personalised labelled spirits, gift memberships, and gift cards through its own e-commerce storefront.
Is Craft Gin Club a public or private company?
Craft Gin Club is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Craft Gin Club founded?
Craft Gin Club was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Craft Gin Club based?
Craft Gin Club is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Craft Gin Club make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Spirit Subscription Boxes are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Product Sales and gift Memberships.
Who are Craft Gin Club's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beer52, Wise Bartender, Flaviar and The Whisky Club. Broad incumbents are The Whisky Exchange, Naked Wines, Master of Malt and Laithwaites.
Does Craft Gin Club have an API?
No public API is recorded for Craft Gin Club.
What industry is Craft Gin Club in?
Craft Gin Club's product category is Alcoholic Beverages Subscription. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANAAAI, Alcohol Subscription Clubs & Membership Retail, with a secondary code of CRANABAF, Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail). Its NAICS code is 445320.