Prestigious award for gin born on island

A GIN born on a remote Hebridean island has come top in the prestigious International Wines and Spirits competition.

Wild Island Botanic Gin scored more than 90 per cent in a blind tasting by industry experts putting it ahead of hundreds of other spirits from across the globe.

The company behind the gin describes it as Hebridean Botanical. It features six wild plants infused in a 100 per cent British Grain Spirit on an ancient copper still in one of the country’s oldest family- owned distilleries.

Wild Island Botanic Gin sales director Keith Bonnington says they are astounded to have netted a top award so early in the life of the gin which was only launched just before Christmas.

Mr Bonnington said the award was a vindication for their open and transparent marketing values.

‘Far too many gins try and hide the fact they are produced by third parties and go to some length to suggest they are being distilled in one place when the reality is different.’

Mr Bonnington revealed they were about to start small scale distilling at their premises on the Isle of Colonsay but is adamant the main production will continue at Langley in the Black Country.

‘ We have a still being installed this week on Colonsay and we will be using it to produce one- off expressions of Wild Island Botanic Gin focussing on seasonal produce and experimenting with different ingredients - but the core product will continue to be distilled at Langley.

‘ We are grateful for the widespread support we have gained for the gin in the last few months. We are now stocked in more than 300 high end off and on sales in Scotland, two Michelin Restaurants and Selfridges department stores.’