International awards for Northern Ireland's Boatyard Gin

Boatyard Gin from Northern Ireland has won two major awards in the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition 2017. The company won silver for its double distilled gin and bronze for its distinctive packaging.

Joe McGirr, the founder and managing director of Boatyard Gin, celebrating the double medal achievement, says: "We were successful in a field that featured more than 1,000 gins from around the world, including longer established household names. This is a tremendous boost for us in little over a year in distilling our gin with its unique blending of local sourced botanicals.

"To be respected in this way by international industry leaders on the judging panel is an enormous achievement and we are really delighted. The distinctive labelling on our packaging was designed by United Creatives in Manchester.

In another boost for the small batch distillery, Harrods selected the gin for its Christmas feature later in the year.

Boatyard Distillery was founded by Mr McGirr in 2016 in a former boatyard overlooking picturesque Lough Erne in Co. Fermanagh. The double gin is the first is a portfolio of small batch spirits planned by Mr McGirr and his team.

Now in its 48th year, the International Wine & Spirit Competition remains among the most important competitions in the industry.