Sidmouth Gin has won two Golds and a Silver in the Taste of the West Awards – announced today (Monday, June 7).

The company's Christmas Cheer and Night Flyer gins took the Golds, and its Crab Apple Liqueur took the Silver.

Owner John Hammond said it was the first time the company has hit the gold standard in the Taste of the West Awards.

He said: "We've had two Silvers and a Highly Commended, but to get two Golds and a Silver this year was really good, we're very, very pleased."

He revealed that the recipe for the award-winning Christmas Cheer Gin was given to him by a visitor to Sidmouth Folk Week two years ago.

"She let us try some and it was really lovely, and she let us have the recipe.

"When we first made it we only made about 25 bottles and they sold out in about a week, then we made it again last hear and made 220 bottles and again we sold out in a couple of weeks."

He said the other Gold award-winning, Night Flyer Gin, is a newer product.

"It was a bit of lockdown madness. We decided to break the record for the strongest gin. It was held by a Swedish company with 82% ABV (alcohol by volume), and we decided to make one to beat that and this one kicked in at 85% ABV.

"We actually held the record for about two weeks and then someone made one at 95%."

He added that buyers of Night Flyer are warned to treat it with respect.

The Crab Apple Liqueur that won the Silver award is also a fairly new product, after John decided to branch out from gin-making into other types of drink.

He said: "It's fruity, it's got a sweetness to it and a very good finish, a nice warming liqueur, and you get the apple taste coming through."

Sidmouth Gin is sold from The Dairy Shop in Church Street.

The company's three prizes were given out in the first phase of this year's Taste of the West Product Awards. Food and drink entered into the second phase will be sampled and judged this month, with the results out in July.