Co Fermanagh’s The Boatyard Distillery has launched its festive gin which uses the flavour from a deconstructed Christmas pudding.
The distillers have released their limited edition "Winter Solstice" bottles for the third year, with the company donating £2 for every bottle sold to mental health charity AWARE.
The gin was created by head distiller Orlaith Kelm in Boatyard’s Lough Shore Road premises.
The Boatyard's Ciarán Shannon said the response to the new festive drink has been great in the last two years.
Ciarán added: "The uptake on it has been fantastic and we were really humbled by the demand and support from the local community.
"The feedback on the actual drink itself has been amazing too, so we thought we would bring this out every year because of the reception it had."
The distillery said its partnership with AWARE was established in order to highlight the need to have open conversations about mental health issues with Ciarán adding that hospitality staff in particular have had a difficult time in recent months
He explained: "We really want to look after the hospitality sector, and mainly the people that are out there serving and creating the drinks.
"During lockdown there was a lot anxiety about going back to work. Being locked indoors wasn't good for their mental health, especially whenever they were used to talking an interacting with different people every single day."
A description of the gin on The Boatyard's website says the recipe keeps the product "true to our Fermanagh roots"
It reads: “This limited edition gin has been distilled using carefully selected ingredients that sing the warmth of winter while keeping true to our Fermanagh roots.
“Whilst retaining our juniper forward method, our head distiller, Orlaith, has used deconstructed Christmas puddings in the distillation to release the natural flavours of candied orange, raisin, clove, nutmeg, ginger and star anise.
“French Sauternes dessert wine has been added to the gin to bring a touch of natural sweetness to the final spirit. Cosy up to a roaring fire with this perfect winter warmer for the traditional gin lover.”
