A LOVE of gin provided the spark for the project that two lifelong friends had been seeking.

Charles Turner and Richard Williams, had, for some time, been seeking a joint venture and the two set out to create a truly authentic gin using traditional copper pot distillation.

As both families are passionate about the Herefordshire countryside, the pair wanted to create a gin that reflected the land and environment that surrounds them.

And so each of their recipes focuses on sourcing from their own farms, allowing a flavour of the county's beautiful countryside to shine through.

The thriving distillery with its magnificent copper pot still is to be found in what used to be a disused barn on the farm and the families hope that a truly successful diversification project will be embraced by their children in years to come.

The brand has launched its London Dry, a classic recipe, infused with the farm's own-grown blueberries and a seasonal Rhubarb gin which creates a sweet and tangy explosion on the palate.

Richard and Charles are already looking at developing other seasonal recipes and are hoping to expand their spirits range over the next 12 months.

“It was important for us to distil the fruits of our farm into our gin and that is what we have achieved," said Richard.

"Our gins reflect our land, our home and everything that we love about it.

"We have been fruit farmers for a long time and to have the chance to make something so enjoyable from our fruit is a dream come true.

"We have been delighted by the response we have had and can see why the gin category is undergoing such a period of growth.

"People appreciate the passion behind it and love the fact that it can all be traced back to the farmer.”

Penrhos Gin will soon be available to buy online www.penrhosspirits.co.uk/shop and will be available through independent stockists in 2019.