LESS than two years after it was created Stirling Gin is celebrating recognition both at national and local level.

After making the finals in three key categories of the inaugural Scottish Gin Society awards in Glasgow, the company repeated their hat-trick nomination and went one better when they claimed the Best Start-Up Business award at The Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce Awards.

The meteoric rise of the distinctive botanical blend, which uniquely features as its main ingredient the wild Stirlingshire nettle, has delighted husband and wife co-owners Cameron and June McCann.

June, who hails from the picturesque village of Luss on the bonny banks of Loch Lomond, admits the accolade came as a pleasant surprise. 

She said: "We have put an awful lot of hard work into building Stirling Gin up both as a company and of course as a product, and to have recognition both at national level and locally at this early stage is really pleasing.

"But to actually win an award and have something tangible for all that hard work came as a very pleasant surprise.

"I think because the Best Start-Up Business section was the first award of the night it kind of added to the surprise but the cheer we got when Stirling Gin was called out as the winner is something both Cameron and I will remember for a long time.

"To be recognised for our efforts by the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce means a great deal signifying as it does recognition within our local business community and to be presented with the award by the Lord Provost, Christine Simpson, also made it so much more enjoyable."

The local recognition comes hard on the heels of Stirling Gin's triple nomination at the inaugural Scottish Gin Society Awards in the blue ribbon London Dry Gin of the Year category and the Growth Business of The Year and Scottish Gin Event of the Year classifications.

Cameron McCann has taken special satisfaction at the industry recognition for his big-nose blend.

He said: "To make the final in three classifications at the inaugural Scottish Gin Society Awards was something we were both proud of.

"In particular making the final of The London Dry Gin of the Year award, considering the strength and vibrancy of the Scottish gin scene and the level of competition, was quite a big deal for us at this stage of our development."