A tiny gin distillery run by two brothers has achieved a notable UK first.

‘Dovey Native Botanical Gin’, produced by Dyfi Distillery at Corris, near Machynlleth, has been granted UK Geographical Indication (UKGI) status - the first UK gin to achieve this important accolade.

Brothers Pete and Danny Cameron produce the gin at Dyfi Distillery in Corris, producing a range of gins but only one, ‘Pollination’, meets the strict criteria, enabling it to be called a ‘Dovey Native Botanical Gin PGI’.

“The valley was designated by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve several years ago and has a diversity of native flowers, fruits and wild herbs which is truly special,” explains master distiller Pete, “and we wanted to capture our surroundings in a bottle.”

Geographical Indications are a form of intellectual property protection used to identify products whose qualities, characteristics and reputation are linked to the place where they have been produced or the method by which they have been produced.

All ‘Dovey Native Botanical Gin’ is produced from a minimum of 17 native botanicals which are foraged in a sustainable manner from within the Dyfi/Dovey UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

The flavour compounds extracted during distillation from these indigenous botanicals provide a complex blend of different and notable characteristics.

“Pollination Gin took us three years of trials before we found the unique blend of locally foraged botanicals which not only taste fantastic together, but also truly hold a mirror up to our remarkable landscape,” explains Danny.

Pollination gin, which is a Dovey Native Botanical Gin, has won many prestigious awards - including Best British Gin.

“Achieving the first UKGI for gin was never a marketing idea, as we’re a genuinely artisan distillery,” reflects Danny, “but will help explain that this gin can be produced at world class level combined with genuinely regional characteristics.”