A high street drinks shop in Tavistock has had an exciting time, scooping two awards for its own brand gin and getting the chance to showcase both gins in John Lewis.

Mel Gandy and Paul Bray, Tavistock’s Boutique Gin Shack owners, were delighted to win two gold awards in the wines, spirits and liqueurs section of the Taste of the West Awards 2024.

The two gins are Ginny’s Tavistock Dry Gin and Ginny’s Blush, a raspberry and gojiberry infusion.

Winning the awards, and being invited to display the gins in John Lewis, holds a deeper emotional meaning for Mel beyond the delight in winning as the drinks were named after her mother Ginny who died of breast cancer 25 years ago. The family donate to Breast Cancer Research in her memory yearly.

Mel said: “We’re so pleased to have this endorsement of our top own-brand gins which we developed and first distilled in 2022 and which were chosen to appear in John Lewis as a pop up. We know they’re special, but this double success is still wonderful and makes me extremely proud because of the link with my mum. She liked a gin as her tipple and we like to think she’d appreciate Ginny’s.

“Being showcased at John Lewis with a beautiful stand showing off our gins in the store was such a privilege, and we are looking forward to what the future holds for Ginny’s Tavistock Gins.”

The shop won a gold award last year for its small batch South West artisan gins; Mel and Paul were judged on their knowledge of all their stock.