A GREENOCK entrepreneur has come up with a gin-credible idea to honour the area's shipbuilding past and pay homage to his grandfather.

Local man Andy Samuel has fulfilled a lifelong dream by launching 'Shipyard Gin', a tipple created with locally sourced botanicals.

The 37-year-old's grandad John worked in the shipyards as a plater and as a hobby he would make wine from locally collected berries and flowers for friends and family.

Wedding film-maker Andy, whose business came to a standstill when the pandemic hit, says the break in business offered him the time to develop the product.

He said: "It’s been a pipe dream I’ve had for a long time, but I never thought it would turn into reality.

“I’m Inverclyde born and bred and have always had a fascination with the shipyards.

"As wedding film-makers our business just dropped off a cliff when coronavirus hit and we went from 38 weddings to only filming two last year.

"So, I started looking into Shipyard Gin – and now it’s launched."

Andy and his head distiller Lewis Scothern developed the recipe over six months and three trial distillations.

Gorse, elderflower and heather, which are all abundant locally, are three of the main botanicals in Shipyard Gin.

Andy said: "When we were younger, we used to go out with my grandpa to pick berries.

“These are now the botanicals we’re putting into the gin.

“The gorse gives a vanilla, coconut essence which is a very faint and delicate flavour.

“The elderflower gives a sweet note that complements the gorse.

"The heather is almost floral, but also very faint and ties everything together.”

Shipyard Gin, which is based at the Old Municipal Buildings in Gourock, is bottled in distinctive octagonal bottles, to represent the bow of a ship, and Andy hopes to reach customers across the UK and internationally.

He said: “The uniqueness of this gin is its link to the shipyards, and this can be applied to lots of different shipbuilding areas around the UK.

“It also has global appeal and we’ve had some interest already from a hotel chain in the United States.”

Andy’s ambition is eventually to open a local micro distillery.

He said: “This would hopefully become a tourist attraction and could run tours that highlight the heritage of the shipyards."

Andy says he feels his grandfather would be 'extremely proud' about the new tipple he has inspired.

He said: "He wasn’t a gin drinker, he was more a 'hauf and a hauf' man, but I’m sure he would have liked a taste!"