THE Stirling Spirit Company believes this year's Stirling Gin Festival will be a record-breaker.

The 2017 fest assumed the mantle of Scotland’s foremost craft-gin fest after it drew a record 1,000 gin-lovers over its three sessions, selling a staggering 1,203 bottles and taking over £30,000 in off-sales, while generating around £100,000 for the local Stirlingshire economy.

SSC co-owner June McCann said: "We were thrilled with the figures and the fun that the fourth annual Stirling Gin Festival generated but I have no doubt in saying that the 2018 event will be both bigger and better.

“When it comes to value I think this year’s Stirling Gin Festival will quite simply be the best in Scotland and that is indeed our target. We will be presenting over 120 gins for tasting, compared to 100 last year and I have no doubt that the 2017 record of 1,203 bottles sold will fall this November.

“We will also be lifting our number of exhibitors from 24 to 30 and the increase won’t just be in numbers but in quality and variety and I think that is why we have already sold out one of our three sessions and the other two are well on the way.”

June was thrilled to reveal some of the exciting new gins which will make their debut at the Stirling Highland Hotel.

She said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Kinrara Gin to the Stirling Gin Festival for the first time. Nestled in the historic Cairngorm Estate their gin is infused with local berries and flora and I’m sure will prove a big hit with our patrons.

“We will also be welcoming the Gin Bothy from the Angus Glens and I’m sure their famous Gunshot gin will shoot to the top of the gin charts."

Stirling Gin Festival will take place on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3. For tickets, go to stirlingspiritcompany.scot or email enquiries@sws.scot