AN AWARD-WINNING gin company has found inspiration from East Lothian’s coastline to launch its third variety of gin.

Husband and wife Steve and Viv Muir launched NB Gin in 2013 and have been working for more than two years to find the perfect recipe for their new NB Samphire Gin.

The salty marine vegetable has become a popular ingredient in seafood and pasta dishes in recent years.

Viv told the Courier why she felt it was the perfect addition to their latest variety of gin, which follows in the footsteps of NB London Dry Gin and NB Navy Strength Gin.

She said: “My husband looks at our product development and he had an idea for a contemporary style gin.

“Our normal style gins are classic and he thought it would be really amazing to do something on a contemporary basis.

“We wanted to use an ingredient from East Lothian and that was actually quite tricky to work out what that was.

“We wanted something with a very fresh taste, so we did lemon and ginger together.

“It was all about trying to find an ingredient that would work. There was a lot of trial and error but my husband is a very good cook and good with ingredients.”

Samphire grows in places such as Aberlady Bay and goes very well with fish dishes.

The team at NB Gin started to combine it with lemon, ginger and gin to create a tasty product.

Sixty-seven different versions were created and tasted, with the recipe being slightly altered until the perfect one was found.

Viv said: “Samphire actually gives it a very subtle green tea flavour.

“When you combine it with lemon and ginger, it is very fresh, very smooth and it is definitely going to be a gin we enter into the world drink awards.”

NB Gin has enjoyed an impressive rise and picked up a number of awards.

Last year it opened its own distillery at Halfland Barns, just outside North Berwick, offering tours.

Viv added: “It has been quite a journey.

“We are getting an amazing response at the distillery and it is an amazing space.”