AN AWARD-WINNING distillery is offering customers the chance to return their empty bottles and leave with gin, vodka or rum.

NB Distillery, based at Halflandbarns, between North Berwick and Auldhame, has been toasting success since its new base was set up last year.

NB Gin was formed in 2012 and has since gone on to be selected for use at the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations and The Brits music awards, with NB Vodka and NB Rum also launched.

Now the owners of the distillery want to reduce their carbon footprint.

Among the steps being taken is a bottle recycling campaign, where people can bring back their used bottles to be refilled with their favourite NB tipple at a discounted price.

Vivienne Muir, owner, said: “Launching an initiative such as this whereby consumers directly recycle is something that should be considered more widely in the drinks and other industry sectors.”

Other parts of the plan include solar panels on the building, as well as reusing as much packaging as possible.

The business has an arrangement with a local farmer so that what is left after fermented molasses are distilled is used for animal feed.