A Norwich company is celebrating after their dry gin was named the best of its kind in the world just over a year since it was first distilled.

Eastern Daily Press: Bullards Norwich Dry Gin is up for a world award this week. Based at the Ten Bells in Norwich, Head Distiller Peter Smith with the newly designed bottles. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017Bullards Norwich Dry Gin is up for a world award this week. Based at the Ten Bells in Norwich, Head Distiller Peter Smith with the newly designed bottles. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 (Image: Archant 2017)

After being named the best London dry gin in the country last year Bullards Spirits beat off competition from across the globe to win the accolade at the 2017 World Drinks Awards.

Bullards is a name which has been synonymous with Norwich for some 180 years, starting off as a brewery in the 19th century.

And after a 30-year hiatus from 1985, the brand was revived in 2015 by Russell Evans, who had worked for the company in the early 1980s.

As well as bringing life back into beer brewing, the business turned its attention to spirits, and distilled its first Norwich Dry Gin in December 2015.

Eastern Daily Press: Bullards Norwich Dry Gin is up for a world award this week. Based at the Ten Bells in Norwich, Frederick Bigras-Burrogano mixes up cocktails using the spirit. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017Bullards Norwich Dry Gin is up for a world award this week. Based at the Ten Bells in Norwich, Frederick Bigras-Burrogano mixes up cocktails using the spirit. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 (Image: Archant 2017)

And now with this top accolade under its belt, Bullards Spirits is hoping to put its flagship Norwich Dry Gin firmly on the map at home and abroad.

'The award for the World's Best London Dry Gin in the World Drinks Awards has come as a complete shock, but a huge pat on the back for everything we've achieved in just a year since we launched,' said Russell Evans.

'Our distiller, Peter Smith, is one of the youngest distillers in the UK and has so many innovative ideas and expertise to bring to our brand. We only launched a year ago, but already we are achieving more than we thought.'

Bullards Spirits is the only gin distillery in Norfolk and the first to use Tonka Bean in its recipe. Following this prize the brand is looking to make its mark nationally and internationally and has even undergone a modern rebrand to give it greater presence.

Eastern Daily Press: Bullards Norwich Dry Gin is up for a world award this week. Based at the Ten Bells in Norwich, Head Distiller Peter Smith with the newly designed bottles. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017Bullards Norwich Dry Gin is up for a world award this week. Based at the Ten Bells in Norwich, Head Distiller Peter Smith with the newly designed bottles. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 (Image: Archant 2017)

'Our new labels really reflect the quality and USP of Bullards Gin and prove that we are now ready to target new customers across the UK and beyond, both in the on-trade and in retail,' added Mr Evans.