A CELEBRATION of the diversity of drinks the Cotswolds has to offer is being launched with the first annual Cotswold Artisan Drinks Awards.

The Kingham Plough, run by TV chef Emily Watkins and her husband, Miles Lampson, have joined forces with Mixellany Limited to create the competition which has been designed to celebrate producers' hard work and acknowledge their achievements.

Encompassing picturesque counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Somerset, the region not only offers some of the finest foraged and farmed foods, but is also home to many wonderful drinks. In total, Cotswold producers craft over 375 different alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The Kingham Plough’s aim is to ensure that the vast array of drinks being produced in the Cotswolds has as much recognition as its food and is an exciting opportunity for craft or artisan producers based in the Cotswolds to enter and become involved in this inaugural drinks’ awards.

The event is being sponsored by The Craft Drink Co, of Blockley. Entries have to be in by January 31 and will be judged by a panel including Anistatia Miller, of Mixellany Limited, and her husband, master distiller Jared Brown, of Sipsmith Limited. The couple are the directors of Mixellany Limited, a consultancy and publishing company, specialising in anything and everything to do with spirits and mixed drinks.

The other two judges on the panel are Beefeater Distillery master distiller, Desmond Payne and Louis Lewis-Smith who owns The Dark Horse cocktail bar in Bath and has 18 years’ experience pursuing various endeavours in the drinks industry. Each category will be judged for gold, silver, and bronze awards and all entries will also qualify for a ‘People’s Choice’ award by a panel of 50 industry experts, chefs, journalists and VIPs.

The Kingham Plough's Emily Watkins said she was looking forward to the competition: “We are so excited to be launching this award. The local drinks produce has grown so much since we moved to the area 10 years ago in both quality and quantity. It used to be that there was the odd fruit wine or sloe gin at a farmers' market, but now you find these amazing products on the shelves all over the country. It is about time they are recognised in their own right and not squashed into one category at a food awards.”

Delivery deadline for judging is February 5 and judging takes place on February 8. The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of February 92016 at The Kingham Plough.

On May 9 the top three award winners in each category will be invited to showcase their produce at the first annual Cotswold Artisan Drinks Fair where the overall ‘Best of Show Award’ will be presented..