Hawthorn’s London Dry Gin, created from a Hampshire naval war hero’s recipe, is raising a glass locally.

We’re giving six lucky winners a chance to each win a 70cl bottle of this multi-award-winning gin plus some delicious Lixir mixers, giving you the perfect combination for some great cocktails to make at home.

Hawthorn’s Gin was founded by Will Turnage and Nick Masters.

Will Turnage’s late grandfather, Lieutenant Commander Skip, inspired this gin after Will discovered Skip’s war diaries.

LC Skip was a Second World War Royal Navy Commander who became a war hero and who, in between battles, distilled his own gin, smuggled it on board ship and shared it with his crew to boost morale.

Now Hawthorn’s Gin is sold online through the brand’s own shop at www.hawthornsgin.com and through local outlets, including the General Wine Company in Liphook and branches of The Naked Grape in Hungerford, Four Marks and Alresford.

Buy direct from www.hawthornsgin.com and the company will donate a percentage from the sale of each bottle to The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

Will Turnage says: “My grandfather was a war hero – he was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French for his role in the D-Day landings in June 1944.

“Like many of his generation, Skip didn’t talk about the war, so his old war diary was a revelation.

“He wrote about air raids and torpedoes; of being sunk three times without getting his feet wet; the time the Royals inspected the docks... and he wrote about gin.”

Skip distilled the gin himself – collecting botanicals wherever they laid anchor and combined these with English wheat from which he distilled his now legendary gin.

“Recreating his recipe seemed like the perfect tribute to Skip,” says Will.

“Our mantra is ‘All Craft. No nonsense’ – just as Skip would have wanted it.”

To be in a chance of winning, email your name and phone number to [email protected] – Good luck!

Closing date: Monday, October 19 at 9am

Ts & Cs apply.