From the western isles to the Borders, you don't have to look far to find a local craft gin.

The ever-expanding Scottish gin industry is difficult to ignore. It's estimated to make up around 70% of all botanical spirits consumed in the UK.

Many gins are named and marketed as being from small communities where the company is based - but some don't have on-site distilleries.

So although the botanical ingredients might be local, in some cases the gin itself is made by contract distillers elsewhere.

Concerns are growing that this grey area of where the products are made is misleading customers and threatening the lucrative drinks industry's reputation.

Drinks expert Blair Bowman told STV News: "There are now other spirits such as rum and absinthe and vodka which have this Scotland stamp which consumers understand as being premium of high quality in the same way we have Scottish salmon and Scottish beef.

"But there are a few chancers and charlatans who are skirting the rules.

"I'm not trying to put anyone out of business - I just think it's important to be transparent about what you're doing."

It is a frustrating issue for drinks producers who have made significant investments in developing distilleries and other facilities, which in turn has a positive impact on the local economy.

The rules around gin are much more relaxed compared with whisky, which has special geographical protection, meaning that every element of the product must be made in Scotland to qualify as Scotch.

There are now growing calls for gin to be given similar protected status. This is tied up in EU regulations, so as Brexit hangs in the balance, this makes the issue even more uncertain.

Adam Hunter, from Arbikie Distillery near Arbroath, said: "It's a bit like going into a restaurant and saying, 'okay, I'd like a spaghetti carbonara', you think the chef is going to make it from scratch but actually you find out what they've done is use a sauce pre-made, but they've grown their own onions.

"If your contract is distilling down in say, England, but you have a registered address on some island on the west coast of Scotland, all you're doing is filling your own pockets."

Steve Ross, head distiller at NB distillery near North Berwick, said: "Right from the beginning we chose to make everything here, to develop our recipes here and to create a great spirit here - and to do it here in North Berwick... we're proud put the NB name to our gin.

"From the consumers' point of view, if it says it comes from a certain place it should come from that certain place. [Gin] should have protected area status."

But some say the issue is not quite so simple.

Andrew Scutts, who runs drinks festival Cocktails in the City, said: "I've personal experience of working for  brands who were distilling in one place until we had enough money and capital to do it in our own facilities.

"A lot of these companies are very small, husband and wife teams or family businesses, and everybody has to start somewhere."

Either way, the gin boom does not seem to be waning any time soon.

James Sutherland, who runs the 56 North gin bar in Edinburgh, said: "You see an absolute 50-50 split - some [customers] are massively passionate about the idea of the gin being from a certain location.

"You then see the other side of the coin - the ones who just like the tasty liquids.

"The [producers] who are cutting corners are the ones which wind up the industry the most.

"The place name thing is the biggest issue - traceability and honesty are the two key words."