Your Northumberland ‘Ginspiration’
Published: Friday 12th Jul 2019
Enjoy a self-guided tasting trail of Northumberland’s artisan gins
It’s the latest ‘It’ drink and soaring in popularity with its ever-expanding range of flavours. Gin is having a renaissance and craft gins from small distilleries are also having their boom. If it’s a ‘yes’ from you when it comes to this juniper-based spirit then you’ll love our guide to Northumberland’s homegrown gin. Let the tasting journey begin!
From the hills of Hepple, just outside of Rothbury on Northumberland moorland, the Moorland Spirit Company produces its award-winning Hepple Gin using green juniper from its estate.
With scents of green apple, grapefruit, juniper, Douglas Fir and blackcurrant and the flavour of fresh citrus and cantaloupe melon, its producers describe the taste of Hepple Gin as ‘a luscious sweet mouthful, which is both juicy and quenching’.
Try it at: The Apple Inn, Lucker, The Joiner’s Arms, High Newton, The Mizen Head, Bamburgh, The Potted Lobster, Bamburgh and The Jolly Fisherman, Craster.
At Rock, about five miles north of Alnwick and in the same village as our Retreat, The Fold, The Northumberland Spirit Company makes small batches of handcrafted Alnwick Gin.
Its distinctive medieval bottle pays homage to Alnwick’s history while its flavours of juniper, rosehip and lavender, with a hint of fennel, give it a ‘sublimely smooth taste’. Recommended with a citrus focused tonic.
Try it at: The Black Swan and Gin Bar, Alnwick
Made at a micro distillery on the island, Holy Island Gin is distilled in small batches of around 90 bottles on its still ‘Mona’ using 11 botanicals including: juniper, nutmeg, elderberries, sweet orange peel and rose petal.
Try it at: The Ship Inn, Holy Island
Handcrafted using Roman botanicals and ingredients locally-sourced in Northumberland where possible, Hadrian’s Wall Gin by the Pilgrim Spirit Company (another Alnwick-based distillery and makers of Hotspur Gin and Alnmouth Gin) is infused with angelica, pimento, coriander, chamomile and garden mint in what its producers say is a ‘truly authentic blend of Italian culture and rural Britain’.
Try it at: The Barn at Beal or Sunnyhills of Belford
If you’re in Newcastle or Durham, you may also like to try Hexham Gin by The Northumberland Gin Company – available in The Sun Inn at Beamish Museum or Newcastle Fenwicks; Bealim House’s Newcastle Gin from its own distillery – the first in the city in over 200 years; or Durham Gin which can be sampled as part of a two-hour gin tasting experience at the Durham Ginstitute.
