Thirlings Northumbrian Dry Gin: Cheviot Heather and Coastal Irish Moss

Item: Thirlings Northumbrian Dry Gin: Cheviot Heather and Coastal Irish Moss
Rating: 7
Author: Joe Whitfield

Joe Whitfield January 27, 2026 1 views

7 /10

EDITOR

Distillery: Ad Gefrin Distillery
Type: London Dry
ABV: 42% ABV
Price: £39.00
Botanicals: juniper, heather, pine, dill, elderberry, irish moss, sea buckthorn, cinnamon, lemon peel

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Tasting Notes

Nose

Juniper, pine, citrus lemon, heather floral and cinnamon spice — Northumberland in aromatics

Palate

Green freshness with dill, juniper, bright citrus and lemon drops — slight sweetness up front with smooth texture, full-bodied character

Finish

Juniper, sweet orange citrus and spice — full-bodied, bitter, saline and dry like the Northumbrian coast

First Impressions

Thirlings Dry Gin comes from Ad Gefrin Distillery in Wooler, Northumberland — opened in 2023 by Alan and Eileen Ferguson. Heather and pine from the Cheviot Hills join hedgerow dill and elderberry alongside coastal Irish moss and sea buckthorn. The Northumberland landscape in a bottle.

Tasting

The nose shows juniper, pine, citrus lemon, heather floral and cinnamon spice. On the palate, green freshness with dill, juniper, bright citrus and lemon drops — slight sweetness up front with smooth texture. The finish is juniper-led, full-bodied, bitter, saline and dry.

The Bottom Line

Thirlings earns a 7 for capturing Northumberland's landscape — from Cheviot heather to coastal Irish moss — in a carefully crafted gin. Bronze at IWSC 2024 for a distillery that only opened in 2023 is impressive. The saline, dry finish is distinctively coastal Northumbrian.