Known as ‘God’s Own Country’ Yorkshire is one of the UK’s most beautiful counties, offering idyllic natural landscapes and picturesque towns with charming cobbled streets and stunning historic buildings. However now, Yorkshire is also firmly on the map for making some of the UK’s best gins!
Yorkshire has been producing the juniper-flavoured spirit since the 1500s, and today it is home to as many as 45 distilleries creating award-winning gins inspired by the beautiful and historic county that is Yorkshire.
We’ve put together a selection of highly acclaimed gin brands all hailing from Yorkshire, ranging from fruity to savoury, with each one bringing their own uniqueness to the table.
Scroll down to get more acquainted with the Yorkshire gins that have made it into our Top 10!
10. York Gin
This world-class, London Dry gin is hand crafted in small batches at York’s only distillery, using a selection of 9 botanicals used by gin makers for the last 3 centuries. Inspired by the city of York with its rich history, which still remains to the present day, York Gin is lovingly created using traditional methods to create a well-balanced and flavoursome gin.
ABV: 42.5%
Price: £35.95
Recommended Garnish: Curl of lemon peel or juniper berries
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, angelica, black pepper, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, grains of paradise, lemon peel
9. Slingsby London Dry Gin
This highly acclaimed gin, launched in 2015, is produced in the spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. Named after a famous English adventurer, William Slingsby, who discovered the benefits of Harrogate’s spa water in the 1500s, it is made with a total of 24 botanicals – including 17 which are sourced locally. A refreshing gin with notes of citrus, light juniper and green tea on the finish.
ABV: 42%
Price: £37.31
Recommended Garnish: Twist of grapefruit peel and fresh blueberries
Notable Botanicals: Primrose, sweet cicely, nettle, rhubarb, milk thistle, rosehip, Taylors of Harrogate green and jasmine tea
8. Yorkshire Dales Purple Ram Gin
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Produced at Yorkshire Dales Distillery in Catterick, North Yorkshire, this is a classic London Dry featuring carefully selected, locally sourced botanicals – including artisan local honey. Distilled four times and vapour infused, it offers a wonderfully smooth texture and has notes of sweet orange blossom, warming cardamom and cinnamon, with a long piney-juniper finish.
ABV: 40%
Price: £36.58
Recommended Garnish: Slice of pink grapefruit and fresh basil
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, honey, orange, grapefruit, cardamom, cinnamon
7. Harrogate Blueberry Gin
Another offering from Harrogate, presented in a delightful bottle featuring the company’s mascot, we have Harrogate Blueberry Gin. Produced at the Ripley Castle Estate, it is made with sweet, handpicked blueberries alongside other delicate botanicals picked straight from the Castle Gardens, combined with crisp Harrogate Spring Water. If offers a sweet taste with delicious prominent notes of blueberry accompanied by juniper and floral lavender.
ABV: 43%
Price: £35.00
Recommended Garnish: Handful of blueberries, fresh mint, slice of lime
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, handpicked local blueberries, lavender, cornflower petals
You can read our full review of Harrogate Blueberry Gin by clicking here.
6. True North Sheffield Dry Gin
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This premium small-batch gin is produced in the heart of Sheffield City Centre by True North Brew Co. Already well known for their distinctive and popular range of beers and ales, they decided to expand their product range with Sheffield Dry Gin – making it the first gin to come out of Sheffield in over 100 years! Made with a range of locally sourced botanicals, including a condiment called Henderson’s Relish – which is very popular in Yorkshire, it offers a unique flavour with a herbaceous character balanced nicely with fresh citrus notes.
ABV: 42%
Price: £34.95
Recommended Garnish: Wedge of orange
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, bilberries, fennel, cardamom, gentian root, grapefruit peel, lemon peel, Sheffield honey, Henderson’s Relish
5. Raisthorpe Manor Oak Aged Dry Gin
Hailing from Malton in North Yorkshire, this distinctive gin is made in the traditional way using water sourced from the ancient ‘Gypsey Race’ – a stream that runs beneath Raisthorpe in the Yorkshire Wolds. It is made with a balanced mix of juniper, citrus and more sweeter botanicals, before it is left to rest in oak whiskey barrels. The result is a wonderfully smooth gin that has notes of juniper, vanilla and spice – with a subtle oaky flavour!
ABV: 42%
Price: £34.00
Recommended Garnish: Vanilla pod or orange
4. Hooting Owl North Yorkshire Gin
Hooting Owl Distillery, based at the historic Barmby Moor House on the outskirts of York, are the makers of this small-batch London Dry. Inspired by the untamed beauty of the North Yorkshire Moors, this gin is made with a total of 18 botanicals including heather and bilberries – which are picked directly from the Moors, when in season. During the distillation process the gin is cut 10 times, thus creating a very smooth expression packed with flavour. A wonderfully fruity gin, with light juniper and subtle herbal undertones on the finish.
ABV: 42%
Price: £37.95
Recommended Garnish: Slice of grapefruit, a fresh sprig of thyme and a few pink peppercorns
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, coriander seeds, bitter orange peel, grapefruit peel, kafir lime leaves, angelica root, orris root, liquorice, grains of paradise, dandelion root, burdock root, bilberries, heather, thyme
3. Northern Fox Yorkshire Honeyberry Gin
Produced by Fox Gins at their distillery located in the village of Kirk Ella in Hull, East Yorkshire, this award-winning gin is the first of its kind – as it’s the only Honeyberry Gin currently produced in England! Fox Gins teamed up with an East Yorkshire farm, a founding UK grower of the berry, to produce a unique gin that offers a distinctive flavour. This gin offers a nice blend of tart and sweet notes on the palate, with a gentle spice on the finish.
ABV: 40%
Price: £35.10
Recommended Garnish: Slice of lime
2. Whitby Gin
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Whitby Gin is inspired by Whitby town and its rich heritage dating back to the 1700s, when it was well-known as a port for smuggling goods. The expression is made using some of the same smuggled ingredients, including juniper, citrus and liquorice root, combined with their signature botanicals: sugar kelp, heather and honey – which are locally sourced from the coast and the North York Moors. A refreshing gin with a gentle sweetness and long savoury notes.
ABV: 42%
Price: £36.61
Recommended Garnish: Pink grapefruit and a fresh sprig of rosemary
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, coriander seed, citrus peels, liquorice root, heather tip, Yorkshire Moors Honey, sugar kelp
1. Whittaker’s Gin
Whittaker’s Gin is an outstanding award-winning gin that embodies the Yorkshire countryside. It is produced in small batches in the heart of Nidderdale by family distiller, Harrogate Distillery Ltd. The gin is made with a base of juniper, coriander and angelica root, along with a selection of signature botanicals including hawthorn berries, bilberries, bog myrtle and home-grown thyme. With initial strong notes of juniper, the flavours begin to soften into more earthy tones, with subtle hints of floral. A truly delightful gin, inspired by the scenic North Yorkshire countryside.
ABV: 42%
Price: £34.72
Recommended Garnish: Fresh sprig of thyme, rosemary or juniper berries
Notable Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, angelica root, hawthorn berries, bilberries, bog myrtle, home-grown thyme