Gin · Northern Ireland
Gin Distilleries in Northern Ireland
Tour 5 gin distilleries in Northern Ireland. Each offers visits, tastings or experiences you can book directly — including Echlinville Distillery, Hinch Distillery, Killowen Distillery.
5distilleries
Echlinville Distillery
Northern Ireland's first farm distillery, field to glass
Rademon Estate Distillery (Shortcross)
Country estate gin and Irish whiskey in Down
About gin distilleries in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland may be best known for its whiskey revival, but it has quietly built an excellent gin scene alongside it. The two often share a roof: several distilleries that distil whiskey also turn their stills to gin, frequently leading with it while their whiskey matures. County Down is again the centre of gravity, with Rademon Estate, Echlinville, Hinch and Killowen all within easy reach. The standout name in Northern Irish gin is Shortcross, made at Rademon Estate near Crossgar, founded in 2012 by Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong as the region's first craft distillery and home to one of Ireland's most awarded gins. What unites the local style is a strong sense of place: distillers grow and forage botanicals from the surrounding estates, fields and forests, building gins around wild clover, apple, elderflower, elderberry and other home-grown ingredients. The result is a category that feels rooted in the County Down landscape, distinct from imported London Dry styles. For visitors, that means cellar-door tastings, tutored experiences and the chance to understand exactly where each botanical comes from.
Gin in Northern Ireland: styles and how it's made
Northern Irish gin is typically pot-distilled, with botanicals either steeped in or vapour-infused during a careful redistillation. The defining theme is local foraging: at Rademon Estate, Shortcross gin is built around wild and estate-grown botanicals such as clover, apple, elderflower and elderberry, gathered from the surrounding 500-acre grounds, alongside the classic juniper foundation. Their original copper pot-column still, made to a bespoke specification, allows precise control over the spirit's character. Other producers bring their own signatures: Echlinville, with its field-to-glass approach, Hinch with its estate setting, and Killowen with its small-scale, traditional methods. Expect a spectrum from balanced, juniper-led classic gins to softer, floral and orchard-fruit styles that showcase the local hedgerow. Many of these houses also distil whiskey, so a gin tasting often comes with insight into the wider stillhouse.
Where to taste gin in Northern Ireland
County Down is the place to start. Rademon Estate, near Downpatrick and Crossgar, is the spiritual home of Northern Irish craft gin and offers tours and tutored Shortcross tastings within its historic estate. Echlinville on the Ards Peninsula combines gin with a genuinely integrated, barley-to-bottle whiskey operation. Hinch, near Ballynahinch, and Killowen, in the Mourne Mountains, both add their own characterful takes and small-group experiences. Wild Atlantic Distillery extends the trail beyond Down. Because so many of these producers make both gin and whiskey, a single visit often reveals the full breadth of what a distillery does, from the botanical garden or foraging grounds through to the stillhouse and tasting room.
Planning a trip
A County Down gin trail is easily combined with the area's whiskey distilleries, since many sites make both. Base yourself in or near Belfast, roughly half an hour to an hour from the cluster, or stay closer to Downpatrick and the Mournes for a more rural feel. The distilleries are spread across the countryside, so a car is the practical way to link them, with a designated driver or guided tour to keep tastings responsible. Book ahead for tours, particularly at smaller distilleries, and weave in the County Down coastline and the Mourne Mountains to round out a weekend of gin, scenery and good food.
Frequently asked
- What is the most famous Northern Irish gin?
- Shortcross, made at Rademon Estate near Crossgar, is the best-known name. Founded in 2012 as Northern Ireland's first craft distillery, Rademon Estate is home to one of Ireland's most awarded gins, built around wild and estate-grown botanicals.
- What botanicals are used in Northern Irish gin?
- Alongside juniper, local producers lean heavily on foraged and estate-grown ingredients. Shortcross, for example, uses wild clover, apple, elderflower and elderberry gathered from its surrounding grounds, giving the gin a distinct sense of place.
- Can I tour gin distilleries in Northern Ireland?
- Yes. Rademon Estate, Echlinville, Hinch and Killowen all welcome visitors for tours and tutored gin tastings. Many also distil whiskey, so a single visit often covers both spirits and the full stillhouse process.
- Where are the gin distilleries located?
- Most are in County Down, including Rademon Estate near Downpatrick, Echlinville on the Ards Peninsula, Hinch near Ballynahinch and Killowen in the Mourne Mountains, making the county an easy base for a gin trail.
- Do these distilleries make whiskey too?
- Several do. Echlinville, Hinch, Killowen and Rademon Estate produce both gin and whiskey, often leading with gin while their whiskey matures, which means a visit can offer insight into both spirits.
- How do I get around?
- A car is the most practical way to connect the rural County Down distilleries. Belfast makes a convenient base, around half an hour to an hour away, and a designated driver or guided tour lets everyone taste responsibly.