Meet The Northumbrian Distiller Blazing a Trail for Women
Blazing a trail for other women in the industry, Ad Gefrin distiller Fran Jones has been named in Harpers Wine & Spirit 30 Under 30
On the edge of Northumberland National Park, Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Distillery has built a reputation for producing exceptional spirits and celebrating the rich local history of the area. Fran tells Living North about the work that goes into their spirits, what makes working at Ad Gefrin so special, and gives advice on how amateurs can spot a top quality dram.
Tell us a bit about your background.
When I graduated from Newcastle University in 2018, I travelled to Australia to experience life abroad and it was there that I had my first experience of a premium spirit distillery, sparking my interest. On my return to the UK I began distillery work at a local craft gin distillery in Cheshire. The move to Ad Gefrin was an ideal career move, with larger stills, larger production, and of course the switch to making whisky.
What has your experience at Ad Gefrin been like so far?
I came to Ad Gefrin in the summer of 2023. There’s been many lessons learned and challenges overcome since then, and looking back I’m proud of how far I’ve come since my first day. I’ve become knowledgeable in the process of making whisky, from malted barley through to the new make spirit going into the barrels that will eventually become whisky, and I’ve gained practical skills like forklift operation – skills I never thought I would have!
What does the distillery specialise in?
We are first and foremost a whisky distillery, a first in Northumberland which is incredibly exciting. But this inevitably comes with the unavoidable years of waiting for our single malt whisky to be ready. We are still only at the beginning, having started production at the end of 2022. Director of distilling Ben Murphy guides us in the choice of barrels we rest the spirit in, and we have an exciting selection to play with. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the end results – if only we could make the process a little bit faster. But you can’t rush it. ‘It’s ready when it’s ready’ is a phrase often heard in the distillery, but it’ll be worth the wait.
Do you have a favourite product?
The blend, Tácnbora, is one of my drink cabinet staples. I’m new to drinking whisky, and I find the Tácnbora delightfully accessible. It means ‘standard bearer’ in Old English – a fitting name for the blend that comes before our single malt. Our blend has a super smooth finish, ideal for sipping and savouring. From our distillery tours we have learned it can convince even non-whisky drinkers to enjoy a dram or two.
How should an amateur drinker approach spirits?
For me, a sign of quality is when a spirit has a noticeable difference from the beginning, middle and end of a sip – a flavour journey on the tongue if you like. The finish should always be smooth in my book. It is crucial to remember that we all have different tastes, and you should enjoy a spirit the way you like it. Finding your favourite tipple can be a fun journey, and for amateurs you can go back to basics. Do you like dry or sweet? Rich or light? Find a flavour profile you enjoy and explore further from there. In terms of novice whisky drinkers, start with blends and if all else fails, you can find yourself a skilled bartender that makes delicious cocktails! I love any cocktail with whisky and ginger beer or ale, we have a lovely one at our bistro.
What does your day-to-day work look like?
Distillery work is a physical role and is largely hands on. Day-to-day I’m constantly running around to complete the various steps of whisky production. Briefly put, over the course of a week we complete ‘a mash’ where we obtain a sugary liquid from the malted barley. Yeast is added to this to convert the sugars to alcohol (aka fermentation), and after this we distill the liquid twice to get ‘new make spirit' which we then transfer to a cask to sit for many years to come. But other duties include bottling, cleaning and maintenance of the distillery. I am definitely always tired by the end of the day!
What goes into making the spirits at Ad Gefrin?
Ben takes great consideration with every decision that affects the whisky process including a thoughtful selection of casks, operational variables, and the distillery team carry out close monitoring throughout the entire process. We aim to be as local as possible with our raw materials. Our gin botanicals are inspired by the Northumbrian landscape from the coast, hedgerows and hills, and our barley for our whisky is sourced from five nearby farms and malted by neighbouring Simpsons Malt. Our spirit range currently includes Thirlings Dry Gin, a whisky cream called Flyte, and of course our blend Tácnbora. In the past we have also had limited releases such as a peated edition of Tácnbora (you’ve got to keep your eye out for those because they sell out fast).
What makes working at Ad Gefrin so special?
It’s a unique combination of factors at Ad Gefrin, not least because it’s not just a distillery but a museum too – both inspired by the hospitality of the Northumbrian Royal Court of the seventh century. Then there is the beautiful setting in Northumberland. But the main thing for me is that it is large enough to have a significant community impact and far-reaching ability, but small enough to still have a close knit family feel to it. I feel very lucky to live and work here. Ad Gefrin has a strong vision of what the brand represents and we are a hard-working team continuously working to achieve that.
How have the spirits been received?
So many people, including people new to whisky, say they enjoy them and have put their money where their mouth is by buying them. We were delighted earlier this year in our first entry into the International Wine and Spirits Competition, that Tácnbora won a silver medal – not only that, it was silver in the highly contested ‘World Whisky’ category. Our Corenkyn Whisky Blend and Thirlings Dry Gin also won bronze medals, missing out on silver by only one point each. The competition is seen as the world’s largest and most influential spirits awards, following a rigorous double-blind tasting process conducted by a panel of world-renowned judges with more than 50 years of experience. But at the end of the day, it isn’t just what the experts say, we want our spirits to be as palatable to the those tasting for the first time as for the connoisseur.
What does the future hold for yourself and Ad Gefrin?
My current aim is to keep learning as much as I can, through relevant qualifications and the help of my colleagues who have a range of skill sets. I want to better my ability and become even more confident as a distiller. Being named in Harpers Wine & Spirit 30 Under 30 was a great encouragement, making me more excited about my future career as a distiller – it was very cool to be recognised amongst other canny folk! For Ad Gefrin the future revolves around the launch of our single malt which will be ready from 2026 onwards – or as Ben says ‘it’ll be ready when it is ready’.
QUICK–FIRE QUESTIONS
What is your go-to cocktail?
My favourite is a negroni.
Tell us a hidden gem in the area.
I enjoy sea dips at Sugar Sands at Longhoughton. You can always count on the North Sea for a refreshing cool down after a warm day at the distillery.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
In distilling ‘never assume’. Check and double check. For example, always check any valves you need open or closed and don't assume someone else has done it. In life, live in the present and take each day as it comes.
To shop the range, visit adgefrin.co.uk.
