Rademon Estate Distillery
Rademon Estate Distillery is an estate distillery producing award-winning Shortcross Gin and a growing range of Shortcross Irish Whiskey expressions, set in the rolling hills at 65 Church Road, Crossgar, County Down, Northern Ireland. Founded by married couple Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong, who spent 2012 researching the global distilling industry before ordering their signature copper pot still from Christian Carl in Germany in January 2013. The estate itself has roots dating to AD 565, with the original house built in 1667. Shortcross Gin launched in April 2014 and gained rapid critical recognition; the whiskey programme has since matured into several compelling aged single malt expressions.
[!info] The founded date of 2014 reflects the April 2014 launch of Shortcross Gin. Distillery foundations were laid in 2012–2013.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong began researching the global distilling industry in earnest during 2012, visiting distilleries and researching production methods to develop their vision for an estate distillery in County Down. In January 2013 they ordered a bespoke copper pot still from Christian Carl in Germany. Shortcross Gin officially launched in April 2014, with the distillery's botanicals including locally-foraged species from the Rademon Estate grounds — elderflower, clover, and fresh apple among them.
The gin quickly attracted national and international awards. The whiskey programme was initiated alongside gin production, with the spirit maturing in a range of cask types on the estate. The first major whiskey releases — including the 7 Year Old Single Malt — marked a significant step in Northern Ireland's craft whiskey renaissance. The Peated Single Malt 5 Year Old and the distinctive Cask Strength Rye & Malt expression broadened the portfolio with range and innovation.
Production
Rademon Estate Distillery produces whiskey and gin using its Christian Carl copper pot stills. For gin, locally-foraged botanicals from the Rademon Estate grounds are used alongside more conventional botanicals, giving the Shortcross Gin its distinctive terroir-driven character. Whiskey production covers multiple styles: unpeated single malt, peated single malt, and a rye and malt hybrid expression in cask strength. Maturation uses a range of cask types, and whiskey production is aged on the estate.
Tasting Character
Shortcross Gin is characterised by the estate's local botanicals — elderflower and fresh apple bring a distinctive delicacy alongside the juniper backbone, making it a restrained and elegant gin. Shortcross Irish Whiskey spans multiple styles: the 7 Year Old Single Malt is the flagship aged expression, reflecting the estate's unhurried approach to maturation; the Peated Single Malt 5 Year Old adds a gentle smoky dimension; and the Cask Strength Rye & Malt is the most distinctive, blending rye spice with Irish malt complexity at full distillery strength.
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Shortcross Original Irish Gin£22.00 — Flagship gin; locally-foraged botanicals including elderflower and apple; award-winning
- Shortcross Single Malt Irish Whiskey 7 Year Old£58.50 — First major aged release; the benchmark for the whiskey programme
- Shortcross Peated Single Malt 5 Year Old£58.50 — Gently smoked; Irish peated single malt
- Shortcross Cask Strength Rye & Malt£58.50 — Distinctive hybrid expression; rye spice and malt complexity at full strength
- Shortcross Single Malt Cask Strength£115.95 — Full-strength single malt expression
Visiting
The Shortcross Gin and Whiskey Distillery Tour is a fully immersive guided tour of the distillery and production process, including gin distilling. The Visitor Centre is open, offering the tour and tasting experience. Online shop at rademonestatedistilleryshop.com; physical shop on site at Crossgar, County Down.
Official Website
