Rademon Estate Distillery — County Down Single Malt Whisky

Rademon Estate Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery located near Crossgar, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 2015 and is currently owned and run by its founders, David and Fiona Boyd-Armstrong. It is best known as the home of Shortcross Gin and Shortcross Whiskey, and is widely cited as one of the first new whiskey distilleries to open in Northern Ireland in decades.

History

David and Fiona Boyd-Armstrong spent 2012 researching the global drinks industry before converting outbuildings on the historic Rademon Estate — a property with roots dating back centuries, with the current estate house built in 1667 — into a working distillery. They first launched Shortcross Gin, distilled in a bespoke 450-litre hybrid copper pot still with two enrichment columns and seven individually controllable bubble plates, made using foraged and estate-grown botanicals alongside traditional gin ingredients. The gin's early success established the site as Northern Ireland's first craft distillery of its kind. In 2015 the Boyd-Armstrongs began distilling whiskey on the estate, producing both single malt and single pot still spirit, and Shortcross whiskey stocks were laid down to mature in a range of cask types. The distillery has since expanded its still capacity, adding further copper pot stills to increase whiskey production, and in 2024 opened a dedicated Visitor Experience Centre, distillery shop, and tour programme, inviting the public to visit "the home of Shortcross" for the first time.

Quick Facts

• Region: County Down, Northern Ireland
• Founded: 2015
• Owner: David and Fiona Boyd-Armstrong (independent, family-owned)
• Status: Active
• Stills: 450-litre hybrid copper pot still (with two enrichment columns) plus additional traditional copper pot stills added for whiskey production

Core Range

Rademon Estate's whiskey range is sold under the Shortcross name. Core expressions include the Shortcross Single Malt, double-distilled from 100% Irish malted barley in the estate's copper pot still; the Shortcross Single Pot Still, a fruit-forward pot still Irish whiskey with honeyed malt and chocolate notes; the Shortcross Distillers' Duo — 5 Year Old (46% ABV), a blend of single pot still and single malt whiskies matured in ex-bourbon and virgin American oak casks; and the Shortcross Peated Single Malt — 5 Year Old (46% ABV). The distillery is also well known for its flagship Shortcross Gin, still produced alongside the whiskey range.