When husband-and-wife team Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong founded Shortcross in 2012, they started with a mission to redefine what an Irish gin could be, becoming the first gin to be distilled in Northern Ireland.

The gin is distilled in their local village of Crossgar (in Gaelic, Crossgar means ‘the Short Cross’) at the Rademon Estate Distillery which is nestled within the heart of the historic 500-acre estate in County Down. The estate is dense and lush and includes a playground of botanicals providing the Boyd-Armstrongs with wild clover, elderflowers, elderberries, and apples which they forage themselves.

The original still is a 450L copper pot still with two seven plate enrichment columns. The enrichment columns are key to the unique flavors and aromas in Shortcross Gin. It allows the vapour flow to encounter the liquid, helping to separate and pronounce the desired botanicals. In early 2018, to help increase their whiskey production, they installed a new 1,071L copper pot still.

Of course, whiskey is also very important to Shortcross. Their Irish Poitin is created from a unique mash bill using 100% Irish cereals. Shortcross Rye and Malt Irish Whiskey is produced with a mash bill of 100% Irish malted rye and malted barley. Additionally, Shortcross Irish Whiskey Bonding Co. Grafter (Non-Peated) and Shortcross Irish Whiskey Bonding Co. Chancer (Peated) are two of their fine blended Irish Whiskies.