Rademon Estate Distillery
Rademon Estate Distillery is a privately held Northern Ireland craft distillery, founded in 2012, that produces the Shortcross portfolio of gin, Irish whiskey, Irish Poitín, and premixed cocktails for premium consumers, on-trade hospitality, and limited-edition institutional partners across the UK and Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersCrossgar, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rademon Estate Distillery does
Rademon Estate Distillery Limited is a privately held craft spirits producer founded in 2012 by Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong, operating from a 500-acre historic estate at 65 Church Road, Crossgar, County Down, Northern Ireland. The company is the first gin distillery established in Northern Ireland and produces the Shortcross portfolio — gin (Classic, Rosie's Garden, Citrus Drizzle, Bartender Series, Cask Aged), Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitín, and premixed cocktails — alongside limited editions co-developed with partners such as Historic Royal Palaces and Naked Wines.
The distillery operates a proprietary physical production stack consisting of a 450L copper pot still with two 7-plate enrichment columns and a 1,071L copper pot still (installed 2018) with two 10-plate columns plus a Carterhead vapour infusion basket; inputs include foraged estate botanicals (wild clover, elderflower, elderberry) and estate-grown apples blended with water from the historic estate well. Each bottle is hand-bottled and wax-dipped. Technology differentiation is concentrated in distillation architecture and estate provenance rather than digital systems; no APIs, integrations, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.
Revenue is generated through three streams: (i) direct-to-consumer spirit sales via an owned e-commerce bottle shop shipping across Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales; (ii) on-trade wholesale to bars, restaurants and hotels (e.g., Grand Central Hotel Belfast, Edo, Jailhouse Bar); and (iii) experiential services including the Gin & Tonic Masterclass distillery tour, weddings, corporate hire, and virtual cocktail evenings. Pricing visibility is limited, though the Hillsborough Castle limited edition is sold at £40 per bottle. Customer segments centre on premium gin enthusiasts, tourism/experience seekers, and the hospitality trade; the company is exclusively founder-owned with no disclosed institutional funding.
Rademon Estate Distillery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rademon Estate Distillery
- Legal name
- Rademon Estate Distillery Limited
- Website
- https://shortcrossgin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rademon Estate Distillery is a privately held Northern Ireland craft distillery, founded in 2012, that produces the Shortcross portfolio of gin, Irish whiskey, Irish Poitín, and premixed cocktails for premium consumers, on-trade hospitality, and limited-edition institutional partners across the UK and Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rademon Estate Distillery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Distilled Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (31214), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)
Keywords
Where Rademon Estate Distillery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Crossgar
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rademon Estate Distillery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spirit Product Sales: Direct sales of Shortcross Gin products including Classic Gin, Rosie's Garden Gin, Citrus Drizzle, Cask Aged editions, and Irish Poitín through the company's e-commerce store and distillery. Also sold through retail partners and bars/restaurants.
- Distillery Tours and Experiences: Revenue from the Shortcross Experience Gin and Tonic Masterclass Distillery Tour, plus private event bookings for weddings, corporate events, and parties.
- Virtual Cocktail Events: Virtual cocktail evenings where ingredients are shipped to customers for at-home tasting experiences guided by the distillery's gin experts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hillsborough Castle and Gardens Limited Edition Gin |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rademon Estate Distillery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rademon Estate Distillery produces and sells a portfolio of craft spirits under the Shortcross brand — including gin variants, Irish whiskey, Irish Poitín, and premixed cocktails — distilled on-site at a 500-acre estate in County Down using proprietary copper pot stills with enrichment columns and locally foraged botanicals. The company also operates distillery tours, tasting masterclasses, and virtual cocktail events as paid experiences, and distributes through its own e-commerce shop alongside on-trade and exclusive retail partnerships.
Product overview
Rademon Estate Distillery operates as a craft distillery producing a portfolio of spirits under the Shortcross brand, Northern Ireland's first gin distilled in the region. The core product line includes Shortcross Gin (Classic), Rosie's Garden Gin (pink variant), Shortcross Citrus Drizzle, Shortcross Bartenders Gin, and Shortcross Cask Aged Gin (Edition III). The portfolio extends to Shortcross Irish Whiskey, Shortcross Irish Poitín, and Shortcross Premixed Cocktails. Limited edition collaborations include the Hillsborough Castle Gin Edition and Shortcross Angels' Edition for Naked Wines. All products are hand-bottled and wax-dipped at the 500-acre Co. Down estate, utilizing copper pot stills with enrichment columns for distilling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rosie's Garden Gin: First pink gin by Shortcross, naturally flavoured with wild strawberries and raspberries, no added sugar. Awarded double gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
- Citrus Drizzle
- Bartender Series
- Cask Aged Gin
- Shortcross Irish Poitín
- Hillsborough Castle Edition
- Angels' Edition
Products and services
- Shortcross Gin (Classic) Flagship craft gin distilled with Juniper, Coriander, Citrus Peels, Cinnamon and Cassia, blended with water from the historic Rademon estate well; aimed at gin enthusiasts seeking premium Northern Irish craft spirits.
- Rosie's Garden Gin Shortcross's pink gin with no added sugar, naturally flavoured with wild strawberries, raspberries, and vapour-infused lavender and camomile; designed for summer sipping and recognised with a double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
- Shortcross Citrus Drizzle Zesty and uplifting gin expression featuring distilled oranges, lemons and grapefruits combined with apples, pears and blackberries, offering rich berry notes and a lemon sherbet finish.
- Shortcross Bartenders Gin Bartender Series One gin variant designed for professional bartenders and cocktail creation, featured across the Shortcross signature serve recipes.
- Shortcross Cask Aged Gin (Edition III) Cask Aged Gin Edition III distilled in 2018 and rested in cognac liqueur casks for two and a half years, displaying tasting notes of blood orange, chocolate and vanilla.
- Shortcross Irish Whiskey Irish whiskey produced at Rademon Estate Distillery following the maturation of first batches on the original 450L Copper Pot Still after years of gin craft work.
- Shortcross Irish Poitín Premium Irish Poitín distilled from 100% Irish cereals and aged in oak casks, positioned as a smooth and fruity spirit suited to cocktails such as the Poitín Mojito and Poitín Irish Daiquiri.
- Shortcross Premixed Cocktails Ready-to-drink Shortcross cocktails bottled in 200ml packs containing two premium serves each, including Bramble, Classic Aviation, Modern Martinez, and Elderflower Negroni, sold through The Lyric Theatre partnership channel.
- Hillsborough Castle Shortcross Gin Edition Limited edition gin created in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces featuring notes of pear and rosemary, sold exclusively via historicroyalpalaces.com at £40 per bottle.
- Shortcross Angels' Edition Gin Very limited edition gin crafted exclusively for Naked Wines' Angels community, distilled, bottled and labelled at Rademon Estate Distillery and sold via the Naked Wines platform.
- Shortcross Experience Distillery Tour and Masterclass Paid distillery experience — the Shortcross Experience Gin and Tonic Masterclass Distillery Tour — along with virtual cocktail evenings and private events for weddings, parties, and corporate hires; bookings via the distillery website and [email protected].
Quantifiable outcome
- Double Gold Award at San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Rosie's Garden Gin
Companies that use Rademon Estate Distillery
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rademon Estate Distillery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Rademon Estate Distillery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Historic Royal PalacescorePartnership with Historic Royal Palaces (independent charity responsible for Hillsborough Castle care) to create a special Hillsborough Castle and Gardens Shortcross Gin edition. Sold exclusively via www.historicroyalpalaces.com at £40. This collaboration celebrates the historic royal connection and features a signature serve recommendation with pear and rosemary.
- Naked WinescoreCollaboration with Naked Wines to create an exclusive Shortcross X Angels' Edition gin for their community of Angels (wine club members). Distilled, bottled, and labelled exclusively at Rademon Estate Distillery for Naked Wines. A very limited edition carefully crafted for this partnership.
- The Lyric TheatreminorPartnership with The Lyric Theatre for pre-mixed Shortcross cocktails. Shortcross premixed cocktails (200ml bottles with 2 premium serves) available for purchase through this channel, including Classic Aviation and Modern Martinez cocktails.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rademon Estate Distillery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Listoke Distillery: Louth-based Irish craft gin distillery with on-site tours and experiential offerings. Closely comparable DTC and tourism-led business model.
- Echlinville Distillery: Northern Ireland's first licensed whiskey distillery, based in County Down. Closest geographic and operational peer to Rademon, producing premium Irish spirits on the estate with tours and direct-to-consumer retail.
- Boatyard Distillery: Fermanagh-based craft distillery producing Boatyard Double Gin and other spirits. Directly comparable craft Northern Irish producer with on-site distillery experiences and a comparable brand story.
- Copeland Distillery: County Down craft distillery producing Copeland Gin, whiskey and rum. Closely comparable on geography, craft positioning, and multi-spirit portfolio.
- Jawbox Gin: Belfast-origin small-batch Irish gin brand. Competes in the same premium craft Irish gin category as Shortcross with a similar Northern Ireland heritage story.
- Hinch Distillery: Northern Ireland craft distillery (Ballyhinch) producing gin, whiskey and vodka. Comparable craft portfolio, similar on-trade and DTC distribution model.
- Blackwater Distillery: Waterford-based Irish craft gin and vodka producer with a Blackwater Irish Gin SKU that directly competes with Shortcross in on-trade and off-trade.
- Tipperary Boutique Distillery: Small-batch Irish gin producer with estate-grown botanicals and limited editions. Highly comparable craft positioning and on-trade focus.
- Glendalough Distillery: Wicklow-based Irish craft distillery producing premium gin, whiskey and Poitín. Comparable multi-spirit craft portfolio with Poitín overlap.
Broad incumbents
- West Cork Distillers: Established Irish craft distillery with a much larger portfolio of gins, whiskeys and vodkas. Comparable product mix but at materially greater scale, serving as a regional incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rademon Estate Distillery social profiles
Digital presenceRademon Estate Distillery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rademon Estate Distillery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Rademon Estate Distillery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rademon Estate Distillery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rademon Estate Distillery
What does Rademon Estate Distillery do?
Rademon Estate Distillery produces and sells a portfolio of craft spirits under the Shortcross brand — including gin variants, Irish whiskey, Irish Poitín, and premixed cocktails — distilled on-site at a 500-acre estate in County Down using proprietary copper pot stills with enrichment columns and locally foraged botanicals. The company also operates distillery tours, tasting masterclasses, and virtual cocktail events as paid experiences, and distributes through its own e-commerce shop alongside on-trade and exclusive retail partnerships.
Is Rademon Estate Distillery a public or private company?
Rademon Estate Distillery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rademon Estate Distillery founded?
Rademon Estate Distillery was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rademon Estate Distillery based?
Rademon Estate Distillery is headquartered in Crossgar, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Rademon Estate Distillery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Spirit Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are distillery Tours and Experiences and virtual Cocktail Events.
Who are Rademon Estate Distillery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Listoke Distillery, Echlinville Distillery, Boatyard Distillery, Copeland Distillery, Jawbox Gin, Hinch Distillery, Blackwater Distillery, Tipperary Boutique Distillery and Glendalough Distillery. West Cork Distillers is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Rademon Estate Distillery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rademon Estate Distillery.
What industry is Rademon Estate Distillery in?
Rademon Estate Distillery's product category is Craft Distilled Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAG, Distilleries (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 31214 and its SIC code is 5180.