Shortcross Gin

Wild clover for Shortcross Gin is foragedForagingPlants gathered by hand in the wild (woods, heath, coastline) rather than grown or bought in.Glossary on Rademon Estate, and apples are picked from its walled garden. Elderflowers and elderberries join them in the recipe, alongside juniper, coriander, citrus peels, cinnamon and cassia.

Citrus · Spicy · Floral · Fruity

The gin is led by juniper. Elderflowers and elderberries contribute floral and sweet notes, and the walled-garden apples add a gentle fruitiness. Citrus peels bring freshness, while cinnamon and cassia give a warm spice, all carried by an oily texture into a long, smooth finish.

Water for blending comes from the estate's historic well. The original copper pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary holds 450 litres and has two seven-plate enrichment columns; a second, 1,071-litre copper still with two ten-plate columns was installed in 2018. Bottles are filled and dipped in wax by hand.

Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong founded Rademon Estate Distillery in 2012, and Shortcross Gin launched locally on 11 April 2014. Its name comes from nearby Crossgar, whose Irish name means short cross. The gin is bottled at 46% ABV at the estate distillery near Crossgar, in County Down.

For the signature drink, fill a balloon glassCopa glassA large stemmed balloon glass, popularised by the Spanish gin and tonic: it stays cold for longer and gathers the aromas above the drink.Glossary three-quarters with ice, then pour in 5 cl gin and 10 cl Fentimans Elderflower Tonic Water. Rub an orange peel around the inside of the glass, lightly slap a fresh mint sprig between your hands and add it. Elderflower tonic builds on the gin's floral character and the orange peel leaves its citrus oils on the glass, while the mint adds a fresh herbal aroma without obscuring the long finish.