Meet the NI powerhouse couple behind a decade of hugely successful whiskey
The couple are perhaps best known for their award winning gin, but the whiskey side of the business has been quietly maturing – much like the liquid gold in their casks.
During the 10 years since the first casks of Shortcross Irish Whiskey were produced, one thing has remained ever-present at the Rademon Estate Distillery – a dedicated pursuit of excellence.
Husband and wife team, David and Fiona Boyd-Armstrong are passionate about the drinks they produce on the historic Crossgar estate and no less excited about seeing the brand on supermarket shelves now than they were over a decade ago.
The couple are perhaps best known for their award winning Shortcross Gin, but the whiskey side of the business has been quietly maturing – much like the liquid gold in their casks.
Self-confessed gin fanatic David said that the decision to branch into the whiskey world came from a determination to diversify the Shortcross brand and create a stronger, more sustainable business.
David said, “I had started to fall a little bit in love with whiskey, and Fiona always maintains we should do what we love, so we began to make whiskey.”
They began using, what is believed to be one of the smallest copper pot stills on the island of Ireland – just 450 litres in size – in June 2015.
Back then, David and Fiona were told that making an Irish whiskey was probably not a good idea.
“Now it’s one of the hottest things out there,” said David. “In some ways we were raising the flag before anyone else.
“We are now the seventh or eighth oldest distillery on the island, which is a little scary.”
In a market dominated by many big global names David and Fiona say that the challenge is to be every bit as good as them - and then a little bit better.
“We aim to win on quality and flavour, so we are obsessive about both of these aspects,” said David.
The Shortcross method to making whiskey is centred on creating flavour and aroma at every stage, including their double-distilled approach.
They believe it is an ethos that sets them apart from other distillers, and a reason why the distillery continues to attract visitors from far and wide.
With the distillery featured on Tourism Northern Ireland’s NI Spirits Trail and Distillery Passport, Shortcross Gin Discovery & Tour Experience is a popular choice for whiskey and gin aficionados.
David said: “Our gin tours are great fun and people come ready to have a good time. They want to learn about how gin is made, and then they want to see how gin is showcased with gin and tonic and relax and enjoy a cocktail or two at our bar.
“With the whiskey tours, it’s a little different, you often get people who are collectors – it’s their passion.
“They love all the little details right down to the size and the volumes of everything – the more detail the better.
“We take people throughout the journey of our actual flavour creation - that's what sets us apart.
“With both tours we’re introducing people that an hour beforehand didn't know each other, and then all of a sudden they're relaxing and enjoying a drink.”
Those friendships are forged on the historic Rademon Estate just outside Crossgar. In many ways the estate, which dates back to AD 565, is the key ingredient in both the whiskey and gin that is created there.
Wild botanicals grown and foraged in the nearby lush green fields, blooming gardens and dense forests all go into Shortcross gin, including wild clover, apple, elderflower and elderberry. Fiona and David create all their whiskey on the premises – something they see as a badge of honour.
As visitors arrive, they make their way across a stone bridge over the Ballynahinch river, up the winding forest path and onto the distillery grounds, it’s like a step back in time.
But despite the ancient setting, the distillery prides itself on its innovation and sustainability as it looks to forge a long-lasting future.
“For our first release of the Shortcross Whiskey, we waited seven years until we released our first product,” explained Fiona.
“So, whenever you see a bottle of Shortcross Irish Whiskey, all of it has been made on site here, and that is something we are immensely proud of.
“For Belfast Whiskey Month, during the summer, we released a seven-year-old single malt, which was rested for five years in the bourbon cask and two years in a more enlightened stout cask.
“That's what we are all about - creating flavours.
“Everything we have done has been all about creating something very unique, capturing flavour and the essence of Shortcross.”
There is an old saying about keeping one eye on the past and another on the future. What has happened in the past – the creation of a whiskey waiting to be bottled – is very important but so too is innovating for the future.
“I think that cask by cask, we will continue to be passionate about telling our story. It never ends. There is always something else that's going to be coming down the line,” said David.
“We have a bright future driven by innovation and by also trying to bring back those flavours that have been lost to time.”
One such innovation came following the purchase of a cognac and orange liqueur cask, which was filled with whiskey and left to fully mature for seven years. The result was an amazing, smoky whiskey, added to with the influence of cognac and orange liqueur coming through.
“That was the first time in the world anyone has ever done anything like that before, and people were asking ‘What is this?’,” said Fiona.
“It’s like drinking a smoky chocolate orange, it's just beautiful,” added David.
You need patience to be a distiller – you could make a whiskey and not see it for 10 years. Patience is something that the Boyd-Armstrongs have in abundance.
“You don’t ever think about the wait because there is always something else to be done, but with those big milestones of three years, five years, seven years and now 10 years, you certainly look back with a sense of amazement.
“We still get so excited when we see our product, sitting on a shelf in a bar, in a supermarket or at the airport.
“Our objective has always been to be as well travelled as our spirits, so when we see Shortcross exported all over the world, it is something really special for us,” said David.
Supported by Tourism NI in partnership with Food NI, twelve distilleries which are all featured on the NI Spirits Trail and Distillery Passport, are hosting bespoke, seasonal events this October in collaboration with talented chefs and local food producers.
Shortcross have teamed up with local chef, Roy Abraham from the Smuggler’s Table in Killyleagh to create Dine at the Distillery on Saturday, 11 October at the distillery, an event where guests can enjoy four courses of seasonal food, three Shortcross serves and welcome canapes.
“The NI Spirits Trail has been brilliant - we get to share our world class product and experience with visitors from all over the world,” said David.
“Shortcross will only ever be made here at our home, so it gives people a reason to come out and see us. That is something really special and we look forward to sharing it with guests at our October Dine at the Distillery event.”
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