Rademon Estate launches two experimental whiskeys

Northern Ireland’s Rademon Estate distillery has introduced two new whiskeys: Distiller’s Duo and a peated seven-year-old single malt.

Both expressions have been released under the distillery’s Shortcross whiskey brand and have been distilled, matured and bottled at Rademon Estate.

As an industry and category first, Shortcross seven-year-old Irish whiskey is made with peated barley; it is double-pot-distilled and aged in an unusual combination of Cognac and orange liqueur casks.

Rademon is the first distillery in Northern Ireland to produce peated Irish whiskey in more than two generations.

“When we first approached our malt suppliers with a request for peated malt, they each, in turn, told us that we were crazy, that’s not what you want to be doing, and that no one wants peated or smoky Irish whiskey. Of course, the irony now is that peated or smoky Irish whiskey is one of the hottest areas of the category,” said David Boyd-Armstrong, director of distilling and blending at Rademon Estate distillery.

“Speaking to several of the cooperages that we use, we told them that we were seeking a cask type that would be distinctive and unique, and while they suggested several different types, I noticed something that they hadn’t suggested, which was an ex-Cognac and orange liqueur cask.”

The result is ‘a smoky chocolate orange-style whiskey’ with aromas of orange blossom, fresh mint, and tropical fruits on the nose, followed on the palate by additional notes of milk chocolate, orange and sweet smoke.

Limited to fewer than 1,000 bottles annually, the experimental Irish whiskey is bottled at 46% ABV with a suggested retail price of £65 (US$82) for a 700ml bottle.

Distiller’s Duo

Launched alongside the peated expression, the Shortcross five-year-old Distiller’s Duo is a blend of the distillery’s single malt and single pot still whiskeys, matured in ex-Bourbon and virgin American oak casks.

“Crafting the Distiller’s Duo has been a real testament to the quality of the Irish whiskey we produce here at Rademon Estate Distillery. We always look to see how we can take our Irish whiskey and create something truly unique,” said Boyd-Armstrong about the release.

“By combining our single malt and single pot still Irish whiskeys together, we are able to amplify the flavours and aromas of the malt and combine them with the spice and lush mouthfeel of the pot still to create a whiskey that we believe showcases our distillery character in the finest way possible. Uniquely, this is also the first time this blend has been created where both whiskeys have been distilled and matured at the same distillery.”

Shortcross Distiller’s Duo is offered at 46% ABV with a recommended retail price of £55 (US$70) for a 700ml bottle.

Both new releases are available to purchase across the island of Ireland and on the distillery’s official website for worldwide shipping.

Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong founded the Rademon Estate distillery in County Down in 2012, followed by the launch of Shortcross Irish whiskey in 2021.