The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey
Irish WhiskeyIssue 155

Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey

Shortcross · Rademon Estate Distillery

92 proofNASCrossgar, County Down, Northern Ireland
A quietly confident bottling that proves rye belongs in the Irish conversation. Estate-grown grain, careful distillation, and no gimmicks — just craft holding shape.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh-baked rye bread crust, orchard pear, cracked black pepper, and a whisper of green stem. Buttery pastry rises underneath, edged with orange oil and a light dusting of clove.

Palate

A firm, oily arrival — rye spice laced with malted barley sweetness. Baking spices unfold into candied ginger, toasted almond, and honeyed cereal. Midpalate carries a distinct minerality, with cracked pepper and dried apricot lingering behind the grain.

Finish

Medium-long, drying gently with clove, toasted oak, and a return of rye's peppery snap. A trace of vanilla and orange peel keeps it lifted.

Specifications
Distillation
Double distilled
Maturation
Matured in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and virgin American oak casks
Single Pot Still
No
Chill-Filtered
No
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

The Binding — 2 oz Shortcross Rye & Malt, 0.75 oz dry oloroso sherry, 0.25 oz honey syrup (2:1), 2 dashes orange bitters. Stir with ice for 25 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, express an orange peel over the surface and drop in.

Food Pairing

Roast pheasant with braised red cabbage and toasted hazelnuts, or a sharp aged Coolea cheese with rye crackers and honeycomb.

The Story

Founded in 2012 by siblings Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong on the family's Rademon Estate in County Down, Shortcross grows a portion of its own barley and rye on-site — one of the very few Irish distilleries pursuing genuine estate-to-bottle whiskey production.

Train These Aromas
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