World Duty Free offers a taste of Northern Ireland with latest gin addition

George Best Belfast City Airport has facilitated a commercial relationship between World Duty Free and Northern Ireland’s Rademon Estate Distillery.

The retailer is now stocking Shortcross Gin at its duty free store in the Departures Lounge at Belfast City, as well as at a number of its other airport shops in the UK. These are London Heathrow, London Stansted, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

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Shortcross Gin is now available in World Duty Free in the Departures Lounge of Belfast City Airport

It is also available through World Duty Free’s online Reserve & Collect Service and Shop & Collect Service whereby passengers can pre-order or pre-purchase their items for collection upon travel.

Belfast City Airport Commercial Manager Joanne Deighan said the airport had been working on getting the retailer and craft gin company together for some time. She commented: “Having such a strong local brand take centre stage in terminal at World Duty Free provides a huge platform for the brand with tourists now able to take it home and enjoy a taste of Northern Ireland.

“It is a fantastic location for Shortcross Gin to significantly enhance awareness of the brand beyond Northern Ireland.

“However, we didn’t stop there and conversations progressed to ensure that the brand achieved a presence in additional World Duty Free units across the UK which is a huge coup for a local, family owned business.

“We are committed to supporting local goods and providing producers with the chance to reach new markets. So in this Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink, it gives us great pride to have played such a key role in showcasing one of the most distinctive local products to a global audience.”

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Long and smooth finish: Shortcross Gin is described as a classic gin with a twist

World Duty Free Liquor Buying Manager UK Nigel Sandals said: “We are very selective over which products we stock at World Duty Free, but for us Shortcross is a brand that fits in well with our own growth strategy and the demand from customers for local produce to take home and enjoy after their trip has ended.

“For Belfast City Airport, the availability of Shortcross Gin creates a strong Sense of Place, and I’m sure it will be a big hit with both visitors and regular passengers.”

Shortcross Gin is produced at the Rademon Estate Distillery just outside Downpatrick, Co. Down. It was founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong. Brand ambassadors will be in Belfast City Airport this month to enable passengers to sample the product in the World Duty Free store.

David Boyd-Armstrong, who is also the head distiller, said: “Shortcross Gin has been created as a classic gin with a unique twist; best described as floral meadows, wild berries and grassy notes. It is highly aromatic with an exceptionally long and smooth finish.

“It has been an exciting year for us and our presence in World Duty Free in Belfast City Airport and across the UK is a landmark development which ensures that Shortcross Gin and Ireland’s distilling heritage will be internationally recognised.”

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