Radius Distillery

About the distillery

Radius Distillery is a Danish distillery at Oremandsgaard Manor near Præstø, where gin, aquavit, and whisky are made using copper stills, organic raw materials, and water from its own spring. The site has grown from a kitchen-table project into a manor-house distillery, and the whisky is closely linked to the manor’s fields, the apple orchard, and the casks stored in the loft. For whisky lovers, it’s especially interesting because ingredients, distillation, and experiments are brought together under the same roof.

History

Radius began in 2016, when Kristian and Flemming bought their first copper still in Germany, even though the trip was really just supposed to be a look. The still was named Ellen, after Kristian’s grandmother, and in the first years they worked late into the evenings alongside their day jobs in the pharmaceutical industry. The early breakthrough came with batch 18, where Holsteiner Cox, rose petals, fennel, and lemon zest produced a gin with international gravitas and a silver medal at San Francisco.

In 2018, an article about Oremandsgaard Manor led to contact with August, and the collaboration grew quickly. The old horse stable was chosen as the distillery’s home, and in 2019 Radius moved onto the estate near Præstø. That same year, the collaboration with the local area became clear when a poor apple harvest was turned into a collection scheme, which ended up with 36 tons of garden apples. In 2020, the distillery seriously turned its focus toward whisky, using water from its own spring, its own grown barley, and salt-sedge peat from the shoreline meadows, which is smoked over applewood chips from trimming the apple orchard. In 2021, it planted its own apple orchard with 12 hectares and 17 old Danish varieties, and in 2023 it received Queen Margrethe on a visit.

Raw materials and production

Radius works with copper stills and maintains close contact with the raw material. In the middle of the distillery, two specially designed Müller copper column pot stills stand: Helga at 2,500 liters and Ellen at 250 liters. The stills are equipped with patented technology, designed to draw even the most fleeting aromas cleanly and intensely into the spirit. The distillers shape the flavor with a steady hand, and development happens through testing and tasting, until the expression is clearly defined.

The raw materials are closely connected to Oremandsgaard Manor. The land has been farmed organically since 1967, and the distillery uses local herbs, fruit, and grain, as well as water from its own spring. Apples take up a great deal of the story, and the distillery also works with sea buckthorn and skirret in experiments. On the estate, there is also salt-sedge peat in the shoreline meadows, which is smoked over applewood chips from pruning the apple orchard. This provides a clear example of how Radius links its surroundings directly to the taste and craftsmanship.

Maturation and cask types

The whisky is tied to maturing in the loft at Oremandsgaard Manor, and the distillery works with different casks and formats. Among the documented examples are a 500-liter sherry Oloroso cask, a 190-liter ex-Jack Daniels cask, and a 225-liter cask 108, which is part of a single malt cask batch. Radius therefore uses both previously used bourbon casks and sherry casks in its whisky work, and maturation is part of a larger experimental program.

Whiskies

The range is broad, but whisky is already a clear part of the house. The selection includes, among other things, a 6-year corn whisky in cask 49 in a sherry Oloroso cask, a first bottling of 6-year corn whisky in an ex-Jack Daniels cask, a 12-year whisky cask batch, and a single malt cask batch in cask 108. This shows a program that includes both bottles for purchase and shares in casks. At the same time, Radius is still strongly rooted in gin and aquavit, so the whisky sits in an environment where citrus, apple, dill, and juniper are also part of the house’s language.

General tasting profile

fruitiness is described as Apple and citrus appear again and again, and batch 18 was made with Holsteiner Cox, rose petals, fennel, and lemon zest. smoke is described as Salt-sedge peat and applewood chips are used in production. spices are described as Fennel is mentioned in batch 18, and cumin appears in the product range. maritime is described as Salt-sedge peat from the shoreline meadows is included in the distillery’s raw-material story. floral is described as Rose petals and local herbs are documented elements of the distillery’s flavor expression.

Visit the distillery

Radius can be visited in Præstø at Oremandsgaard Manor. Guided tours and tastings are offered, where guests get very close to the copper stills, see the process, and taste several of the house’s gins. The visit lasts about 1.5 hours, and requires a minimum of 6 people or by agreement. The shop is open Thursday to Friday from 10:00–15:00 and Saturday from 12:00–15:00, while Monday to Wednesday is by appointment and Sunday is closed. Visits are also arranged for companies, groups of friends, and associations.

The stated opening hours are Monday–Wednesday by appointment; Thursday–Friday 10:00–15:00; Saturday 12:00–15:00; Sunday closed. The tour and tasting last about 1.5 hours and require a minimum of 6 people or an appointment.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

Radius works with craftsmanship as its starting point and lets experimentation be part of the method. The distillery describes itself as both a workshop and a distillery, where you work closely with the raw material and far from mass production. Organic principles, precision, and ongoing tasting are central choices, and the local natural surroundings are actively used as a source of both raw materials and inspiration.

Sustainability

The land at Oremandsgaard Manor has been farmed organically since 1967.
The distillery uses pesticide-free raw materials and water from its own spring.
Its own 12-hectare apple orchard with 17 old Danish apple varieties has been planted close to the distillery.

Prices and awards

• Silver medal (Silver, Batch 18)