With globally acclaimed Jameson Irish whiskey underpinning its success, Irish Distillers is spearheading the resurgence of Irish whiskey, worldwide. The maker of the renowned, top-selling Jameson brand exports its whiskeys on a global scale, with distribution spanning more than 130 markets. The company’s profound dedication to craftsmanship, steadfast commitment to sustainability, and passion for creating exceptional beverages enjoyed throughout the world hinge on a rich heritage of over 240 years of excellence.
Steadfast in its belief in producing the finest whiskey, globally, Irish Distillers proudly upholds Ireland’s esteemed whiskey-making traditions, across operations in Cork, Dublin, and Belfast. The company continues to draw inspiration from its founders’ enduring legacy, whilst upholding uncompromising standards, remaining fiercely dedicated to safeguarding its craft and family ethos in producing the finest of whiskies.
In this interview with Simon Fay, Business Acceleration Director at Irish Distillers, he discusses the company’s stewardship of iconic brands like Jameson and their commitment to preserving heritage and quality, as well as new initiatives to further endear Irish whiskey as a lauded libation of choice to drinkers from all corners of the world. Fay emphasizes the blend of tradition and innovation that ensures each whiskey maintains its esteemed reputation, globally.
Fay also explores Irish Distillers’ role in the resurgence of Irish whiskey on a global scale, detailing strategies that drive growth and recognition in markets, worldwide. Fay highlights the distinctive qualities of Irish whiskey, such as its smoothness and robust flavor, and its roots in customary craftsmanship, made from Ireland’s finest natural resources.
Furthermore, he touches upon the significance of Asian markets, particularly Japan, in their business strategy, sharing insights into market reception and future expansion plans tailored to meet growing demand in these regions.
Bridges: Irish Distillers is known for producing some of the most iconic Irish whiskeys, including Jameson. Can you elaborate on what it means to represent such prestigious brands and how you maintain the heritage and quality associated with them?
Simon Fay: Although a small country of 5.2 million people, Ireland has a rich heritage of craft and is known the world over for its quality produce, including of course, our whiskey. The story of Irish whiskey really is a remarkable story of passion, resilience, and innovation.When a series of external and political events resulted in a decline in the category in the early part of the 20th Century, three whiskey distilling families came together in 1966 to form Irish Distillers and begin sowing the seeds for growth, a vision that still drives us today.
Having built a reputation for unrivalled quality over hundreds of years, the Irish whiskey category is now a thriving industry worldwide. In 2021, 14 million cases of Irish whiskey (168 million bottles) were sold globally, an increase of 21% from 2020. In 2023, sales surpassed the 15 million, 9 litre case threshold globally, growing +2.8% vs. 2022. Jameson represents 67% of Irish whiskey sales. As the category leader, we at Irish Distillers take our role in maintaining that reputation very seriously.
All of our award-winning Irish whiskeys such as Jameson, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare and the Spot range are produced under the watchful eye of our skilled team at our distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork in Ireland. We are fortunate to have distillate recipes developed and perfected over generations, that we still live by to this day, ensuring we maintain the legacy and quality that defines our brands.We marry heritage and innovation as we continue on our enduring mission to craft excellence with our brands, igniting a passion for Irish whiskey among consumers worldwide.
We’ve been welcoming visitors from around the world to Midleton for more than 30 years and our newly renovated experience, Midleton Distillery Experience, brings visitors on a journey where they learn more about our past, our present, and our future. Midleton Distillery Experience is the heart and soul of Irish whiskey and offers behind-the-scenes tours of the distillery, prestige portfolio tastings, cocktail making masterclasses and an Irish Whiskey Academy on the site of the original distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork. It is also home to all seven of our brands and visitors can experience what our whiskeys have to offer in a world-class, multi-sensory whiskey experience that encapsulates the history and heritage of Midleton Distillery. It is definitely not to be missed, if you’re visiting Co. Cork in Ireland!
I think I can speak on behalf of all of us in the business when I say I take genuine pleasure and pride in representing our family of brands which are so deeply rooted in Ireland’s history and culture. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues in markets across the world, including in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, South East Asia and beyond, to further unlock awareness and excitement in our brands and introduce new consumers to the world of Irish whiskey.
Irish Distillers exports its whiskeys to over 130 markets worldwide. How are your brands contributing to the global renaissance of Irish whiskey, and what strategies have you implemented to ensure continuous growth and recognition on an international scale?
The formation of Irish Distillers in 1966 was really the catalyst for the global renaissance of Irish whiskey when three whiskey distilling families came together. When Irish Distillers was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 1988, Pernod Ricard accelerated Jameson’s presence in the world allowing consumers to access its taste profile across many international markets. This was a pivotal moment in our history for Irish Distillers and for the Irish whiskey category, most notably for Jameson Irish Whiskey, as it put Irish whiskey firmly back on the global spirit map. This renaissance has seen the category become the fastest growing whiskey category over the last five years by volume, representing 11% of the total premium + global whisky category. The potential for future growth is enormous.
Jameson, the world’s bestselling and most awarded Irish whiskey, is truly driving the success of the category, globally. To give context to the brand’s growth, if we look back to 1996, we sold one million cases of Jameson; by 2010 we reached three million cases, and in 2022 we surpassed the 10 million case mark. Sales of Jameson represent 67% of the Irish whiskey market share by value and volume and the reason for this success is simple: taste. Jameson is the perfect balance of spicy, nutty, and vanilla notes with hints of sweet sherry, and it boasts world-renowned exceptional smoothness.
Our reputation for quality and craft is what inspires brand loyalty and encourages our consumers to become part of the Irish Distillers family.
Simon Fay, Business Acceleration Director at Irish Distillers
Its accessible and smooth taste has been supported by determined brand building over decades. Our strategy has been laser-focused on growing the Jameson brand and awareness and this is why Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey, a Top 3 selling international whiskey brand and a Top 10 international spirits brand .And as we look to the future, we will continue with our brand
building strategy, introducing even more consumers in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America to the taste of Jameson Irish whiskey and the rest of the Irish Distillers portfolio.
We are incredibly proud to lead the continued growth of an iconic Irish product that is truly loved the world over.
What are the key characteristics that distinguish Irish whiskey from other types of whiskey and what makes a whiskey uniquely Irish? Additionally, could you highlight some of your other brands and their unique attributes that set them apart in the market?
Irish whiskey is a premium product, made only on the island of Ireland and it has been distilled here since the 6th Century, making it one of the world’s oldest spirits. The liquid is famed for its light and silky mouthfeel and ranges in colour from pale gold to dark amber. One unique feature of Irish whiskey is the fact that it is typically distilled three times; giving it that distinct, smooth taste. It is a product steeped in craft and made with the finest quality ingredients.
Our team in Midleton embrace the unique qualities and traditions that make Irish whiskey what it is, while introducing innovative ideas through unexpected ingredients, partnerships, and combinations, to provide whiskey drinkers with new and exciting expressions – but never compromising on quality. We have a very strong award-winning portfolio of brands, and each brand performs a unique role. The diversity of our whole portfolio of premium, super-premium, prestige and luxury Irish whiskeys ensures that there is something to appeal to both new and existing Irish whiskey drinkers.
Loved across the world, Jameson is triple distilled for its signature smoothness and aged in oak casks to give the liquid its distinctive balance of spicy, nutty, and vanilla notes. Our growing Jameson family offers a broad range of expressions that appeal to a wide range of consumers and occasions, including the widely loved Jameson Black Barrel, a liquid crafted from carefully selected, older, and distinct batches of whiskey from Midleton Distillery, before being finished in double charred black barrels and vigilantly watched over by our experts to deliver the most exceptional flavour. The result is a sublimely smooth taste that would not be possible without our team’s knowledge and that of their predecessors.
Jameson’s success on the global scale has also raised the profile and supported the growth of the Irish whiskey category more broadly, as is evidenced by the growth of our entire portfolio of Irish whiskeys, particularly our prestige portfolio, which experienced +22% growth in the 2023 financial year. This growth has occurred as an increasing appetite to try and experience new things is seeing consumers leaning into the experiential enjoyment of premium products, seeking out more elevated offerings from their favourite brands.Higher-end Irish whiskeys, and single pot still whiskeys, in particular, are now being established as the drink of choice for connoisseurs and collectors around the world.
Our prestige portfolio is led by Redbreast Irish Whiskey, which is the largest selling and most awarded Single Pot Still Irish whiskey in the world and is currently ranked number five by value in the top Irish whiskeys globally (IWSR 2023). Redbreast’s appeal lies in embracing the craft of the “Single Pot Still”, whereby a mixed mash of malted and unmalted barley is distilled in a pot still on the site of a single distillery, maintaining the heritage of Irish whiskey production that has been cherished since the 1800s.
This dedication to tradition and heritage, combined with an eye for innovation, has earned Redbreast its reputation as the definitive expression of the traditional Irish spirit. A well-balanced, mellow liquid that perfectly combines the succulence of rich fruit, complemented with notes of spices and toasted wood, Redbreast’s unique DNA and expressions ensure there is a whiskey for every consumer, from our flagship age statements, such as our signature 12 Year Old bottling, to our limited editions, such as our recent Cuatro Barriles Edition, a Global Travel Retail exclusive as part of the Redbreast Iberian Series, to the pinnacle of our range, our Dream Cask Series, available in limited numbers for whiskey aficionados.
Midleton Very Rare, a brand steeped in history and the most premium whiskey in our portfolio, is considered the pinnacle of luxury Irish whiskey. It delivers the ultimate luxury experience in Irish whiskey, as evidenced through our ultra-high-end releases. In 2023,The Pinnacle Vintage, a single exceptionally rare and unique bottle of Midleton Very Rare sold via NFT for $130,000, showing a genuine demand for ultra-luxurious, aged, and genuinely rare Irish whiskeys.
We also recently launched Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Five, one of the oldest and rarest expressions of Irish whiskey. Increased supply of luxury and exclusive Irish whiskeys such as the Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection, has elevated the category’s offering. And while premium Irish whiskey expressions are becoming increasingly prominent, Irish whiskey only represents a small percentage of the premium whisky market globally and we see this as an immense opportunity.
Asian markets, including Japan, have shown increasing interest in Irish whiskey. How have these markets received your products, and what is the significance of these markets in your overall business strategy? Can you share any specific initiatives or plans you have for expanding in Asia?
Yes, we certainly have a lot to be excited about in this region. While Irish whiskey is still a relatively new category in Asia, new consumers are discovering our brands every day in markets all across Asia. In fact, while Irish whiskey has expanded in all regions over the last five years we have seen strongest momentum in Asia. Jameson in particular, has been growing significantly in Asia, having experienced +56% growth in our last financial year (FY23).India is now poised to become our second biggest market for Jameson, and we see huge opportunity for growth in Asia over the next 10+ years, especially in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and South East Asia.
Our reputation for quality and craft is what inspires brand loyalty and encourages our consumers to become part of the Irish Distillers family. As we seek to introduce new consumers in new markets, education and awareness is key. Our committed brand building campaign has already proven extremely successful in markets across North America, Europe and Africa, and we are already expanding this model to Asian markets, including Japan, Korea and China. We have rolled out our global Jameson Distillery on Tour pop-up in Seoul; introduced a limited-edition Japan exclusive launch of Jameson, co-designed by Japanese musician, SIRUP; connected with our consumers via cultural activations at music festivals, and collaborated with brands to bring our Jameson Connects experiential platform to life in Chengdu, Xiamen, and Beijing, among other exciting initiatives.
We are optimistic about future growth in Japan and, more broadly, in Asia.
