FDBusiness.com

The Irish Whiskey Association has welcomed the news that US distiller Brown Forman, the company behind the Jack Daniel’s brand, has announced a €44 million investment in Slane Castle Irish Whiskey. The partnership between Brown Forman and the Conyngham family will create 25 permanent jobs, in addition to construction jobs, and will have a positive impact on employment and tourism in the local area.

Last month the Irish Whiskey Association set out the industry’s ambition for the future of the sector and outlined a clear strategy to ensure continued growth with the ‘Vision for Irish Whiskey’ document. The Association announced that there were 26 new or proposed distilleries across Ireland and that annual exports of Irish whiskey are now valued at over €300 million, up 220% since 2003.

Miriam Mooney of the Irish Whiskey Association says: “Investment in Slane Castle Irish Whiskey from major US distillers Brown Forman is a very promising development for the Irish whiskey sector and our ambitious strategy for its future. The proposed new distillery will bring investment and employment to the Boyne Valley area and will have a positive knock-on effect for hotels, restaurants and tourism in general. Last month we set out our ambition to grow whiskey tourism in Ireland from 600,000 visitors to 800,000 and to increase employment by 30% by 2025 and investments such as this will help make those ambitions a reality. We are delighted for the Conyngham family and wish them their very best of luck and success in their new partnership with Brown Forman.”

Formed in March 2014, the Irish Whiskey Association provides a forum for all operators, new and old, to come together to share expertise and cooperate in building the Irish whiskey category brand. It is an all-island organisation open to all operators.