Agriculture minister attends Irish Whiskey awards
The Irish Whiskey Association, the Ibec trade association working to promote, protect and represent the Irish Whiskey category globally, held its biennial chairman’s awards last night (Thursday, November 14).
The awardees, selected by a panel of industry experts, represent those who have contributed to the growth and success of the Irish Whiskey sector over the years.
The recipients of the awards, presented on the night by James Doherty, Sliabh Liag Distillers and chair of the Irish Whiskey Association, were:
- John Quinn of Tullamore Dew;
- David Quinn of Irish Distillers;
- Miriam Mooney of the Irish Whiskey Association;
- Johnny Harte of Five Farms Irish Cream;
- Aoife Clarke of Suntory Global Spirits;
- Brian Watts (posthumous) of Great Northern Distillery.
The 2024 awards also mark 700 years since the publication of the Red Book of Ossory, an ancient religious manuscript which contains the first recorded reference to distilling in Ireland.
"The total export value of our sector will exceed €900 million this year. This is a remarkable achievement given the very challenging international market arena for spirits at present.
Director of the Irish Whiskey Association, Eoin Ó Catháin said: “The awards celebrate those who have tirelessly advanced Irish Whiskey’s success, as can be seen in the sector’s growth over the last decade.
"The future growth potential of Irish Whiskey sector, with many new and establishing distilleries, needs to be underpinned by a supportive government approach and state-agency-backing in market development and investment," he added.
Irish Whiskey distilleries had another landmark year for their visitor centres and distillery experiences, welcoming over 800,000 visitors in 2024 right across the country.
2025 will further mark '700 Years of Irish Whiskey Tradition', a campaign which is supported by Tourism Ireland.
"We are further heartened to see Irish Whiskey find favour in new and emerging markets; Poland now ranks as our second-largest market, surpassing even Ireland, while South Africa, Japan, and India have experienced significant sales growth in recent years," O'Catháin continued.
"The US remains our largest export market, accounting for 46% of total exports, and we are committed to building on the historic relationship that has made Irish Whiskey a firm favourite among US consumers for decades.
"We hope that with government and industry support, Irish Whiskey can continue to showcase Irish passion, craft, and excellence around the world and drive exports, job creation and tourism visitor numbers in the wider economy.”
The guest speakers at the awards were Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and the US Ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin.
Ambassador Cronin said: “The story of US-Irish economic ties in the whiskey industry is a story of mutual appreciation and innovation, and a spirited partnership that we are committed to strengthening.
"This is not just a partnership based on economic ties. Behind every bottle is a story, a shared history, of hardworking men and women fiercely dedicated to their craft.”
