Irish Whiskey’s Deep Bench Seeds The Future Of The Category

Earlier this month we detailed the state of affairs among Irish whiskey’s leading brands, with Pernod Ricard’s Jameson continuing to dominate the category. In this issue, we’re turning the focus to the rising ranks of smaller but promising players who are generating consumer enthusiasm in the Irish segment with novel whiskey styles and intriguing brand propositions.

With the Irish whiskey category having more than doubled in size to above 5 million cases in the U.S. over the past decade, nearly all of the major spirits companies—and quite a few upstarts—have taken aim at the segment. Bacardi took its initial stake in Teeling Irish whiskey in 2017 and has boosted the brand’s growth both in the U.S.—where it’s at 22,000 cases—and global markets. “Our partnership with Bacardi has been instrumental in our growth, particularly in expanding awareness and market presence in the U.S., where the Irish whiskey market continues its upward trajectory,” says Jack Teeling, founder and managing director, Teeling Whiskey.

Teeling’s top-selling variants are Small Batch, Single Malt, and Single Grain. The distillery recently introduced the third bottle in its Wonders of Wood series, matured in Virgin Swedish Oak. The previous edition in the same series, Virgin Portuguese Oak ($100), was among Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 Whiskies of 2023. In addition, Teeling recently released a 40-year-old single malt Irish whiskey, one of the oldest and rarest in its collection, matured in ex-Bourbon casks.

Waterford Whisky, maker of Irish single malts, earlier this year partnered with distributor Frederick Wildman & Sons to enter the New York and New Jersey markets. The brand was founded by Mark Reynier, who earlier in his career revived Bruichladdich. Imported by Texas-based Morf Brands, Waterford is distributed by Johnson Brothers and Breakthru in multiple markets. “What we are proposing is whiskey like it used to be where it was all about the barley,” Reynier told SND. Waterford recently revamped its portfolio, uniting the brand behind a trio of 50% abv whiskies: the flagship release Koffi ($90), peated whisky Fumo ($100), and organic offering Gaia ($90).

Foley Family Wines & Spirits recently agreed to import the brands of Ireland Craft Beverages Ltd. The deal includes the Two Stacks and Killowen labels. Two Stacks markets whiskies ranging from $50-$60 a bottle, along with an Irish cream liqueur. “We’re going to make a big push in 2025,” Foley president Shawn Schiffer told SND.

Fercullen Irish whiskey was introduced in the U.S. in 2023, handled by Dallas-based Zamora Co. USA, and results are promising. “One of the most important trends we’re seeing is the demand for premium-priced expressions of Irish whiskey,” says Ryan Stapleton, Fercullen’s head of global sales. “Fercullen is perfectly positioned to capitalize.” Outside of its core Fercullen Falls offering ($35), this year Fercullen is introducing its first cask strength malt, a limited edition 5-year-old distilled at the Powerscourt Distillery, as well as a 15-year-old single grain Irish whiskey and 21-year-old single malt. “We will launch our first pot still Irish whiskey from the distillery likely sometime in late 2025 or 2026, to become a key product in our core portfolio,” Stapleton says.

Other labels eyeing growth in the U.S. include Brown-Forman’s Slane—currently at 23,000 cases—along with The Busker from Disaronno International, Glendalough from Mark Anthony Brands, and Slainte, the brand from actor Liev Schreiber and Richard Davies, among others.

Tagged : Bacardi, Fercullen, Foley Family, Frederick Wildman & Sons, Glendalough, Ireland Craft Beverages, Killowen, MORF Brands, Slainte, Slane, Teeling, the Busker, Two Stacks, Waterford Whisky, Zamora

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