Whiskey lovers in Dublin celebrate success of Northern Ireland spirits

Eleven Northern Ireland distilleries and production companies are bidding for business at Ireland's premier whiskey tasting event. Whiskey is now among the most dynamic and successful local export sectors.

The companies are part of Whiskey Live Dublin which has been taking place at the RDS.

David Boyd Armstrong, the joint founder and master distiller at Rademon Estate Distillery in Crossgar, home of Shortross whiskey, gin and poitin, describes Whiskey Live as “a crucially important show for the industry”.

“We are using the event to taste our new whiskeys in our launch programme. It’s simply the most important event for the industry in Ireland, enabling us to keep pace with how it is developing and talk to other producers about the challenges we are all facing today,” he adds.

Brendan Carty, the founder of Killowen, near Rostrevor, agrees. “Irish whiskey is now a very fast moving and innovation-led sector. It’s essential for us to be part of such an important occasion for a sector which is being driven increasingly by new product and process development.”

Among the most serious challenges facing the sector is rapid growth in costs, some essential ingredients doubling or trebling. There’s also a growing shortage of bourbon barrels used to finish the spirit due to a sharp fall in sales in the US. This has led to fewer barrels being poured and a shortage for storing whiskey in Ireland.

In addition, consumers are strapped for cash because of rises in cost of living in the UK and Europe.

Shane McCarthy, a co-founder of Newry’s Two Stacks, a blender and bonder, also emphasises the importance of innovation. “We’ve benefited from a number of innovations especially our unique ‘Dram in a Can’, the world’s first canned Irish whiskey and a multi-award winner. We know the value of staying abreast of developments and ahead of competitors.”

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