Conor McGregor’s whiskey is launching in the UK

After selling out during its trial run in Ireland and the US and creating a media storm, Conor McGregor’s Irish whiskey label is coming to the UK.

McGregor, who partnered with Eire Born Spirits to launch his whiskey label, Proper No. Twelve, said he was “humbled” by the widespread support his brand has received since it hit US and Ireland retailers last year.

A six month supply of the whiskey sold out just 10 days after it launched in September, leading supermarkets in Ireland to ration customers to two bottles per purchase.

Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, produced by Eire Born, is made by former Bushmills distiller David Elderman. McGregor is the majority shareholder, CEO and chairman of the brand, and spent the last four months of 2018 touring the US to promote his label.

It has become the most followed spirit brand in the world on Instagram, gaining over 575,000 Instagram followers in less than five months.

McGregor said: “My success can be traced from the lessons I learned growing up, the values of loyalty and hard work. Proper No. Twelve is who I am.

“I respect other whiskeys, but we are not here to just take part, we are here to TAKE OVER!”

Proximo, which also works with Bushmills, Kraken rum and Boodles gin, was named McGregor’s distribution partner on its initial release, with a recommended retail price of around €35 (£30) in Ireland, and up to $29.99 in the USA.

When it was launched in September, McGregor said that $5 from every purchase of Proper No. Twelve would be donated to support “first responder charities” including emergency services.

“It has been an incredible start for Proper No. Twelve,” the MMA fighter said, “and I am humbled by the support of all our customers and most importantly the people who enjoy this proper Irish whiskey from a proper Irishman.”

McGregor also expanded on his own reasoning behind the name “Proper No. Twelve”.

“Many ask where the name Proper No. Twelve comes from, and it has true meaning to me. I was born and bred in the Dublin suburb of Crumlin, Dublin 12 – thus Proper No. Twelve.”

While this may be true, this wasn’t the label’s original name. McGregor initially tried to launch it under the name “Notorious” in 2016, but withdrew his original trademark application in September 2018, after facing opposition from the founder of Carlow Brewing Company.

Seamus O’Hara, founder of the County Carlow-based brewer, has owned the rights to a European trademark of the same name since 2016. McGregor was ordered to pay €600 (US$697) to O‘Hara for representation costs and opposition fee, but the athlete was able to relaunch the whiskey under its current name last year.

“We took the time to develop an incredible whiskey and I’m excited to share it with the world,” said McGregor.

The whiskey can be found in ASDA stores, or purchased online from Drinks Supermarket and the Whisky Exchange, retailing at £27.95.