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Conor McGregor’s whiskey lands in Australia ahead of St Patrick’s Day
Conor McGregor’s whiskey label is entering Australia’s retail market days before St Patrick’s Day, while many other Irish distilleries capitalise on the annual spike in whiskey sales.
The news comes weeks after the Irish Whiskey Association secured protected legal status for the nation’s amber elixr in Australia.
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.
An initial six month supply of the spirit sold out just 10 days after it launched in September, leading supermarkets in Ireland to ration customers to two bottles per purchase.
“Today marks another great achievement for Proper No. Twelve. Landing in Australia before St. Paddy’s Day was my goal given the many thousands of requests we have had there since our Ireland, USA and UK launches,” said McGregor.
“I appreciate the support from the people of Australia. This is a proper Irish whiskey from a proper Irishman made with Ireland’s best spring water, fine golden grain and single malt. It is pure liquid gold.”
McGregor’s whiskey also recently launched in the UK ahead of St Patrick’s Day in an effort to capitalise on the annual spike in Irish whiskey sales worldwide.
Irish whiskey is the fastest-growing type of whiskey in the US’ on-trade sector, and was worth almost US$2.1 billion in the last 52 weeks with value growing at 5.9% vs 2017, according to data from Nielsen.
March was the strongest month for Irish whiskey last year, with value sales of US$190 million, a 6% on 2017, and +22% higher than February.
McGregor’s is not the only Irish whiskey label to up its retail presence ahead of 17 March. Slane Irish Whiskey is taking its signature Triple Casked blend across the Irish Sea with new UK listings. The spirit, which picked up a gold in The Spirits Business’ whiskey masters last year, will be available in 306 Waitrose stores and 300 Asda outlets, as well as Ocado, just in time for 17 March.