Festive Showcase at Downing Street

The Irish Whiskey Association was delighted to be invited to the No10 Festive Showcase at Downing Street last week. The event was a showcase of the UK’s food and drink companies, as a guest of the Department for Business and Trade.

We met with the Secretary of State at the Department, The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, at the event and presented her with a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush on behalf of the Association.

The Festive Showcase offered a timely opportunity to speak of the growth and the potential of Irish Whiskey, and to highlight recent investment and successes. 

Irish Whiskey is an all-island product, and the geographical indication (GI) protection is important to our distilleries north and south of the border. John Kelly, CEO of McConnell’s Irish Whiskey and IWA member, has been recognised as an export champion for DBT Northern Ireland, helping other NI based distilleries utilise UK Government support to increase exports. We look forward to continued cooperation with our colleagues and friends in the UK government to promote and protect Irish Whiskey from Northern Ireland.