Irish Whiskey Association Celebrates 700 Years of Distilling with Prestigious Chairman’s Awards
The Irish Whiskey Association, the Ibec trade association working to promote, protect and represent the Irish Whiskey category globally, held its biennial Chairman’s Awards last night (14/11/2024).
This year’s Chairman’s Awards are part of a year-long celebration throughout 2024, marking 700 Years of Irish Whiskey Tradition. The Red Book of Ossory was published in Kilkenny in 1324, and this ancient religious manuscript contains the first recorded reference to distilling in Ireland.
The Awardees, selected by a panel of industry experts, represent those who have contributed to the growth and success of the Irish Whiskey sector over the years.
The recipients of the 2024 Chairman’s Awards, presented on the night by James Doherty, Sliabh Liag Distillers and Chair of the Irish Whiskey Association, were
- John Quinn of Tullamore Dew
- David Quinn of Irish Distillers
- Miriam Mooney of the Irish Whiskey Association
- Johnny Harte of Five Farms Irish Cream
- Aoife Clarke of Suntory Global Spirits
- Brian Watts (posthumous) of Great Northern Distillery.
Eoin Ó Catháin, Director of the Irish Whiskey Association, said “The awards tonight celebrate those who have tirelessly advanced Irish Whiskey’s success, as can be seen in the sector’s growth over the last decade. The total export value of our sector will exceed €900 million this year. This is a remarkable achievement, particularly as spirits categories worldwide face some challenging economic headwinds, including inflation and increases in the cost-of-living. The future growth of Irish Whiskey sector, with many new and establishing distilleries, needs to be underpinned by a supportive government approach and state agency backing in market development and investment.”
Earlier this year, Irish Whiskey distilleries celebrated another landmark year for their visitor centres and distillery experiences, welcoming over 800,000 visitors in 2024 to locations across the island of Ireland. The outlook for 2025 is even more positive, with new international campaigns, with the support of Tourism Ireland, to further mark 700 Years of Irish Whiskey Tradition.
Ó Catháin notes that Irish Whiskey is now finding favour in new and emerging markets: “Poland now ranks as our second-largest market, surpassing even Ireland, while South Africa, Japan, and India have experienced significant sales growth in recent years. The US remains our largest export market, accounting for 46% of total exports, and we are committed to building on the historic relationship that has made Irish Whiskey a firm favourite among US consumers for decades.”
The Ambassador of the USA to Ireland, her excellency Claire Cronin, was among the guests of honour at Thursday night’s event, and spoke to the shared relationship between the US and Ireland:
“The story of U.S.-Irish economic ties in the whiskey industry is a story of mutual appreciation and innovation, and a spirited partnership that we are committed to strengthening. This is not just a partnership based on economic ties. Behind every bottle is a story, a shared history, of hardworking men and women fiercely dedicated to their craft.”
The outlook for 2025 is positive, confirmed Chair of the Irish Whiskey Association and Founder and CEO of Sliabh Liag Distillery, James Doherty: “We hope that with government and industry support, Irish Whiskey can continue to showcase Irish passion, craft, and excellence around the world and drive exports, guarantee job creation and attract visitors old and new to our shores in future.”
