Distillery’s largest single order delivered to U.S. market
Beam Inc., the new owners of Cooley – the award winning and oldest operating Irish whiskey distillery – has signaled their intent to build the Kilbeggan brand in the U.S. market by importing the largest case shipment ever of the blended whiskey for the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S.
This is the largest single order by far for the Louth-based distillery has filled since its establishment. Beam’s shipment of Kilbeggan represents more than a twenty-fold increase in the number of cases being exported to the U.S. specifically for this time period.
The shipment will be distributed to 28 States including New York, California, Illinois, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas, Nevada, Hawaii and Washington DC. Following March, distribution will be extended to 50 states.
Stephen Teeling, Senior Global Brand Manager, Irish Whiskey at Beam, commented, “This is the largest single order Cooley has filled in the company’s 25-year history. Beam is the second largest spirits company in the U.S. and as part of the Beam family, Cooley is benefitting from its ability to distribute and market brands quickly and on a large scale. We expect to ship more Kilbeggan to the U.S. in March 2012 than the total that was shipped in all of 2011 for all four Cooley brands.”
Cooley whiskeys will be featured prominently at a number of high profile U.S. events over the St. Patrick’s festival weekend. The Cooley portfolio of brands will be exclusively served at the Irish Ambassador’s Reception in Washington DC on 20th March, and a special presentation will be made to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD the day before at the Enterprise Ireland lunch also taking place in Washington.
Beam will officially launch Kilbeggan, as well as the Connemara, Tyrconnell and Greenore Irish Whiskey brands, at a number of large trade shows over the St. Patrick’s weekend including Spirits Confidential and the U.S. Bar and Nightclub Awards both taking place in Las Vegas. The brands will also be prominently featured at WhiskeyFest in Chicago.
Cooley has been named European Spirits Producer of the Year for an unprecedented four consecutive years by the International Wine & Spirits Competition (2008-2011).
About Cooley Distillery
Cooley Distillery is the award winning Irish whiskey distillery. Established in 1987, Cooley takes its name from the location of its distillery, situated at the foothills of the Cooley Mountains, in Co. Louth. Cooley has an award winning portfolio of Irish whiskeys including Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Connemara Peated Single Malt and Greenore Single Grain Irish whiskey. To learn more about Cooley Distillery visit www.cooleywhiskey.com.
About Beam Inc.
As one of the world’s leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher’s Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, EFFEN Vodka, Pucker Flavored Vodka, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC, DeKuyper Cordials, and Skinnygirl Cocktails. Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,200 passionate associates worldwide generated 2011 sales of $2.8 billion, volume of 34 million 9-liter cases and some of the industry’s fastest growing innovations. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com/ and www.drinksmart.com/ .
