Jameson Irish Whiskey

Jameson – Flying the flag for Irish Whiskey

Jameson, the flagship whiskey of Irish Distillers and a globally embraced iconic Irish brand, is Ireland’s most successful whiskey product, based on global sales.

Since Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard in 1988, Jameson, which is one of Ireland’s biggest brands, has spearheaded a complete rejuvenation of the Irish whiskey category, making it the most dynamic premium spirits segment globally. In 2012, Jameson marked a milestone, selling four million cases worldwide.

In 2010, Pernod Ricard announced a significant €200 million investment in Jameson’s production facilities in Ireland, which Pernod Ricard says is in response to the continued growth of Jameson worldwide. This included a €100 million expansion of its distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork, doubling production capacity from 30 million litres of alcohol per year to 60 million. A further €100 million was invested in a satellite maturation facility at Dungourney, Co. Cork. This large-scale investment is a tangible reflection of the growing international success of Jameson and the future potential of the company’s entire Irish whiskey portfolio, according to Pernod Ricard.

According to Pernod Ricard, the sustained progress of Jameson has been one of the group's proudest success stories. Anna Malmhake, CEO and Chairman of Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, says: “The €100 million investment in Midleton, the home of Irish whiskey production, is a reflection of the growing international success of Jameson. The expansion signifies a great day in the history of Jameson and Irish Distillers and we look forward to building upon our success story in Midleton by continuing to bring innovative facets of Irish whiskey to the market.”

As a product that is distilled, matured and bottled in Ireland, a very significant proportion of all the inputs required to produce, distribute, sell and market Jameson are Irish and the value to the local economy is immense. The local agricultural environment is also benefiting greatly from the facility’s expansion. The distillery currently spends in excess of €60 million annually on cereals, energy, capital projects and payroll in the local economy and this is set to rise as sales continue to grow.  

Anna Malmhake continues: “The company is also proud to play its role in the Irish drinks industry, which is a hugely important part of the Irish economy with annual exports of almost €1.3 billion, a value added contribution of €2 billion, and a tax contribution of €1.8 billion by consumers. Jameson is a real Irish success story, having achieved 24 years of consecutive volume growth. As one of Ireland’s most successful exports, Jameson and Irish Distillers are playing their roles in the export led recovery of the economy.”

The iconic Irish brand has been built with the worldwide support of 18,700 Pernod Ricard employees, operating through a decentralised and fully dedicated organisation. Pernod Ricard believes the focus, energy and commitment of the people behind the Jameson brand, combined with the skill and passion of the people in the Pernod Ricard distribution network, continues to be a winning combination. Jameson, the group says, is now poised for even greater success.