Jim Beam, the new owners of Cooley Whiskey, imported the largest case shipment ever of Kilbeggan whiskey into the United States for the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. This turns out to be the largest single order 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. for this time period. The shipment of whiskey was distributed to 28 states.
Global spirits company Beam acquired whiskey producer Cooley Distillery last December in a €73 million deal.
The independent distillery owned and produced the Kilbeggan, Connemara, Tyrconnell and Greenore brands. It was founded by John Teeling, who also heads up a number of natural resources companies.
The acquisition marked the maker of Jim Beam bourbon’s entrance into the expanding Irish whiskey market, which grew by an estimated 11.5 per cent last year.
