Bushmills takeover

[Alec]

What do people think is in store for the Bushmills brand after Diageo's takeover? Apparently current stocks are limited. It's a bit worrying as Bushmills was developing some great whiskies. The 16 has always been great, but the 10 and 12 were really developing. Not sure what the takeover means for the future whiskey profile?

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

most probably there is no need for gloom. Guinness is a strong aspect within Diageo and I think they just wanted to have an Irish distillery. It could well mean that a spur of national pride will be very becoming for the old Bushmills. When Pernod tried to take over Cooley the Irish courts ruled that it was to stay Irish. Trust in the Irish to be proud of their heritage. It could well mean that the competition with Pernod within Ireland will do wonders for Irish whiskey as a whole. Cheer up we can only watch on anyway.

Greetings
kallaskander

[Aidan]

I think it's very exciting, but who knows what's going to happen. I think they are supposed to be rethinking the Bushmills 10.

Anyway, the competition could be great for the Irish whiskey market.

I'd love to seem them attempt to make a pure pot still, alhtough maybe the stills aren't suitable, who knows.

[Frodo]

What do people think is in store for the Bushmills brand after Diageo's takeover?

Given that Bushmills has to depend on Middleton for their grain whisky for their blends, and the fact that there's no precident for cooperation (that I know of) within the Irish whisky industry, I'd be concerned as a Bushmills fan. I say this because there hasn't had to have been much cooperation for a long time, as Irish distillers have been the only game in town for quite a while. Cooley's has only cropped up recently!

I don't know what to be concerned of really, just the fear of the unknown I guess.

[Aidan]

There's an agreement between the distilleries in that regard. They kind of depend on each other, because Midleton uses Bushmills malt in some of it's blends.

[Frodo]

Ahhh! Thank-you, I did not know this.

[MGillespie]

Big interview on this as well in the St. Patrick's edition of WhiskyCast...I was at a lunch with Colum Egan, the Bushmills distillery manager on Thursday. He says the Diageo takeover is the best thing that they could have hoped for, because Bushmills is the only Irish whiskey in the Diageo portfolio. They've doubled production since the takeover last August, and Diageo is putting a lot of money into marketing and promotion that the brand wasn't getting under the old ownership.

Mark

[MGillespie]

Also, there will likely be more cooperation between Diageo and Irish Distillers now...since Irish Distillers supplies the whiskey used in Bailey's Irish Cream.

Mark