On 27 March, I was lucky enough to attend Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, showcasing 26 of Ireland’s leading drinks producers at its annual Spirit of Sharing Event, held at the Embassy of Ireland.
Spirit of Sharing was established to showcase outstanding Irish drinks in the UK. This year, the Ambassador O’Neill welcomed over 150 guests, including media, industry experts, and some of the UK’s leading bar and retail operators, to the event, which is now in its third year. Suppliers from across Ireland, who are all members of Bord Bia’s world leading sustainability scheme, Origin Green, showcased a mixture of whiskey, gin, beer, wine, cream liquors, and mixers. In addition, some of the world’s leading mixologists created tailored cocktails for guests, using the leading Irish drinks available on the night, at two bespoke cocktail bars.
Michelle Butler, General Manager Bord Bia Britain said: “Spirit of Sharing shines a spotlight on the passion, heritage and expertise of Irish drinks suppliers to demonstrate what they can offer the UK on and off trade. When we launched this event three years ago, we only had 12 suppliers – this year we had 26. To have grown so fast in such a short time is testament to the thriving and innovative drinks industry blossoming across Ireland.”
A full list of producers on show at the 2018 Spirit of Sharing event include:
Whiskey
Glendalough Irish whiskey
Hyde Irish whiskey
Tullamore Dew
Kinahans Irish whiskey
Walsh whiskey distillery
Dingle distillery
Chapel Gate Irish whiskey
Teeling whiskey
Pearse Lyons distillery
The Shed whiskey distillery
Slane Irish whiskey
Boann distillery
Gin
Mór Irish gin
Kinsale Spirit gin
Dublin City gin
Old Carrick Mill
Dingle Distillery
Gunpowder gin
Blacks gin
Ha’Penny gin
Glendalough gin
Craft Beer & Cider
The Porter House Brewing Co
Hope Beer
Boyne Brewhouse
Blacks of Kinsale
Franciscan Well
Adams Cider Company
Liquors / Wines / Low Alcoholic Beverages
Coole Swan
Irishman – Irish Cream liqueur
Wicklow Way wines
Poacher’s Well
Robert A. Merry & Co.
Kinsale Mead
RTM beverages – Loki Drinks