Irish spirits have earned their place on bar shelves across the world, and Bord Bia is ensuring that the people who pour and recommend them know exactly what makes them special. Through on-premise activations and education programs, the Spirit of Ireland platform connects Irish distillers directly with bartenders, mixologists, and hospitality professionals.
Events
In July, as part of its ongoing support for Irish spirits in the U.S. on-trade, Bord Bia participated in Tales of the Cocktail (New Orleans) - the world’s leading cocktail festival and a global hub for bar culture. Working to support a delegation of Irish distillers and brand representatives, Bord Bia supported 20 Irish drinks companies in New Orleans and sponsored a showcase event, enabling them to meet U.S. on-premise personnel including bar-owners, bartenders and media.
Bord Bia also supported an Irish spirits activation at Portland Cocktail Week in Oregon this October. The event brought together more than 1,800 hospitality professionals for immersive education and networking, including over 83 hours of classes. Bord Bia sponsored the Irish House night, showcasing premium Irish whiskey, poitín, gin, and vodka cocktails to the U.S. bar community under the Spirit of Ireland platform.These activations showcase the quality spirits Ireland has to offer and help drive new listings, inspire creative cocktail serves, and ensure Irish brands remain part of the premium-spirit conversation in control states and beyond.
Global Engagement
Bord Bia’s promotion of Irish spirits extends beyond the U.S. on-premise market. Through Spirit of Ireland trade events and education programs Bord Bia continues to elevate the category internationally.
A recent initiative involved a Bord Bia and leading drinks brands collaboration event in Nigeria. The event marked the launch of the Irish Mixers Club, comprising mixologists who have been involved in the past four seasons of the Bord Bia mixologist competition. The events mission is to champion Irish beverages within the Nigerian mixology community, fostering advocacy and appreciation for these drinks.
Momentum for Irish Spirits
As premium Irish spirits continue to gain traction worldwide, Bord Bia’s role in connecting producers, trade partners, and educators remains vital. These programs not only build awareness but also foster sustainable commercial growth - ensuring that Ireland’s distilling excellence continues to inspire both industry professionals and consumers.
Bord Bia is always enthusiastic to welcome NABCA control boards and commissions to Ireland — giving them an authentic, on-the-ground experience of the country’s distilling landscape. These visits showcase how Ireland’s natural resources, skilled craftspeople, and sense of place shape its world-renowned spirits.
Partnering with NABCA States
Through Bord Bia-supported visits, control state partners gain a deeper understanding of Ireland’s distilling heritage and modern innovation. During these trips, representatives meet producers, tour facilities, and see how craftsmanship and sustainability drive Ireland’s premium spirits category.
Each visit combines education and commercial collaboration — strengthening relationships, supporting new listings, and driving category growth across NABCA markets.
Strengthening Relationships and Trade
For Bord Bia and NABCA members, these visits have a strategic focus - they are working trips that educate, connect, and build commercially meaningful and long-term relationships.
Each itinerary balances distillery immersion with strategic meetings to identify new listings, marketing collaborations, and ways to bring the Spirit of Ireland closer to American consumers.
They create opportunities for deeper collaboration, long-term trade partnerships, and more informed category development, ensuring Ireland remains a valued partner for NABCA member states.
Recent Visit: Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
In recent years, Bord Bia has proudly hosted delegations from the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. Each trip blends learning, cultural immersion, and business development to ensure enduring partnerships between Ireland and NABCA states.
The most recent visit to Ireland included representatives from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. Over several days, the group visited leading Irish distilleries, engaged with brand owners, and experienced Ireland’s hospitality through curated brand dinners and cultural activities.
The itinerary included meetings with Bord Bia’s Dublin-based drinks team, where discussions focused on shared goals, innovation, and how partnerships between control states and Irish producers can continue to grow. These interactions reaffirm the collaboration that keeps Irish spirits thriving across the U.S.
Virtual Distillery Tours
While Bord Bia would love for every NABCA state to experience Ireland in person, our Virtual Distillery Tours offer the next best thing. Explore Ireland’s most iconic distilleries, hear from master distillers, and see the process from grain to glass - all from your own screen.
Check them out here: [https://spiritofireland.bordbia.ie]
Partnering with NABCA States
Bord Bia’s Spirit of Ireland campaign collaborates with NABCA member states to deliver hands-on education and support for regulators, state store managers, and trade partners. These efforts have driven exclusive product launches, in-store activations, and consumer events. Highlights include:
- Visits to Ireland by control boards to experience the craftsmanship of Irish spirits firsthand.
- Guided tastings and educational sessions featuring new and exclusive listings.
- Bord Bia’s annual participation with a dedicated stand at the NABCA conference.
Bord Bia also provides NABCA with regular industry insights and research. The recent U.S. Spirits Usage and Attitude study deepened understanding of American spirits consumers and helped identify opportunities to strengthen relationships between Irish brands and NABCA states. Together, these initiatives build category confidence, strengthen trade relationships, and reinforce the bond between Irish producers and U.S. control states. See below an audience segmentation created by Bord Bia’s data and insights team for the US consumer.
Why this matters?
These state-level activities bring the Spirit of Ireland to life across NABCA states. Through direct engagement with control boards and their teams, Bord Bia builds trust and delivers meaningful insights that drive long-term growth for Irish spirits. Tailored education, listings support, and in-market collaboration ensure the story of Irish craftsmanship reaches consumers nationwide. While category promotion is Bord Bia’s core focus, it takes great pride in its close partnership with NABCA states. Together, both benefit through shared insight, exclusive opportunities, and joint efforts to promote Irish spirits. Bord Bia greatly values and appreciates this ongoing collaboration and support.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with Bord Bia, which has enabled us to offer one of the largest and most exclusive selections of Irish whiskey and spirits in the nation.”
— Joseph Mollica, NHLC Chairman
“The Spirit of Ireland partnership has given us a platform to showcase the diversity and quality of Irish spirits across NABCA states.”
— Daragh Flanagan, Bord Bia Vice President for Drinks in North America
Quick Facts
- Spirit of Ireland campaign launched across 17 U.S. liquor control boards
- 75 New Hampshire state store managers trained in the pilot program
- State partnerships drive listings, education, and consumer engagement
Spirit of Ireland – Overview
Bord Bia’s Spirit of Ireland initiative showcases the unique heritage, craftsmanship, and quality of Irish spirits. Through collaboration with NABCA states, we are proud to share how Ireland’s vibrant distilling tradition adds value to state partners and their consumers. From centuries-old whiskey and poitín traditions to modern gin and cream liqueurs, the program tells the story of Ireland’s past, present, and future.
Why Ireland?
Ireland is the spiritual home of distilling – a country with centuries of heritage, a climate ideal for growing barley and maturing spirits, and thousands farmers supplying the grains and cream that fuel the drinks industry. Following a modern renaissance, Irish spirits now enjoy global recognition and strong growth in the U.S.
Drinks Categories in Focus
- Irish Whiskey – Flagship spirit, leading global growth, with diverse styles from pot still to blends.
- Poitín – Ireland’s original spirit, revived by modern distillers.
- Irish Cream – Combining Ireland’s dairy and whiskey heritage; a global category leader.
- Irish Gin – Contemporary and flavourful, showcasing local botanicals and craft innovation.
- Emerging Spirits – Vodka, rum, vermouth, and experimental styles driving future innovation.
Quick Facts (Side Bar)
- Over 40 operational distilleries in Ireland
- Irish farmers supply over 100,000 tonnes of barley and malt for whiskey and produce more than 200 million litres of milk each year for cream liqueurs like Baileys.
- Irish whiskey is among the fastest-growing whiskey categories in the U.S. market.
- Bord Bia provides tailored education and activations in NABCA states