Licensing World - Winter 2017 by Ashville Media Group

Winter 2017

And the winner’s are....

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4 INDUSTRY NEWS & VIEWS 18 CULTURE VULTURE VENUES 19 DYLAN MCGRATH BONSAI BAR 25 DIAGEO’S NEW URBAN HUB 27 SKY BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS SPECIAL 40 CALIFORNIA DREAMING

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LIGHT UP THE CELEBRATION

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Contents

19 16

NEWS

MOVERS & SHAKERS

CULTURE VULTURE VENUE

The Bagots Hutton, Ormond Quay in Dublin offers its wall space to artists to provide them with a unique opportunity to showcase their work.

TURNING JAPANESE Dylan McGrath talks to Donna Ahern about his latest venture Bonsai Bar and why he thinks Dublin is ready to embrace the Japananese theme.

GENERATION NEXT Diageo has recently unveiled its vsion to creat an 'urban hub' at th heart of Dublin's Liberties. Licensing World reports.

SKY BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS Guests were transported back to the 1920s, with the "Prohibition" themed 2017 Sky Bar of The Year Awards. The winners were revealed at the recent memorable black tie event which was hosted by Newstalk's Tom Dunne.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Justine McGovern of California Wines talks about what sets California wines apart from other wine regions in the world.

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Editor's Letter

Welcome... Welcome to the winter issue of Licensing World and the first of 2018. So here we are again, a new year and a new set of resolutions. It’s that time of the year when the demand for natural food and healthier drink options within in the hospitality and drinks industry shifts into highgear. No pressure. As opposed to a passing phase, however, the healthier living concept is something that is likely to be here to stay. This year we will see the implementation of the sugar tax in Ireland. From a beverage point of view, the Brewers of Europe have said that the market for Non Alcoholic and Low Alcohol has seen a dramatic growth in recent years. Another trend that has seen a renaissance is Japanese Whiskey. There has been a significant rise in the resurgence in the interest in the ancient spirit, in recent years, it seems that’s Japan cuisines’ time is now. Michelin-starred Dylan McGrath knows to respond quickly to this new potential. He talks to us about his latest venture Bonsai Bar and why he feels Dublin is ready to embrace Japan, turn to PG 23. Brexit’s depreciating effect on sterling poses a significant challenge to Ireland’s drinks and hospitality industry. Anthony Foley looks at the economic impact of Brexit on the drinks industry in 2018 on PG 22. Diageo has recently announced ambitious plans to transform 12.6 acres at its iconic St. James’s Gate site to create one of the most dynamic urban quarters in Ireland and Europe, at the heart of Dublin’s Liberties area. Turn to PG 24 where we unveil some of their plans, so far. Over 400 Guests were transported back to the 1920s, at year’s ‘Prohibition’ themed 2017 Sky Bar o the Year Awards. This years’ winners were revealed at a memorable black tie event hosted by Newstalk’s Tom Dunne in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road. In keeping with the ‘Roaring 20’s’ vibe, the event’s entertainment featured a host of burlesque and charleston dancers, complete with a band, playing music of that era. New to 2017, the Sky Bar of the Year Awards and Licensing World was the Tasting Village which showcased a variety of new and well-established drinks. Our guests enjoyed the opportunity to taste an array of local Irish and international brands. Turn to PG 31 to read our highlights and also to see the winners revealed!

Donna Ahern Editor

Licensing

WORLD Editor: Donna Ahern Editorial Director: Mary Connaughton Creative Director: Jane Matthews Art Director: Áine Duffy Production: Nicole Ennis Stock Photography: iStock.com Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, D7. Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 1393-0826 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2018. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Licensing World. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 1393-0826

VISIT US ONLINE www.licensingworld.ie FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BarOfTheYear #SkyBarAwards18 FIND US ON FACEBOOK For information on the Bar of the Year Awards and the Hotel & Catering Review Awards please visit our dedicated Facebook pages www.facebook.com /BarOfTheYearAwards

The Licensing World editorial team email: editor@licensingworld.com

www.facebook.com /TheHotelCateringReview

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Barry and Fitzwilliam Irish Distributors for Brewdog. FOR ORDERS CONTACT: sales@BandF.ie | (021) 4320900 or (01) 6671755 www.bandf.ie

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News

NEWS ROUND-UP RÉMY COINTREAU POSTS PROFITS INCREASE DUE TO DEMAND FOR 'SUPERIORQUALITY' PRODUCTS Rémy Cointreau has attributed its recent profits rise to the increase in demand for its superior-quality products. The drinks giant has posted an 'organic' profits increase of 11.8%, according to its latest half-year business report. Its latest accounts also indicated that for the period ended 30 September 2017, the group generated an operating profit of €134.1 million. Its net sales amounted to €367 million, up 15.4% thanks to an increase in sales in all regions of the world. During the half-year, business was 'outstanding' for superior-quality products, resulting in a price/mix effect of €20.7 million, which benefited all geographical areas, particularly Asia, where Greater China 'confirmed its excellent dynamics'. The Americas also benefited from solid demand for upmarket products. The EMEA region benefited from favourable trends in Russia and Africa. The group attributes the growth in particular to the sales of the limited edition XO Cannes 2017 (Travel Retail exclusivity), the 2nd edition of Carte Blanche à Baptiste Loiseau and the limited edition Louis XIII The Legacy, with 500 magnum crystal decanters bearing the signatures of the four generations of cellar masters.

IRELAND HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST RATE OF EXCISE TAX IN EU The Drinks Industry Group Of Ireland (DIGI) has said that Ireland has the second highest rate of excise tax in the EU, behind only Finland, following the Government’s decision to leave Ireland’s excise tax rates unchanged in Budget 2018. As the excise duty on alcohol was retained at 15%, Ireland continues to be 'considerably out of sync with European levels'. The representative group for the drinks industry in Ireland said that the Government has signalled its intention to intensify its preparations for Brexit, and having an internationally competitive excise tax rate must be part of this preparation. The impact of Brexit is unfolding now - currency rates are fluctuating, the number of UK visitors to Ireland are falling, and border counties are increasingly challenged. Looking ahead, the group says, "The drinks and hospitality sector employs 210,000 people and for it to safely weather the Brexit storm, closer collaboration and meaningful policy reform is imperative. We look forward to continuing to engage in this process.”

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News

CRAFT BEER BREWERIES GROWS BY 500% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS The number of craft breweries in Ireland has grown by more than 500% in the last five years, with 72 now in operation, up from just 15 in 2012, according to a recent Bord Bia report. The research indicated that both consumption market share, and production market share have each increased by more than 500%. In 2012, the craft beer category recorded consumption market share of just 0.6%, in 2017 that figure reached 3.0% while in terms of production, craft beer rose from 0.4% in 2012 to Â 2.3% in 2016. "While it is

acknowledged that the Irish craft beer category is still very young and that these levels of growth are from a low base, the growth has been sustained over a number of years and looks set to maintain its upward trajectory." Denise Murphy, beverage sector manager at Bord Bia, says. "As the category expands, the importance of export business increases for the sector. Demand for craft beer is rising in most markets around the world, driven by consumer preferences for premium product and artisan production."

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News

IRISH DISTILLERS NAMED DISTILLER OF THE YEAR Irish Distillers has been named Distiller of the Year 2017 at the inaugural Icons of Whisky Ireland awards, which took place recently in Dublin. "To receive recognition in a number of areas from whiskey tourism to innovation from our industry peers is extremely special. It is also a tribute to the growth and success of Irish whiskey and Jameson that the organisers of the Icons of Whisky, Whisky Magazine, decided Ireland warranted its own category from this year. Jean-Christophe Coutures, Chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers said. Despite being closed for six months to accommodate construction, Jameson Distillery Bow St was recognised as the top visitor attraction, which is particularly significant following the €11 million redevelopment of Jameson Distillery Bow St in 2017. Ray Dempsey, General Manager at Jameson Distillery Bow St, stated: “This is a fantastic endorsement of the hard work our team has carried out in the redevelopment and opening of the brand-new Jameson Distillery Bow St. We’ve been bowled over by the goodwill and feedback from everyone who has come to our home on Bow St to touch, smell and most importantly, taste Jameson in the original Bow St Distillery building.” Irish Distillers also took home the Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador 2017 Award. Gerard Garland, Advocacy Team Manager and Irish Whiskey Ambassador, said: "Since I joined the industry almost 20 years ago, I have been proud to help tell the story of Irish whiskey to people from all around the world. It’s always great to help increase the interest in and passion for Irish whiskey. I am delighted for the whole team tonight as we see that the industry is just as excited about quality Irish whiskey as we are.” Irish Distillers was also highly commended in the Brand Innovator category and Paul Wickham was highly commended in the Distillery Manager category.

(L-R) Ray Dempsey, General Manager at Jameson Distillery Bow St., Ger Garland, Irish Distillers whiskey ambassador and Paul Wickham, General Manager of Midleton Distillery

BRITVIC IRELAND SEES 'CONTINUED SUCCESS' IN 2017 2017 has seen continued success for Britvic Ireland, according to its preliminary results, for 52 weeks ended 1 October 2017. The soft drinks giant outlined that this was due to growth in both its own brand portfolio and the Counterpoint wholesale business. In a statement it noted that Counterpoint has benefited from an improved offering across its alcohol and snacks range, as well as additional business in Dublin following the successful completion of the acquisition of East Coast earlier in the year. Simon Litherland, Chief Executive Officer comments, "Britvic has again demonstrated the resilience of our business, delivering another strong set of results. We have grown both organic revenue and margins whilst continuing to progress our strategic priorities. I am particularly encouraged that we have increased the proportion of revenue generated from innovation and accelerated the returns from the business capability programme." Britvic Ireland’s owned brand growth was led by the stills portfolio, particularly Ballygowan and MiWadi as well as its no sugar portfolio. The producer of soft drinks introduced its healthy hydration innovation programme to bring new no and low sugar products to market and also to reformulate its soft drinks without 'compromising on taste'. Litherland says, "While April 2018 brings uncertainty with the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy in GB and Ireland, we are well placed to navigate it thanks to the strength and breadth of our brand portfolio and our exciting marketing and innovation plans."

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News

THE STAGS HEAD WINS BEST TOURIST PUB AT THE IRISH PUB AWARDS

The Stags Head, Dublin has scooped an award in the Best Tourist Pub at the Irish Pub Awards which took place on Wednesday November 8th. The Dublin pub was crowned in a category which was sponsored by Molson Coors. The awards were hosted by the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) and The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA). The Awards were presented by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., at the Gala Ceremony that took place in the RDS Concert Hall. The winners were selected from over 500 applications in this joint national awards program.

Photo Caption: Pictured at the 2017 Irish Pub Awards are Pat Crotty, President, VFI; Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin; John Coady and Rory Bannon of The Stag's Head Dublin; Keith Fagan, General Manager, Molson Coors; and John Gleeson, Chairman LVA.

BARRY & FITZWILLIAM CONFIRMED AS IRELANDS BREWDOGS DISTRIBUTORS Barry & Fitzwilliam has recently announced it has secured the Irish distribution rights to craft beer brand, Brewdog, which is effective now. Brewdog was introduced to the UK market in 2007. It is 'famed for its rapid expansion and brewing innovation', which has been fueled by ‘Equity for Punks’, an innovative crowdfunding platform that counts more than 60,000 investors globally, who have collectively contributed over £50million. "The addition of the Brewdog brand to our portfolio will give our customers an unrivaled choice of Craft Beers both domestic and International,” said Michael Barry, managing director of Barry & Fitzwilliam. Brewdog is the latest addition to the Irish distributors portfolio, which currently includes products from the multinational drinks groups such as WKD,McGuigan Wines, Rémy Cointreau and Jägermeister amongst others.

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News

TEELING WHISKEY UNVEILS THE REVIVAL VOL. IV Teeling Whiskey, Ireland’s has recently unveiled the fourth and penultimate bottling of 'The Revival', a limited edition commemorative Single Malt. Recently awarded Irish Whiskey of the Year at the 2017 Irish Whiskey Awards, The Revival Volume IV is a unique addition to The Revival Commemorative Series and is limited to just 10,000 bottles, the resulting Single Malt is then bottled at 46% with no chill filtration. Jack Teeling, Founder and Managing Director of Teeling Whiskey, notes, “We are delighted to launch our latest release in the award-winning Revival range, just 8 months out from having Irish whiskey come of age from our Newmarket distillery." The Revival Vol. IV joins Teeling Whiskey’s range of award winning Irish whiskeys which have collected over 110 international awards throughout the past four years. Teeling adds, "Consisting of 15-Year-Old Single Malt finished in high quality Muscat Port casks, it is destined to be a classic and sought after release as it has already been crowned Irish Whiskey of the Year at the recent Irish Whiskey Awards as well as receiving a Liquid Gold Award and a 95 point rating in the 2018 Jim Murray Whisky Bible.” The maturation from the ex-Muscat Port casks creates

a unique palette pleasing taste profile; ripe fruits and rich spices intermingle with creamy vanilla to give a wonderfully dry, woody finish. A signature aroma of ripe peach, pineapple and satsuma mandarin tops off the dry dark chocolate undertones of this limited edition Single Malt. The limited edition single malt is available now with an RRP of €120.

HEINEKEN IRELAND UNVEILS MULTI-MILLION UPGRADE OF HEADQUARTERS Heineken Ireland recently announced a multi-million euro refresh of its Headquarters. Simon Coveney TD Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, officially unveiled its new look Cork based office in November, 2017. The Malt House, was built in 1889 by James J. Murphy, was converted into Heineken Ireland’s head office in 1992. Twenty five years later, the upgrade works to this historic building have been undertaken with its commitment to sustainability through its ‘Brewing a Better World’ strategy which includes a smart lighting system and a centrally controlled heating system, that maximises natural day light, will result in a 30% decrease in energy consumption on an annual basis. The 128 year-old building at Leitrim Street has been revamped to provide an inspirational and collaborative environment for Heineken Ireland’s 200+ Cork based employees, 'while staying true to the company’s rich past'. “The extensive multi-million euro refurbishment project to our 128 year-old head office has allowed us to bring our great people and great products even closer together. We set out to provide an inspiring and innovative work environment for current and future Heineken Ireland employees." Maggie Timoney, Managing Director, Heineken Ireland, said. Heineken has a 161 year brewing heritage in Cork and the Lady’s Well Brewery is home to some of Ireland’s favourite lager, stout and cider brands.

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Commercial Profile

Smartbox Creates New Revenue Stream for

Irish Hotel Industry

martbox Gift Experience are Europe’s leading experience gift marketing company. They create and sell experience gifts as a marketing service for over 40,000 hotels, restaurants, spas and activity providers, across Europe. A Smartbox gift experience box is purchased every 5 seconds through online and in more than 12,000 retail & department stores across Europe. They have sold more than 30m experiences over the last 10 years. They are aiming to partner with 2,000 experience providers across hotels, restaurants, spa and activity sectors in Ireland over the next few months. They will roll out 24 premium

themed gift boxes for the Irish market. Smartbox offers a low cost marketing solution to acquire new customers. Their marketing service is 100% success fee based, there is no upfront fee, no annual fee, you only pay a fee when a new customer comes to your venue for the first time. After that, the customer is yours, you can then turn these customers into loyal ambassadors for your business. Don't just take our word for it, join the Irish partners who are already taking advantage!

Hotels: 1. Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 2. Gresham Riu Hotel, Dublin

3. Aberdeen Lodge Dublin 4. Dublin Central Inn 5. Castle Hotel Dublin 6. Waterside House Hotel 7. Haddington Hotel 8. Slaney Manor

Restaurants: 1. La Maison 2. Mehek 3. Les Petit Pois 4. Bobo's Burgers 5. The Purty Kitchen 6. Ramen 7. Le Bon Crubeen Restaurant 8. Le Petit Breton Restaurant

For more information, get in touch directly on 01-6917198 or by email: partnercare@smartbox.com

Advertise in

Winter 2016

Autumn 2016

4 Publican Dedicates Whiskey to Father’s Memory 5 Pub Food Now Accounts for Over 27% of Eating Out 6 LVA Welcomes Public Health Alcohol Bill 7 Drinks Bodies Endorse Scottish MUP Ruling 11 Elm Tree Scoops Best Pub Carvery Award

Spring 2017

4 Craft Beer’s Market Share Rises Sixfold Since 2012 5 Jameson Sales up 12% 6 Irish Whiskey Wins Australian Trade Mark Action 8 Publicans Celebrate Successful Summer 10 Coman’s Launch Maintains Gin-naissance 11 250 Years of the Long Hall

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Culture Club

Brand Refresh for Iconic Mixer 4 Publicans Call Time on Good Friday Ban 5 Belfast Bar Removes Global Beer Brands 5 Pub Prices ‘Trend Upwards’ in 2017 8 Operation Transformation for Bulmers 24 Create Tasty Beer & Food Combos 34 Irish Whiskey Targets The Next Generation

Enjoy Hüfi Sensibly

12/12/2016 14:11

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01/11/2016 11:55

To discuss advertising opportunities, contact Trish Murphy, Commercial Manager on 01 432 2231 or email Trish.Murphy@ashvillemediagroup.com

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Commercial Profile

Gift of a

Lift GAA and Rugby stars line out for Coca-Cola’s 2017 Designated Driver campaign; asking people to give the ‘Gift of a Lift’ this Christmas

oca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland recently launched its 13th annual Designated Driver campaign. 2017 All-Ireland Football and Hurling finalists and rivals, Dublin’s Paul Flynn; Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea; Galway’s Gearoid McInerney, and Waterford’s Austin Gleeson, join Ulster and Ireland rugby star Craig Gilroy to front this year’s campaign. The aim of the 2017 Designated Driver campaign is to encourage people across the island of Ireland to give the ‘Gift of a Lift’ to friends and loved-ones this Christmas, by staying sober on nights out to ensure they get home safely. The award-winning road-safety campaign rewards safety-conscious Designated Drivers with a ‘Coketail’ or two free drinks from the Coca-Cola range Now It’s Easier To Claim Free Drinks As we all struggle to find the perfect gift for loved ones at Christmas, one of the most appreciated gestures you can give to family and friends is a ‘gift of lift’, so they can enjoy all the fun of Christmas and get home hassle-free. To support these selfless designated drivers this season, Coca-Cola will once again offer two free drinks from the CocaCola range or an alcohol-free ‘Coketail’ that can be redeemed in participating bars and restaurants across Ireland and Northern Ireland. This year Coca-Cola is also making it even easier for designated drivers to claim their free drinks – with digital vouchers that can be stored in the mobile wallet

app on their smart phones. The vouchers are available by free texting Coca-Cola to 50015 in Republic of Ireland and 80800 in Northern Ireland throughout the holiday season. You can also scan a QR code displayed in participating bars and restaurants around the region, making it as easy as possible to redeem your vouchers on your night out! Think Ahead Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross T.D. said, “I am very happy to support the Coca-Cola Designated Driver ‘Gift of a Lift’ campaign this year, which contributes to our aim of keeping roads alcohol free over the Christmas period. “This campaign reminds us that it is important to think ahead when travelling to and from festivities, whether by appointing a designated driver, refraining

from drinking yourself or making other transport arrangements. Don’t risk getting into a car if you think you’re over the limit. The deaths and injuries on our roads that have been caused by alcohol intake show that it’s just not worth it.” He said. Keep Your Mates Safe Aidan O’Shea, campaign ambassador, said, “Christmas is a time when we all like to catch up with loved one. It’s an opportunity to go out with friends and family who you don’t see as often as you would like throughout the year. Nights out are a big part of the season but, let’s face it, getting home can sometimes be a challenge! “Being a designated driver is one of the best gifts you can give over the holiday season to help keep your mates safe, and

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Commercial Profile

it doesn’t cost a thing. Given my sporting commitments, I’m often the designated driver but I certainly appreciate it when the favour is returned. “I’m delighted to support Coca-Cola with this campaign; helping to get the word out to encourage everyone to give the gift of a lift this Christmas. If you are the designated driver, be sure to claim your two free drinks – for more information visit designateddriver.ie.” Introducing ‘Coketails’ To enhance the experience of a night out for designated drivers Coca-Cola have also created a range of ‘Coketails’ offering more exciting drinks for designated drivers to enjoy when they are giving the ‘Gift of a Lift’ this Christmas. Three enticing mocktail recipes have been created by expert mixologist Ilario Alberto Capraro, featuring the new CocaCola Zero Sugar 200ml; the recently relaunched Schweppes range, along with innovations such as Appletiser. These popular drinks will benefit from a unique Christmas twist with ingredients such as clove syrup, star-anise, ginger, cinnamon and more. Matthieu Seguin, Coca-Cola HBC’s Managing Director said: “Our business has taken immense pride in supporting designated drivers throughout the Christmas season for more than a decade and we are delighted to bring

an innovative approach to this years’ campaign, with the creation of our bespoke ‘Coketails’ to further celebrate and reward drivers throughout the season. Also new to this year’s campaign is the introduction of a digital voucher which will make it even easier for people to claim and redeem vouchers using their smart phone – hopefully encouraging more people to keep safety top-of-mind on festive nights out.” In the Republic of Ireland, the Designated Driver campaign is supported by An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority and Drinkaware. It is also

backed by the Licensed Vintners Association, the Vintners Federation of Ireland, the Restaurants Association of Ireland, and the Irish Hotels Federation. In Northern Ireland, the campaign is supported by the PSNI, Hospitality Ulster and the NI Hotel Federation. For more information visit designateddriver.ie Social Seeding Twitter: @CocaColaie Hashtag: #DesignatedDriver Website: designateddriver.ie Facebook: facebook.com/Coca-Cola

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Commercial Profile

Warehouse Bar and Kitchen

With live entertainment, steaks cooked on lave stones, an extensive cocktail range and many shareable options, the Warehouse Bar and Kitchen has something for everyone

he Warehouse Bar and Restaurant (voted best newcomer Sky Bar of the Year awards) has increasingly become a popular venue for locals and visitors alike and is seen as a one stop shop for entertainment in the North West, an area that currently has just a few bars catering to all markets. Whether it’s a meal for two or a larger group of friends no one feels out of place. Sharing is Caring The menu is designed to bring people together with many shareable options available which create a family style way of dining. As the old adage goes - sharing is caring. Warehouse Bar and Kitchen also take particular pride in their steaks as the Letterkenny bar is the first in the area to use hot lave stones, which the steaks are presented on at each table. This unique steak experience means that guests can cook their steaks just the way they like them and they can choose from a range of cuts such as ribeye, sirloin as well as fillet. Extensive Cocktail Range The main bar is a testament to the staff and teams evident hard work, which is why the Warehouse stands out from the bars in the area. Recently voted best cocktail bar in Donegal, they have created a well-balanced cocktail menu, so guests can enjoy classic cocktails such as a Manhattan, Negroni or a Sazerac while basking in the atmospheric surroundings. Alternatively, if guests are in more of a party mood they can choose other popular cocktails from the extensive menu such as Cosmopolitans, Mojitos, Pina Colada's (always a hit with the locals.) For those that like to be wooed with something, something new, the

Warehouse is renowned for their unique and creative selection of house cocktails which they proudly present in a creative and innovative fashion. "The team here are always looking to be innovative when designing drinks or hosting events, most resent being our blind blind date for Valentine’s day which has never being done before, which received a phenomenal response," says Damien O’Donnell, General Manager, Warehouse Bar and Kitchen. Top Acts The Warehouse offers entertainment seven nights a week, which has helped the venue to establish itself as a leading live music venue in the North West. No doubt, this is one of the reasons some of Irelands tops musicians have travelled to Letterkenny to perform. Acts such as Heritage green, Paddy Casey, Ryan Sheridan to name a few. Aside from this, the Warehouse also likes to support local

talent and also offers acts a chance to show case their talent. Unique Offerings "Bars now need to evolve to consumer’s needs, we have to give guest a reason to choose your bar over the bar across the road and we try to achieve that. One of the best ways is to provide something new and different." He adds. Friday and Saturday nights the bar has an extension to its license which caters for DJs from all over Donegal and Northern Ireland to entertain crowds in to the early hours. The Warehouse certainly seems to be a real alternative to the local night clubs, with no cover charge and a more mature cliental its atmosphere is evidently one of fun, laid back and class. Damien concludes: "In an age where people are more travelled we need to look at other cultures and weave them into ours."

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Unquestionably Ireland’s Most Awarded Gin.

Celebrating a GOLD medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. “Products awarded a Gold medal are exceptional. They are near the pinnacle of achievement in their particular category”.

Order through Ireland’s leading beverage wholesaler to the licensed trade.

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07/03/2018 20/02/2018 11:46 09:24

Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers Two new notable appointments were made in the Industry in recent months. Pete Green joins Heineken Ireland from its USA Office and Aoife Clarke becomes the first female chair of the Irish Spirits Association.

New Off Trade Director For Heineken Ireland Pete Green has been appointed as the Off Trade Director for Heineken Ireland. He joins Heineken Ireland from Heineken USA where he held the role of National Sales Director for Grocery in the United States since 2014. Pete joins the drinks giant with a vast amount of experience in the industry. Welcoming the appointment Maggie Timoney, Heineken Ireland Managing Director, says, “We are delighted to welcome Pete to the key position of Heinken Ireland Off Trade Director. He joins us from Heineken USA where he made a significant contribution to the business." In his prior role, he played an

integral part in leading the strategic and operational development of best-in-class customer management planning and worked directly with some of North America’s leading retailers and distributors. Originally from Birmingham in the UK, Pete first started in the industry with Scottish and Newcastle as a graduate in 1998. Following Heineken’s acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle, Pete held a number of commercial roles across both On and Off trade. "We welcome him back to Europe and look forward to working with him.” She adds. "Pete’s global experience, combined with his dynamic and inclusive approach, will ensure that he will develop lasting relationships in the Irish retail sector and will build on Heineken Ireland’s successes in the Off Trade." Pete has led the Heineken team to three consecutive years of growth whilst moving to No. 1 in the Advantage Group.

Irish Spirts Association (ISA) Appoints First Female Chair Beam Suntory’s Aoife Clarke has been appointed chair of the Irish Spirits Association (ISA), the representative body responsible for promoting the interests of the Irish spirits industry. Aoife, who was previously vice-chair of the ISA, will be the first female Chair of the Association in its 20-year history. She takes over as chair from John Harte of Donohoes Drink Company. Clarke has extensive experience working in the drinks industry and in public affairs, both in Ireland and internationally. She has been the senior director of international public affairs at Beam Suntory for over four years. Beam Suntory owns Cooley Distillery, one of Ireland’s largest Irish whiskey distilleries. Prior to this, she was a senior executive at

Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) for over five years. She also worked for the Irish BioIndustry Association and PharmaChemical Ireland. The Irish Spirits Association was established in 1997 and acts as a voice among national and EU policy makers for issues such as taxation, labelling, trade and the ongoing international protection of Ireland’s Geographic Indicators (GIs). The Irish Spirits Association is part of Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) in Ibec.

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! e t a d e h t e v a

20 AUGUST 2018 Clayton Hotel, th

Burlington Road

licensingworld.ie/awards Jacinta O Rourke, Event Manager jacinta.orourke@ashvillemediagroup.com | 01-4322201 Licensing World_BOTYA_Ad.indd 2

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Cellar Safety

Cellar Safety Cellar safety assessment is key to avoiding work place accidents By Jonathan McDade, Head of the Irish Brewers Association

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he ultimate goal for every person at work is to return home safe. This applies equally to those who work in our offices, constructions sites, farms, as well as the hospitality staff in our bars, clubs and restaurants. The issue of worker safety has hit headlines here in Ireland for all the wrong reasons. The most frustrating things about such accidents, some of which result in fatalities, is that many of them could have been prevented. Following a few serious accidents in bar cellars across Europe, the Irish Brewers Association (IBA) partnered with the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) to establish a programme aimed at bar managers designed to carry out thorough risk assessments on bar cellars. The Irish Brewers Association was established 1904 and represents Ireland’s leading brewers and beer distributers. Bar cellars can be perfectly safe environments to work, once adequate safety measures are in place. Failure to meet the minimum safety standards within bar cellars can result in serious accidents for bar staff, gas installers and beer dispense technicians. Within the IBA is a technical committee which is made up of Ireland’s leading technical dispense professionals. It was this committee that decided to drive the issue of cellar safety to the fore in consultation with representatives of BOC Gas. Within the IBA Tech Group there’s over 100 years of experience in the Brewing/Tech industry. It is vital that their knowledge is shared to ensure a safe place of work for the outlets employees and for the service providers to the sector. Fortunately for the IBA, the HSA has already had in place an online risk assessment programme that is designed for all types of businesses. The BeSMART.ie website was developed by the HSA a few years ago as a user-friendly risk assessment tool. Instead of reams of safety jargon text with endless referrals of health and safety regulations, the site features easy-to-read assessments that be easily navigated on the site. The BeSMART website contains a wide range of risk assessments which include manual handling procedures, electricity audits and basic maintenance. Each risk assessment comes in the form of a questionnaire asking participants about the status of safety features within an outlet. Each question must be answered yes or no. Only through conducting this online risk assessment, can participants know how safe its work place is. Primarily the risk assessments on the HSA’s Be SMART website focuses on the agriculture and construction sector. From today there will be a dedicated section on the site for bar managers to conduct various online safety audits of its cellars. This cellar safety programme is important for a variety of reasons. In addition to enhancing the safety for individuals working within cellars, health and safety audits are legally required under health and safety regulations. Failure to conduct these audits may result in prosecution from the relevant authorities. The Cellar safety programme is the first of its kind in Ireland and aims to improve safety in the workplace environment for thousands of workers / service providers and for customers of the hospitality sector.

The first step is to log onto BeSMART.ie and register your details. This process only takes a few minutes. Once you are registered, then all risk assessment entries are logged and stored on your account. Once register then you will click on the “Bar / Public House” section to get access to its 36 risk assessments associated with cellar safety. The risk assessments include cellar audits on fire safety, slips/trips/falls, manual handling, chemicals, working at heights, workplace transport, displaced screen equipment and maintenance to name a few. The process is easy, and the site will offer advice on best practice safety precautions and legal safety requirements as risk assessments are being conducted. Once the process is complete, bar managers will know how safe their cellars are and if there are any gaps in safety (on site) that need to be addressed. In November 2017 the Irish Brewers Association and the Health & Safety Authority co-launched the cellar safety programme. So far, the programme has received endorsements from the Vintners Federation of Ireland, the Licensed Vintners Association and BOC Gas. The launch took place at Doheny & Nesbitts pub where those gathered saw a brief presentation of how easy the programme was to use. My hope is that it’ll benchmark health & safety standards for all licensed operators in Europe as a quick and easy way for bar managers to know how safe their cellars are and if any safety issues need to be addressed. I would encourage all bar managers to register with the BeSMART website and conduct thorough risks assessments in cellars. The BeSMART website is user-friendly, it doesn’t not take much time to use and it is free of charge. Most importantly, the more risk assessments that bar managers conduct on their cellars, the better they can prevent serious accidents taking place on their respective premises. Failure to conduct the cellar safety audit is not worth the risk.

"The cellar safety programme is the first of its kind in Ireland and aims to IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE environment for thousands of workers / service providers and for customers of the hospitality sector. "

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14/03/2018 14:33

Venue

culture vulture

VENUE

The Bagots Hutton, Ormond Quay in Dublin offers its wall space to artists, to provide them with the opportunity to showcase their work, while the venue benefits for the forever changing energy and aesthetic interior value of the venue. Donna Ahern reports.

ocated on Ormond Quay and offering stunning views of the river through its waterside windows, Bagots Hutton is a New York-style café restaurant, funky wine bar, live music venue and arts space all rolled into one. Presided over by Brian Deery and Giovanni Viscardi who are 'evangelical' about providing the capital’s creative community with a new home. The Wine Bar/Restaurant is also comprised of a 150 seater restaurant with a wine bar occupying the entire ground floor, 1st floor and basement of No. 6 Ormond Quay. Diners can enjoy dishes from its extensive menu which includes everything from a classic Plum Tomato & Buffalo Mozzarella Caprese Salad and Toasted Feather Blade Steak with Rocket at lunchtime during the week, and brunch which includes a range of cocktails on a Sunday, which is set against the backdrop of afternoon jazz. In the evenings, signature dishes such as Baked Seabream with Saffron Potatoes and Braised Fennel or Italian pizza oven feature on the menu. An experience that is augmented, by live music by well-known names such as Mik Pyro of Republic Of Loose fame and legendary Skid Row drummer, Noel Bridgeman to name but a few. INSIDE: BAGOTS HUTTON Additional aesthetic sustenance is provided by the striking works of art adorning the redbrick interior by many of Ireland's best known visual artists. The city center venue is currently running an exhibition entitled 'Verses' by well-known artist Morgan. The collection according to Morgan, "is based on abstracting lyrics and phrases from some of my favorite music. Displaying work in a venue like Bagots Hutton

Photo Captions: L-R Currently on Display, 'LCD' by Morgan; The Bagots Hutton; Past Exhibitor, 'You Two' by Duda

is a great way to reach people who mightn’t get a chance to get into galleries." The Bagots Huton first started exhibiting artists work, back in 2011 when the business duo ran a wine bar on South William St. Since they moved premises to Ormond Quay, to a larger venue, they have continued to provide artists with this unique opportunity to display their work to a transient and new audience, outside of the confines of a gallery space. OPENINGS AND EXHIBITIONS To date the venue has displayed the work of some of the best known artists who are currently making a big impact on the arts scene in Ireland today and have since gone on to become household names such as David

Uda aka Duda and Alex Sapatanza. Each of the shows are officially opened in a similar fashion to an art exhibition, with a wine reception. This is followed by a show that runs for a three month period. Co-owner Giovanni tells me that the change of the art on display is received with great aplomb by the customers, "they love it because the venue is forever changing." He adds, "we love it as it changes the energy of the venue." The Bagots Hutton is always looking for artists, which has already proven to be a well-worth while platform for creatives to showcase their work. It appears to be a win, win solution for both the venue and the artist, as both benefit from this wonderfully unique business partnership. Bagotshutton.com

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Venue ProďŹ le

Turning Japanese Dylan McGrath talks to Donna Ahern about his latest venture - the Japanese inspired urban-luxe Bonsai Bar

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Venue Profile

gourmet bar bites, as well as the evocative ambience, that gives Bonsai Bar an edge for glamour-tinged, evening-time socialising. “We work very hard bringing to Dublin new and unique experiences that are focused on quality and customer first. I love the idea of creating something that makes people feel they could be anywhere in the world. Watching the cocktail market grow globally, customers are beginning to show a real appreciation for not only great tasting and unique cocktails, but the complete experience, with food, atmosphere and service. “The Bonsai Bar is the perfect accompaniment for my love and passion for Japanese cuisine. My hope is that, as challenging as designing a menu like this can be to us chefs, it will be as equally rewarding to our customers who enjoy the finer things. We have invested in trying to take you out of the city for one night, in a theme that I think Dublin is ready for.”

Dylan McGrath

rish diners have driven the natural food and healthier options market into high-gear. Considering the fact that the Japanese diet is based on healthy and clean ingredients, it comes as no surprise that Bonsai Bar has matched this healthy-eating emphasis with the burgeoning interest in the Asian countries cuisine. That there has been a significant resurgence in the demand for Japanese whiskey in recent years, marking it as the current drink du jour, revered among connoisseurs and collectors, all adds up to mean that Japanese cuisine’s time is now. “Japan offers an exciting range of ingredients, whiskeys, sakés and flavour combinations for cocktails, not forgetting the theatre of cooking at the table,” says chef and restaurateur Dylan McGrath. “Other cities around the world have well-established brands that are dedicated to Japanese cuisine and style at a high level. With the growth of diversity of Dublin restaurants in the last few years, I feel the city is ready for our own Japanese-inspired brand at this level.” Michelin-starred McGrath knows to respond quickly to this new potential, opening a new venture on the corner of South Great George’s Street and Exchequer Street in the heart of Dublin, to introduce this theme of high-end Japanese-influenced food and drinks to the capital. Named Bonsai Bar, the restaurant bar carries an unrivalled list of luxury Japanese whiskeys, authentic Japanese beers and world-renowned saké. However, it’s the sophistication of the Japanese-inspired bespoke cocktails and exquisite,

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES “Customer attitudes in Ireland have changed hugely regarding eating out,” says McGrath. “Firstly, much more people are eating out and more and more people understand food. As a result, Dublin’s food standard has been raised. There are more Michelin star restaurants here than ever before. People like diversity and people want choice. You’re asking for your customer’s trust. With a range of so many different options at a good standard, you need to be consistent and offer people that are prepared to spend their money with you, value where you can.” Preparation for the venture involved raising quality standards, but also careful research. McGrath visited Japan a number of times to study the cuisine there. “However,” he says, “you need to know what to take from Japan. A lot of what they serve you couldn't take to Ireland. You need to understand our culture to understand what would be embraced and what needs to be thrown away; not everything works. It needs to be both an expression of what Japan is to you as a chef and what your customers want to eat.” Irish diners’ greater global awareness and expanded palettes from travel abroad have played a large role in their new cosmopolitan tastes. “It’s a combination of well-travelled natives, Ireland being recognised as a global tourist destination and now Dublin being considered the digital business hub of Europe. These all bring to Dublin a well-travelled customer with an understanding of the finer things, and Japanese cuisine is all about these finer things. People who dine out like this, Irish or otherwise, have a real appreciation for the range of flavours and coolness the Japanese offer and how we in the West have interpreted their style to suit our own expression of these wonderful ingredients.”

Inside Bonsai Bar

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Venue Profile Minced wagyu sirloin torched and brushed in aka miso with truffle paste, crispy shallot and smoked bonito flake

BAR BITES The bar bites menu reflects this sophistication, with innovative and refined food on offer, such as Wagyu Beef brushed in Sweet Miso Crispy Onion Flakes and Bonito; Octopus with Pickled Radish and Fresh Wasabi; and Nashi Pear pressed in Ponzu and Honey with Umeboshi, among others. “When working with Japanese ingredients you apply techniques that bring out the best in natural flavour, being careful not to overpower or dilute what is great about them. We use these techniques to create a flavour excitement that is fun,” says McGrath. As well as bar bites, the restaurant also emphasises a cocktail experience. McGrath collaborated with two Japanese mixologists to design the cocktail menu, offering drinks with such unusual ingredients as palm sugar, pear vodka, and – naturally – saké. The interior of the space is also striking, laid out as a seductive, urban-luxe bar. “We wanted it to be comfortable with a classical and traditional leather design,” says McGrath. “We didn’t want it to be too big. We wanted to create an intimate space with a large bar that is aimed at what it is supposed to be, which is allowing the detail and the flavour of the cocktails to be at the fore. “We also wanted to join it to the restaurant that is Taste, with the same clientele, enabling creativity in a place with a similar style for those that might not want a complete meal.” The combined effect showcases McGrath’s passion for Japanese flavours in both food and drinks. If his previous success with Rustic Stone and Mint are any indication, Bonsai Bar is likely to become a highly-regarded venue for the sophisticates of Dublin. The venue is fully seated to accommodate a limited clientéle and is already planning to launch a new menu in the new year, ‘Taste at Bonsai’, aimed towards a very unique bento lunch. “The staff in ‘Taste at Bonsai’ will be working together to create the perfect experience for patrons who have a love of something different in the city.” concludes McGrath.

Sophisticated Cocktails

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Finance

Euro-Sterling Parity Disparty Drop in sterling will continue to challenge key industries in Ireland in 2018. Anthony Foley looks at the economic impact of Brexit on the drinks industry in 2018

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Finance

The exchange rate is not the only cause of the decline in British tourism, but it has been a major contributor. Based on an average 2017 decline in British tourists of 6.1%, this is a direct revenue loss of about €34 million. THE THREAT OF CROSS-BORDER SHOPPING The fall in sterling has made the price disparity between Northern Ireland and the Republic more noticeable, leaving the drinks industry susceptible to cross-border shopping. The price and tax (VAT and excise) on various alcohol products is higher here than in Northern Ireland. Currently, the Republic has the highest excise tax on wine in the EU, the second highest on beer, and the third highest on spirits. The overall tax difference on spirits in the Republic and the North is substantial: vodka is €3.63 per bottle tax difference, and whiskey is €3.27. The sparkling wine tax difference is also large at €4.03; wine is €1.05. These substantial differences in tax encourage cross-border shopping for large purchases such as for parties or bulk buys.

"Sterling’s performance next year will to some degree DICTATE THE PERFORMANCE OF IRELAND’S DRINKS INDUSTRY. Even if there is little change, the industry will still have to cope with the ongoing impact of the recent decline." The trends in cross-border shopping are illustrated by the InterTradeIreland survey of Republic-registered cars in Northern Ireland car parks noted: “The end of 2008 saw the highest percentage of Irish registered cars (67%) in shopping centres in Northern Ireland. It declined to 37% in Quarter 3, 2015 but increased to 57% in Quarter 3, 2016. However, there was a decline to 48% in Quarter 3, 2017. The concern is that the current exchange rate differential will encourage increased flows of shoppers across the border.” LOOKING AHEAD TO 2018 A PoundSterling Live website survey of over 50 banks suggests that sterling at the end of 2018 will broadly be at its end 2017 level. The median end 2017 level was €1.12 to the pound, and the median end 2018 level is also expected to be €1.12. If there is reasonable progress in the second stage of Brexit talks, sterling is not expected to continue to decline; however, these current average forecasts could be upset by poor progress in negotiations. If the Brexit negotiations fail completely, we should expect a further drop in the value of sterling. Sterling’s performance next year will to some degree dictate the performance of Ireland’s drinks industry. Even if there is little change, the industry will still have to cope with the ongoing impact of the recent decline. Any improvement in sterling in 2018 is likely be small relative to the dip of 2016/17. It is also likely that the permanent adjustment to the higher valued euro is not fully complete. Consequently, in 2018, the drinks industry will still be challenged with cross-border shopping, reduced UK tourism, and tougher international trade with the UK. Anthony Foley is Associate Professor of Economics at Dublin City University Business School.

rexit’s depreciating effect on sterling poses a significant challenge to Ireland’s drinks and hospitality industry, a nationwide network of public houses, hotels, restaurants and supporting businesses. In 2017, British tourism numbers dropped, while the off-licence sector competed with cheaper products across the border. These issues are likely to continue into next year. Ireland’s drinks and hospitality sector supports nearly 210,000 jobs nationwide. A total of 7,193 pubs, 3,161 off-licences, 2,406 restaurants, 983 hotels, 483 wholesalers and 98 producers purchase €5.7 billion in materials and services, pay €2.9 billion in wages and deliver €6.4 billion in tourism spend each year, in cities, towns and villages. British tourists account for 41% of all visitors to Ireland, the country’s largest single market. In the wake of Brexit, however, fewer are coming. In 2017, Ireland lost more than 200,000 British visitors—a decline of 6.1%. Thankfully, visitors from other markets continued to arrive, so the overall total number of visitors increased—but Ireland cannot continue to rely on other markets to replace the falling number of British tourists. The value of the euro has risen over 25% since 2015. This means that a €1,000 holiday in Ireland in 2015 cost a UK tourist £710, but in 2017, it cost £890. Ireland is now a more expensive holiday destination.

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Urban Quarter Project

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Urban Quarter Project

Generation

Diageo has recently unveiled its vision to create an 'urban hub', at the heart of Dublin's Liberties. Donna Ahern reports.

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Urban Quarter

"We have, in this site, a unique opportunity to open up the gates, creating a quarter that will FORM PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE CITY for generations to come."

iageo has recent announced its plans to transform 12.6 acres of its nearly 50 acres site, at its iconic St. James’s Gate site to create one of the most 'dynamic urban' quarters in Ireland and Europe, at the heart of Dublin’s Liberties area. The internationally acclaimed brewer has dubbed this a 'venture that will embrace new and old, to create a mixed-use development called the St. James’s Gate Quarter'. Working closely with planning and architectural experts, Diageo has developed a vision, underpinned by both the Dublin City Development Plan and the Liberties Local Area Plan. Although it appears that this will be a long term quarter and something that is likely to benefit 'generations to come' the drinks giant has already outlined its plan. MIXED-USED URBAN QUARTER In a statement, Diageo says that it aims to open up the site, using new and existing buildings to create a dynamic mixed-use urban quarter that will include residential, office and commercial space. The new quarter will reportedly be opened up with public spaces and streets and will be fully integrated into the wider Liberties area. It says that in the first step of what will be a long term project, Diageo is embarking on a search for a world class development partner who can help to deliver this transformative vision. Given the ambition and size of the project, the development will be phased over a lengthy period, with detailed plans being developed once a partner is in place. “This unique relationship between past and future

makes St. James’s Gate an extraordinary place. It is rooted in history and its future is one of innovation and creating experiences. We are committed to a long term sustainable future at St. James’s Gate and are delighted to be opening streets, creating spaces, and generating opportunity." Country Director for Diageo Ireland, Oliver Loomes says. NEW GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS Oliver noted that Diageo is transforming its centuriesold vat houses, brew houses and cooperages into incredible spaces that will house and inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs, residents and visitors, dreamers and doers. Colin O’Brien, Beer and Packaging Director at Diageo, says: “This site has always been a hub of industrial activity embedded within the local community. When we look to the future we wanted this dynamic relationship to prevail, ensuring that our thriving brewing operations coexist with a vibrant urban environment." "We have, in this site, a unique opportunity to open up the gates, creating a quarter that will form part of the fabric of the city for generations to come. It will act as a catalyst for the continued regeneration of the Liberties. While this will be a long term project, and we are at the very early stages, this is something that we’re all very excited about and we are committed to doing it right.” He adds. The group has outlined that it plans to retain ownership and custodianship of a number of key buildings in the quarter, including the iconic gate itself and Arthur Guinness’s residence.

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PROHIBITION BACK TO THE 20'S

uests were transported back to the 1920s, with the “Prohibition” themed 2017 Sky Bar of the Year Awards. The winners were revealed at the recent memorable black tie event hosted by Newstalk’s Tom Dunne in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road. Film Fatale delivered a spectacular three piece 1920s band, burlesque and charleston dancers and completing the 1920’s vibe there were some favourite Prohibition cocktails. Over 400 people were in attendance to toast the winners, as excellence across the licensed trade was recognised across 25 drink service and entertainment categories, with over 100 finalists in contention to craft themselves an award. Now in their 12th year, the Sky Bar of the Year Awards acknowledge the outstanding work in the licensed trade throughout the country. A team of judges travelled all over the island of Ireland to judge gin and whiskey bars, outside spaces and music venues for their best brew, crafty cocktails and straight up excellence in customer experience. Some of the many winners on the night included Tribeton in the Gin Bar category (sponsored by Drumshanbo Gundpowder Irish Gin / Dalcassian Wines & Spirits) and An Púcán for the overall Southern Comfort People’s Choice Award. Luke O’Meara from The Liquor Rooms brought home the title of the Bushmills Cocktail Bartender of the Year. The ultimate accolade of Sky Bar of the Year was awarded to Left Bank, Kilkenny. Other new categories introduced this year to stir things up included

NUMBERS

on the Night

400

attended the Sky Bar of the Year Awards 2017

Whiskey Bar of the Year, which went to Revolution Craft Bar, Restaurant Bar of the Year which was awarded to Candlelight Bar @ Siam Thai Restaurant and Live Entertainment Venue which went to The Quays in Galway. New to 2017, the Sky Bar of the Year Awards and Licensing World were delighted to present the Tasting Village which showcased a variety of new and well established drinks, our guests enjoyed the opportunity to taste an array of local Irish and international brands. We hope that you enjoyed this year's awards and as a reminder of the evening we have put together this feature to transport you back to the 1920 and to remind you of the highlights of this years event. We looking forward to seeing you all again in 2018.

categories in the Sky Bar of the Year Awards 2017

420

entries for the Sky Bar of the Year Awards 2017

12 years since the first Bar of the Year awards

Donna Ahern, Editor, Licensing World

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WAREHOUSE BAR & KITCHEN, LETTERKENNY, DONEGAL Newcomer of the Year Sponsored by

Warren Byrne, Gary Walsh, Dinn Rí Nightclub

Jason Bowen, Ronan Murphy, Colin Ryan, JJ. Coppingers and Alan Keane of Southern Comfort

JJ COPPINGERS MIDLETON, CO CORK

Southern Comfort People’s Choice Munster (Public Vote) Sponsored by

JJ Coppingers Midleton, Co Cork scooped the Southern Comfort People’s Choice Munster (Public Vote) on the night. "We are delighted to win Best Bar in Munster, especially because it was by public vote so we were thrilled with the endorsement from our customers." Ronan Murphy says. "We have received a huge amount of well wishes since we received the award, customers have reacted very positively. Other businesses' on the street have been very forthcoming with congratulations, the award puts Midleton in the spotlight as well as JJ Coppingers. The award is framed and hanging in the bar. We are using the award on all our marketing material and on social media.The award will definitely have a positive impact on future businesses with many tourists commenting that the award was the reason for them calling in."

Dervella & Hal Reburn, Strand Taven Wexford

Hugh Murray, Elaine Bolger, Classic Drinks

Warehouse Bar & Kitchen, Letterkenny, Donegal claimed the top Newcomer award. "Everyone involved with the Warehouse is extremely proud to have been nominated along with some great bars, and to come out as the winner has had the whole team on a high. It has give us the belief that we are on the right track to become the bar that we aspire to be and that the extra touches we provide are being noticed, " says Damien O'Connell, General Manager. "We have had fantastic feed back from the local community and even the wider Donegal area. I have actually being stopped in the street by a little old lady that I didn't know, and she congratulated me which was very touching. This shows how much the town has embraced the Warehouse and we hope to keep flying the flag not just for Letterkenny but the north west as a whole. To show how proud we are of our award we have the award attached to the wall outside at the entrance so not just our guest can see it but passers-by also. We received lots of media coverage once the award was announced via social media and also local print media. We also use our award now on all our marketing material. most definitely, with a wider exposure of the bar we have found that we are receiving inquires for dinner from further a field than just Letterkenny, we have even received visits from the sporting world that have chosen the warehouse for their night out when in the north west."

@GastroGays Well done Team Weavers! One of the best bars in our hometown, #Drogheda

#SkyBarAwards2017 Frank Broz, The Whiskey Bar at The Bodega Cork

Damien O Donnell, Warehouse Bar Kitchen, Donegal, Peter O Connor, Roe & Co

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FITZPATRICK’S BAR AND RESTAURANT, DUNDALK, CO LOUTH Tourist Bar of the Year

Danny Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatrick's Bar & Restaurant and Hazel Johnston, Senior Event Manager, Hotel & Catering

@Thetaste_ie Sky Bar of the Year 2017 Winners Revealed

#SkyBarAwards201

Fitzpatrick’s Bar and Restaurant, Dundalk, Co Louth, won the Tourist Bar of the Year category. Owner Danny Fitzpatrick says, "I was surprised to win any award on the night and felt so proud and was over the moon. The customers were so happy that we got recognised for our work and the effort we put into Fitzpatricks. I have the award in a glass case at my reception, where customers can see it with my photo." He adds, "The award helps business but when you mention, Sky, it turns heads and I can see and hear people who come here say it to my staff."

CLAYTON HOTEL GALWAY Bar Manager of the Year Sponsored by

Tony Newell, Bar Manager at the Clayton Hotel Galway won the top prize in the Bar Manager of the Year category. "I am honoured to have been awarded Bar Manager of the Year," says Tony. "I have had numerous people stop to shake my Kenny Dorian from Bunzal Mc Laughlin, hand and congratulate me on achieving the Tony Newell from Enclosure Bar Bistro, award not only my present customers but Clayton Hotel in Galway and Andre Michel also from previous establishments that I’ve from Arc worked in. I have my award prominently displayed behind the bar and we have @love_belfast publicized it in the Bushmills Irish Whiskey is searching for local local papers. As it cocktail Bartenders to compete in Sky Bar shows that I have Awards 2017 lovebelfast.co.uk/sky-barachieved one of the highest standards awards... in the business @BushmillsUK which should in turn improve customer #SkyBarAwards20 confidence in what we do here at the Clayton Hotel Galway."

MESSAGE FROM Tracey Carney The Clayton Hotel Burlington Road was our chosen venue for the 2017 Sky Bar Awards. It a great venue and allowed us to introduce our first ever Tasting Village. The feedback was fantastic! It's a rare opportunity to have over 400 industry professionals taste your product. Head Chef Finbar Higgins designed our paired menu across three courses but the highlight for me was the tonic and cucumber jelly with our Gun Powder Drumshanbo Gin Starter. It was great to see so many of our guests get involved in our 1920’s theme and Quintessential who presented our Best Dressed on the night and Film Fatale bought our theme to life with their prohibition dance troupe. A big thank you to our judging panel who had their hands full this year with 160 premises site inspected across the country and 98 individual premises made the shortlist. It was the second year of our Bushmills Cocktail Bartender competition and we doubled our entries, Zozimus hosted our live final and the competition was fierce you can check out all our finalist videos @ licensingworld.ie. We will be opening entries in January this year so make sure to keep an eye out on the website for updates. Tracey Carney, Event Director, Sky Bar of the Year Awards

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THE LIQUOR ROOMS, STRANDHILL, CO.SLIGO Bushmills Cocktail Bartender Luke O'Meara from The Rooms scooped the award for the Bushmills Cocktail Bartender award. Luke says "I'm very happy with my new award, I was not expecting to win but I am very proud of the achievement. I have been approached by customers who have congratulated me on the award, even those who are strangers or newcomers to the bar. The customers who are aware of the award often ask for my cocktails featured in the competitionÂ or whiskey advice. The award has been displayed in the Liquor Rooms in our display case for customers to see as they enter the venue. I believe the award helps with future business. With an award for a cocktail competition, it attracts those with an interest in cocktails and other bar industry staff to the bar, which as a cocktailfocused bar is ideal.

CASK, CORK Cocktail Bar of The Year Cask, in Cork won the award in the Cocktail Bar of the Year category. Bar Manager, Andy Ferreira, says "The thing about winning an award like the Sky Bar Award is that its a reward for so much hard work from the team. The term "Award Winning" is thrown around so much these days in many industrys but until you actually win an award you don't earn that right. I think as it was our first as a team it was all the sweeter. Its been a remarkable nine months for us since our launch in March. For three of our bartenders to represent Ireland by winning 3 different global competitions is testament to our quality and passion for our industry but im sure we'd all agree the collective victory is the sweetest." He says. "We're like a family in Cask. Creativity, hard work are having the craic is our ethos. Plus a continuous drive to improve. To make every menu better than the last, more interesting, better visually and to create drinks that excite our customers. We are better than no one, but no one is better than us!"

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on the Night

STARTER Finely Sliced Dill and Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Cured Salmon Mango & Vanilla Chutney, Micro Mesclun Salad Leaves & Drumshando Gunpowder Irish Gin, Tonic & Cucumber Jelly Contains

Luke O Meara, The Liquor Rooms with Fergal Wilson from Bushmills.

Paired with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin & Thomas Henry Tonic Cask, Cork

MAIN COURSE Seared 10oz Sirloin of Tipperary Beef with Roe & Co Whiskey Pepper Sauce Roast Fondant Potato & Seasonal Vegetables Paired with Roe & Co Whiskey

DESSERT Valrhona Chocolate, Diplomatico Rum & Wexford Raspberry Cremeux Cylinder With Blood Orange Coulis and Brown Bread Ice Cream Paired with Diplomatico Rum

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Julie Billes, Victoria Procunier, Ilaria Ferri and Joanne Griffin

Gail Cotter and Michael Stewart

George Roberts, Southern Comfort, Tom Joyce, Marty MacKay, Doug Leddin, Emma Galvin, Aidan Mulvaney and Karl Daly all from An Púcán, Galway The Southern Comfort People’s Choice Award - Overall

Elizabeth Brown from The Drafthouse Gastro Pub, Sligo

Kevin Soraghan

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Damien O Donnell, Warehouse Bar Kitchen, Donegal, Peter O Connor, Roe & Co

Jessica & Gillian Byrne, Left Bank Kilkenny

Daniel Savan, Lisa Doyle, Quintessential Brands and Victorija Jakovickaite

Claire Cahill, Craig Moore, Linne Carolan, Shane Connida, Buskers on the Ball, Temple Bar

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WOOLSHED BAA & GRILL, CORK

CANDLELIGHT BAR @ SIAM THAI, DUNDRUM TOWN CENTRE, DUBLIN

Best Bar To Watch The Match

Restaurant Bar of the Year

Sponsored by

is a Past Head of Department of Bar Management in DIT, Past President Bartenders Association of Ireland

Tribeton, Merchants Road, Galway won the Sky Best Gin Bar of the Year award. According to Manager Gerry Kelly, “The entire team at Tribeton, Galway were incredibly proud and humbled to win Best Gin Bar of the Year. 2017 has seen a huge uptick in popularity for the spirit and we have worked hard to be top players and purveyors on a local and national level. To secure this recognition has made it all worthwhile. “ Ha says. “Winning Best Gin Bar of the Year has validated Tribeton as an authority in gin. Our customers now recognise that and value our input when ordering the perfect gin and tonic. Their feedback has lead us to believe that we are now a destination for gin lovers – one for the gin bucket list – and this is an incredible honour. Tribeton’s trophy for Best Gin Bar of the Year has taken pride of place among our other awards on the back bar. It’s often admired and commented on by clientele. We haven’t been shy about telling the world of our recent win – we’re really proud of it. As a result all of our comms, from social media and digital to PR and marketing name check the award. In the short time since winning such a prestigious award, Tribeton has seen a definite increase in footfall as well as interest in partnerships from gin and other alcohol brands. We’ve played hosts to a number of launches, events and collaborations over the past few months to great success and we doubt that all of these would have happened without the win.

JOHN CARTY lectures in Marketing, Management and Public Relations at the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology's College of Tourism & Arts.

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P.MACS, DUBLIN 2 Sky City Centre Bar of the Year Sky Craft Beer Bar of the Year "The recent awards were a great acknowledgment of all the staffs hard work throughout the year. They give us great motivation driving forward and will be hung proudly behind our bar for years to come. Once again, thank you to all at the Sky Bar of the Year Awards" Michael O’Brien, Manager

Thank you to our

SUPPLIERS WELCOME DRINK

Seamus McGettigan from The Quays with Jeff Brennan from Red Bull

STARTER PAIRING

A SPECIAL THANK YOU Sky Bar of the Year Awards Event Team! The 2017 Sky Bar of the Year awards were brought to you by the Events Team in Ashville Media Group.

MAIN COURSE PAIRING

Pat Rigney, Shedd Distillery Drumshanbo Gundpowder Irish Gin, Monica Talar, Ger Reilly and Martin Curran, Tribeton, Galway with John Dillon, Dalcassian Wine and Spirits

DESSERT PAIRING

GLASSWARE

Darren Watson, Alan Brew, Sarah Austin, Mícheál O'Brien, P.Macs and Jacinta O'Rourke

@LoveKilkenny Massive Congratulations To All The Winners of This Year's @BarOfTheYear Awards 2017

#SkyBarAwards17

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Commercial Profile

Luxurious

Luxardo

Husband and Wife duo Girolamo Luxardo and his wife Maria Canevari started producing their award winning liqueurs in 1821 and it’s still enjoyed by aficionados today

uxardo is a family-owned company initially founded in Zara, a port city on the Dalmatian coast of what is now Croatia. Girolamo Luxardo, a Genovese businessman, and his wife, Maria Canevari, moved to Zara in 1817. It was Maria who began perfecting “rosolio maraschino,” a liqueur produced in Dalmatian convents since medieval times from special maraschino cherries. Canevari’s liqueur was of such high quality that it gained the attention of connoisseurs, and her husband founded the Luxardo Distillery in 1821 to produce her original Maraschino. Not long afterwards, the Emperor of Austria

awarded the Luxardo liqueur the highest honor “Privilegiata Fabbrica Maraschino Excelsior.” The distillery remained under the family’s control and prospered by exporting the liqueur to aficionados around the world. The Maraschino liqueur became an essential cocktail ingredient internationally. The beginning of the Second World War in 1940 severely hampered industrial activity. After indiscriminate and repeated Anglo-American bombings in 1943-44, the distillery, which at that time became one of the biggest distilleries in Europe, was almost completely destroyed, as was the city. Three members of the Luxardo Family were

brutally killed and it appeared then, that after more than a century of activity, the Luxardo firm was destined to disappear. In 1947 Giorgio Luxardo together with the young fifth generation Nicolò III had the courage and the vision to rebuild the distillery in Torreglia, a small town beneath the Euganean hills in the North-Eastern part of Italy, where still today a new chapter of the Luxardo story is being written. Girolamo Luxardo S.p.A. Luxardo is distributed in Ireland by Classic Drinks, and is proud sponsor of Cocktail Bar of the Year, at the Licensing World Bar Awards 2018.

Website: www.luxardo.it, Email: sales@classicdrinks.ie, Telephone: 021 451 0066

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2017 Winners Revealed BAR FOOD ............................................................................................. Weavers Bar & Venue, Drogheda, Co Louth BEST BAR TO WATCH THE MATCH........................................................ Wookshed Bar & Grill, Cork BEST DESIGNED / INSIDE SPACE.......................................................... Left Bank, Kilkenny CITY BAR .............................................................................................. P.Mac’s, Dublin COCKTAIL BAR ...................................................................................... Cask. Cork CONTEMPORARY BAR .......................................................................... Blackbird, Dublin CRAFT BEER BAR.................................................................................. P.Macs. Dublin GASTRO BAR FOOD ............................................................................... The ChopHouse, Dublin GIN BAR ................................................................................................ Tribeton, Galway HOTEL Bar ............................................................................................ Panorama Bistro & Terrace @ The Montenotte Hotel, Cork 5* HOTEL BAR ...................................................................................... The Sidecar @ The Westbury Hotel, Dublin LATE BAR/ NIGHTCLUB ........................................................................ Highline @ Sophie’s, Dublin LIVE ENTERTAINMENT VENUE.............................................................. The Quays, Galway LOCAL BAR ........................................................................................... The Penny Hill, Dublin NEWCOMER .......................................................................................... Warehouse Bar & Kitchen, Letterkenny, Donegal OUTSIDE SPACE .................................................................................... Filthy McNastys, Belfast, Antrim OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE..................................................... The Oarsman, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim RESTAURANT BAR ................................................................................ Candlelight Bar @ Siam Thai Restaurant, Dublin TOURIST BAR ........................................................................................ Fitzpatrick’s Bar and Restaurant, Dundalk, Co Louth TRADITIONAL BAR ................................................................................ Kehoe’s, Dublin WHISKEY BAR ...................................................................................... Revolution Craft Bar, Waterford BAR MANAGER ..................................................................................... Tony Newell – Clayton Hotel Galway STAFF PERSONALITY ............................................................................ Elizabeth Brown, The Draft House Pub, Strandhill, Sligo SKY BAR OF THE YEAR – JUDGES CHOICE............................................ Caribou, Galway BUSHMILLS COCKTAIL BARTENDER.....................................................Luke O’Meara – The Liquor Rooms, Dublin OVERALL SKY BAR OF THE YEAR .........................................................Left Bank, Kilkenny SOUTHERN COMFORT PEOPLE’S CHOICE – DUBLIN .............................Molloy’s Bar & Grill, (Public Vote) SOUTHERN COMFORT PEOPLE’S CHOICE – LEINSTER ..........................Langtons House Hotel, Kilkenny (Public Vote) SOUTHERN COMFORT PEOPLE’S CHOICE – MUNSTER ......................... JJ Coppingers, Midleton, Co Cork (Public Vote) SOUTHERN COMFORT PEOPLE’S CHOICE CONNACHT / ULSTER .......... An Púcán, Galway (Public Vote) OVERALL SOUTHERN COMFORT PEOPLE’S CHOICE .............................An Púcán, Galway

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Wine

CALIFORNIA Dreaming

Following a career in finance and after graduating in Law, Justine McGovern decided to make a complete change in career after a short wine tasting course. She now heads California Wine in Ireland, and specializes in wine from the Golden State. She talks to Donna Ahern about what sets California apart from other wine regions in the world and her recent success with Ireland's first ever California Wine Fair.

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YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER IN THE FINANCE SECTOR, AFTER COMPLETING YOUR LAW DEGREE. WHAT INFLUENCED TO CHANGE DIRECTION AND MAKE THE MOVE TO THE WINE INDUSTRY? Well Ironically, I really didn’t know myself back then at all, I really hadn’t a clue what I really wanted to do, when I was in my job in finance, my colleagues used to say to me, ‘why are you working here, seriously, what do you really want to do?’ It is funny looking back on it but I really was so unsuited to the job, if you knew me you would probably have a half grin now! Because they were completely right. One Christmas my father bought me a present of a wine course. I started my course and began to look at my future career differently. CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR CAREER IN THIS INDUSTRY TO DATE? I went on to get a job first in Seasons Wine Merchants and then the Wine Development Board of Ireland. I had a wonderful time in this job and it also allowed me the opportunity to study my WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits. A wonderful opportunity fell on my lap when I was there and due to my relationship with our client the Napa Valley Vintners, they asked me to take on the role of the Napa Valley Vintners Irish Office. From there I set up my wine marketing/ PR company and haven’t looked back. Over the years I have worked with many different and exciting clients from the world of wine. The California Wine Institute heard of my work through the Napa Valley Vintners and I started working with them, just at first with organising their annual tasting. This role has changed dramatically and now I work here in Ireland building the brand California Wine. I work as a part of a team with my colleagues in the UK. We are currently looking at our vision for California Wines in the UK and Ireland for the next three years, so expect some exciting developments!

HOW DOES CALIFORNIAN WINE DIFFER FROM ITS INTERNATIONAL COUNTERPARTS AND WINES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES? I think one major difference, said very well by my UK counterpart, Justin Knock MW “Is the wine industry over there has a really comprehensive code of conduct for sustainability and it’s more than just being carbon neutral – it is also about protecting our water courses and other areas. Already 70% of California’s vineyards have signed up so there is a lot of pressure on those that haven’t. It is also extremely transparent there, so it is easy to check if they are actually doing the things they say there. This is one of the areas we plan to highlight in the UK and Ireland in 2018 and beyond. In the coming year, the California wine industry will have a new certified sustainable label, this will really give the wines a huge stamp of approval for all of their rigorous efforts.

THE WINE INDUSTRY OVER THERE HAS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND IT’S MORE THAN JUST BEING CARBON NEUTRAL – IT IS ALSO ABOUT PROTECTING OUR WATER COURSES AND OTHER AREAS.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CALIFORNIA WINE INSTITUTE, WHICH LED YOU TO INTRODUCE THE WINE FAIR TO DUBLIN? Well, it is a big operation and from when I started planning this event, It almost takes a full year to plan. We felt this year we wanted to have wineries over from California that are seeking representation in Ireland, this is an enormous opportunity for the Irish Trade and for our consumer part of the event, to taste such a vast collection of wine previously unavailable to taste in the Irish market. The Fair is instrumental in building relationships within the Irish wine trade and that is what the wine industry is all about, is building relationships.

CAN YOU TELL ME A ABOUT THE FIRST EVER CALIFORNIAN WINE FAIR THAT TOOK PLACE IN SEPTEMBER AT THE SHELBOURNE HOTEL? We had over 400 wines on offer, all of our wines were in a catalogue but also on our downloadable mobile site, so it gave a great ease of access. But it was exciting this year, we had Kelli White, author of Napa Valley Then & Now, come over from California and give an incredible seminar. I saw Kelli in her home at the press Room in Napa, as part of the UK and Ireland trade trip and just thought, we have to get her over here. Lynne Coyle MW gave a wonderful seminar on cool costal wines of California and Lynne really is remarkable, she wears her knowledge so well and imparts it beautifully. I was so happy to have Lynne as part of the team. We also had Chef Ryan Stringer, of Ely, preparing California Style food demonstrations, I tasted his food at 64 Wine during this May’s California Wine Week the food tasted exactly the style of food in California, Ryan has trained with Cakebread Cellars amongst others but it just blew me away!

YOU ARE UNDOUBTEDLY PARTICULARLY DRAWN TO CALIFORNIA, WHAT HAS DRAWN YOU TO THERE? I am drawn to California because it is such a unique place, the people are absolutely wonderful. I have visited both north and south and I love so much about each magical place I visit. I cannot mention my draw to California without mentioning the wine and the incredible fresh exciting food, so to be honest, I think California has drawn me to it!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT THE WINE FROM THE CALIFORNIAN REGION? What sets California apart from all most other wine regions in the world is that it really is 'California, one world in one place’. The lifestyle in California is completely different to anywhere else. You can find every wine in one place, due to different climates and aspects, their cool costal climate is so unique. Years ago, there may have been a perception that Cali produced ripe full body wines. Those styles do exist in California, but are produced with great balance and provide enormous drinking pleasure. However, we are now seeing more and more wines being produced at 12.5 – 13% alcohol from a wide array of varieties.

YOU HAD INITIALLY PLANNED TO SET UP 18 TABLES BUT THIS GREW EXPONENTIALLY TO 34. DID THE DEMAND FOR CALIFORNIAN WINE EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS HERE IN IRELAND? I had expected to have 18 tables at most but to my amazement the event grew to almost double in size, we had 34 tables and we had to move to the Shelbourne, which we were lucky was available on our date. I organised the Wines from Spanish Tasting in the Shelbourne for 10 years and honestly, I never thought that I would be going back there

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Wine

with California Wine. There is such an amazing interested in Ireland about California Wine at the moment, I keep hearing this from members of the trade, that customers are coming in looking for the California section. We had many visiting export managers and wineries and it was such a thrill to have the Californians back in Dublin for two days! Hopefully we will see them all again in Dublin soon. DO YOU THINK THAT THE IRISH PALETTE AND UNDERSTANDING OF WINE HAS BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED IN RECENT YEARS? Well, I have heard from many a source that the Irish are slightly moving away from Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc is a massive favourite, but I would love to see people trying Chardonnay again, they got turned off years ago by the over fruity and over-oaked types. They really need to try a beautiful California Chardonnay, they won’t go back to Sauvignon Blanc!

THE FEAR IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE GLOBAL NEWS COVERAGE, PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT THE SONOMA AND NAPA REGIONS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT. WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE. MOST OF THE WINERIES ARE OPEN AND WELCOMING VISITORS IN THEIR TASTING ROOMS.

I BELIEVE YOU WERE VISITING CALIFORNIA DURING THE TIME OF VINEYARD FIRES. ALTHOUGH YOUR REGION WASN'T AFFECTED, HOW DID IT AFFECT THE WINE INDUSTRY THERE? The fires were coming under control when I was there, we were bringing a group of trade and press to California, but luckily our trip was based in Southern Californian, which was unaffected. But the sense was that the worst was over and the winery owners had one message which was: The wine industry in Northern California is okay. DO YOU KNOW HOW THE VINEYARDS THAT WERE AFFECTED ARE DOING NOW? Despite the ferocity of the wildfires that swept across the area, just 12 wineries were completely destroyed and most of the 650 wineries suffered no damage at all. This is not to negate in any way the tragic loss of life and the damage sustained to properties across more than 210,000 acres, but the fear is that because of the extensive global news coverage, people may think that the Sonoma and Napa regions have been wiped out. Which is certainly not the case. Most of the wineries are open and welcoming visitors in their tasting rooms. The region depends on tourism as well as wine sales, so the message is: "Please come and visit. We're open for business."

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER OUR READERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO ADD A NEW WINE TO THEIR COLLECTION FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS? I would keep an eye out for our new website, follow us on social media (see below) come along to one of our events, keep up to date on our content and let that fuel your imagination to try something new. It would be great if your readers could point their customers in our direction, also if any of your customers are looking to bring in new wines to Ireland, let me know there are always some terrific California wineries with strong Irish connections that would love to be in the Irish market.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR, WHICH CALIFORNIAN WINES BRAND CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING INTRODUCED INTO THE MARKET? I have heard of a few new brands coming into the market in 2019. E & J Gallo are launching their premium wine range in Ireland in 2018 and we will have a few exciting winemakers visiting. winelab.ie are also bringing in some new California wines, that will hit the shelves in 2018. 64 Wines, have new wines on the shelves and we are launching a fantastic new website with great content, where ultimately the consumer can find out about new wines hitting the shores, I do know that Ironstone Vineyards, Stolpman Vineyards and Hoopes Family Vineyards are all very keen to enter the Irish market, so any importer out there, get ready to snap up these great wineries and let the Irish consumer taste their fantastic wines. Not to mention, that O’Briens wines have launched 7 new California Wines to their shops, so this is super for the consumer and a great place to start their journey.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2018, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FOCUS FOR 2018? We plan to focus on the sustainability message as I mentioned earlier and we plan to shed light on educational elements, we really need to work on letting people know what makes California Wine great, there are wineries in California wineries that match the best in the world and we really want people to know why and see that they may actually be able to get better value world class wines from California in comparison to elsewhere in the world. I am working with my colleagues in the UK to produce great content for our new website, this will really enable us to tell some really wonderful stories about California wines and wineries that are unknown in our markets. Justine is in charge of the UK and Irish social media accounts, Twitter: @CalifWinesUK_IR Instagram: californiawinesukandirl

ANY NEW CALIFORNIAN TRENDS THAT HAVE YET TO HIT OUR SHORES THAT YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT? One trend I cannot stress enough is how amazing the food is from the fresh vibrant Mexican flavours and the “I don’t know how they do it’ salads, that convince you that you could eat these salads till your dying days and never ever get bored.

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45 MAGAZINE TITLES ▲ 10 EVENTS ▲ 3.6 MILLION REACH

DID YOU KNOW

Ashville Media Group is Ireland’s largest publishing and events company. You’ve almost certainly read our magazines or attended our events. Our mission is to connect your brand with the largest audience in Ireland.

(01) 432 2200 ▲ info@ashvillemediagroup.com

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Last Post

IRELAND'S 'ALL ISLAND' SPIRITS PROVENANCE PROTECTED FOLLOWING BREXIT DEAL Free moving cross-border supply chain between NI and ROI ‘essential’ for drinks industry, says the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland

ollowing a dramatic week of Brexit talks at the start of December, 2017, the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar held a press conference in Dublin and said that the Brexit deal has, "achieved all we set out to achieve". He also said that it was "a very significant day" - that the parameters have been agreed "and they are good'. He said following long and intense negotiations they had reached a satisfactory conclusion to phase one of talks. He added: "This is not the end, it is the end of the beginning," reported RTE. Following the announcement, The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), released a statement to say that it has welcomed the deal struck between the EU and the UK for the Irish drinks industry in relation to Brexit. Currently both the UK and Irish Governments enforce laws that ensure Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream liqueur and Irish Poitín can only be produced on the island of Ireland, subject to certain standards. The EU and UK have committed to ensure this remains the case, which ABFI has said is positive. Patricia Callan, Director of Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) noted that Ireland’s three spirit GIs (Irish whiskey, cream liqueur and Poitín) operate on an all-island basis, recognised and enforced by both Irish and UK authorities. "We welcome the commitment made to ensure this remains the case. Geographic Indicators or GI protection means these three spirits can only be made on the island of Ireland in line with an EU approved technical file. GI’s protect the integrity and quality of these spirits categories and the investment being made in production and employment on the island of Ireland.” Callan added.

ALL ISLAND SUPPLY CHAINS In a report that the representative body for drinks manufacturers and suppliers in Ireland published in 2017, entitled, 'The Impact Of Brexit On The Drinks Industry', it outlined

that the ABFI member companies have all island supply chains with some operating as 32 county operations. "They also have close supply chain links to the UK market due to its proximity. For instance, companies have sales, marketing, global business and customer support teams in the Republic and Northern Ireland, servicing not just the Irish market but global customers as well as internal business requirements for the UK and globally. In addition, close linkages exist between Ireland and the UK with bottling and canning for both markets done at individual facilities in either Ireland or the UK.

IRISH CROSS-BORDER ARRANGEMENTS The UK has agreed to remain fully aligned to EU rules supporting Irish cross-border arrangements, even if no deal can be agreed. ABFI said this will be vital for Ireland’s ‘allisland’ drinks industry, as the cross-border movement of goods during the production process currently takes place freely. Patricia Callan, Director of Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) said: “Ireland has an integrated all-island drinks industry, with cross-border supply chains. Many companies

"In effect these operations require very significant movements of both products and people across the border and Irish Sea every day. This free movement of goods and people on these islands is an essential element to the success of the Irish drinks industry’s business model. One ABFI member alone estimates that they have 13,000 cross border movements of goods every year, including raw materials, ingredients, and finished products. Their experience of hard borders in other jurisdictions suggests that delays at border points would add an additional hour or €100 per truck movement to costs." It also explained that three all island geographic indicators exist for Irish Whiskey, Irish Poteen/ Irish Poitín and Irish Cream. The report said: "This means for example that Irish whiskey distilled in Northern Ireland is equally entitled to use the designation “Irish Whiskey” as a product distilled in the Republic of Ireland. Brexit would add administrative complexity to running drinks businesses on this island. Internationally the EU secures protection for its GIs by registering them in all Free Trade Agreements and by ensuring GIs are protected in WTO agreements such as TRIPS. This ensures that legal recourse is available to rights holders to ensure only legitimated product is sold as a GI in that country."

operate their sourcing, production and bottling as if there was no border between the north and south. Therefore, a solution to the border issue was of paramount importance for the industry and we welcome the deal struck between the UK and the EU.”

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Schweppes Classic 2018 LT A4 Advert.pdf

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