IRISH DISTILLERS INTRODUCES NEW FLAVOURS AND NEW LOOK FOR PADDY IRISH WHISKEY – Irish Whiskey News
IRISH DISTILLERS INTRODUCES NEW FLAVOURS AND NEW LOOK FOR PADDY IRISH WHISKEY
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, the world’s leading Irish whiskey producer, has given its iconic PADDY Irish Whiskey a packaging makeover and announced the release of two new PADDY flavour variants aimed at bringing sociable millennial consumers to the Irish whiskey category.
An eye-catching new bottle for the core PADDY expression – Irish Distillers’ special three-whiskey blend of pot still whiskey, grain whiskey and malt whiskey – features new tactile embossing features to the sides of the bottle while the famous multi-coloured map of Ireland on the label is retained. Also new is a heritage endorsement flashing The Paddy Flaherty Brand in homage to the man from whom the brand takes its very name, a ‘Soft & Mellow’ liquid taste profile on the neck, while a new signature of approval from original founder James Murphy demonstrates the rich history and crafted credentials of the brand.
The new PADDY flavour variants have been created with a lighter flavour profile which, coupled with a distinctive bottle design and impactful marketing campaign, aim to challenge many of the traditional perceptions of whiskey.
Available initially in the US and France from October 2013, each market will receive flavoured PADDY variants tailored to their differing consumers. The US will receive packaging with a bright modern design, bearing the names ‘Bee Sting’ and ‘Devil’s Apple’, while France will receive a more classic design focusing on the liquid as a spirit drink, bearing the names ‘Irish Honey’ and ‘Spiced Apple’.
An integrated campaign, ‘Sleep When You’re 30’, will be activated initially in the USA through a new website – www.paddywhiskey.com – plus a social media campaign, drinks strategy and advertising to reinforce the brand’s image of “Irish craic”, the Irish word for enjoyment.
Brendan Buckley, Global Innovation and Category Development Director for Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, says: “It’s a very exciting time for Irish Distillers, as PADDY is our first entry into the flavoured whiskey segment. Of course, Ireland has a long tradition of adding flavours to our whiskeys with drinks like the Hot Toddy and Irish Coffee, so PADDY Flavours is rather a natural progression. We are equally excited about introducing more consumers throughout the world to the flavour and quality of Irish whiskey and we are confident that the new look PADDY is primed for success in its launch markets”.
“With flavoured whiskey standing at more than three million cases annually and growing strongly, there is a real opportunity for us to offer something a little different that will appeal to people who already enjoy flavoured whiskey, and also recruit new consumers to the category. The ‘Sleep When You’re 30’ marketing platform will work to engage sociable twenty-somethings and encourage them to begin their Irish whiskey journey.”
NOTES
About PADDY Irish Whiskey
Dating to 1779, PADDY Whiskey was originally sold under the name “Cork Distilleries Company Old Irish Whiskey”. Things began to change however when a young salesman by the name of Paddy Flaherty joined the company in 1882. Paddy was a larger than life character. As he travelled from pub to pub, he always drew a crowd as it was well known that this most generous of fellows would always stand a round in each pub he visited.
Over time, Paddy became synonymous with the whiskey and publicans began writing to the distillery asking for another case of “Paddy’s whiskey”. The name stuck, so much so that in 1913, Cork Distilleries Co. officially changed the name to PADDY Whisky. And thus 100 years ago, the PADDY brand was born.
About Irish Distillers, Pernod Ricard
Irish Distillers Group was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between Irish whiskey distillers, John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and the Cork Distillery Company. In an attempt to reverse the decline in Irish whiskey sales, the board of directors decided to close the existing distilleries in Cork and Dublin, and to consolidate production at a new purpose-built facility.
A site alongside the existing distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork was chosen as the location for the new distillery, as there was no room for expansion in Dublin. Both the Old Jameson Distillery and the Old Midleton Distillery currently operate as visitor centres attracting over 330,000 visitors annually. Following an early unsolicited takeover offer and one of the most protracted battles in Irish corporate history made by GrandMet, Allied-Lyons and Guinness, Irish Distillers was taken over by Pernod Ricard in June 1988 with the support of the management and employees.
Irish whiskey brands within the Irish Distillers’ portfolio include Jameson, Paddy and Powers, with Single Pot Still brands, Green Spot, Yellow Spot, Redbreast and the much-revered Midleton, which includes prestigious expressions such Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy and Midleton Very Rare, completing the line-up.
