South Africa welcomed the arrival of McConnell’s Irish Whisky, one of Ireland’s most historic and most cherished whiskey brands, as it embarks on a new chapter in its remarkable journey. This iconic whiskey is now within reach for South African connoisseurs, thanks to the renaissance led by the Belfast Distillery Company in collaboration with Firebrand Africa.
With roots tracing back to the year 1776, McConnell’s Irish Whisky boasts a storied past, founded by the esteemed McConnell family, who were revered blenders, bottlers, and distillers in Belfast City over three centuries. A testament to their success, McConnell’s thrived for more than 150 years, etching its name in the annals of Irish whiskey history. However, the whiskey industry faced its trials in the form of fire, war, political turmoil, and technological advancements, leading to a decline in the 1930s.
Fast forward to 2019, and McConnell’s Irish Whisky has experienced a remarkable revival, spreading its wings to over 40 global markets. Now, with great anticipation, the Belfast Distillery Company eagerly anticipates the inauguration of the new McConnell’s Distillery and Visitor Experience. Housed in a Grade A listed building – A wing of The Crumlin Road Gaol – this venture promises a captivating journey into the heart of McConnell’s legacy.
The revival, led by the Belfast Distillery Company in collaboration with Firebrand Africa, ensured that South African connoisseurs can now experience the magic of McConnell’s.
We had an interview with John Kelly, CEO of McConnell’s Whisky to hear more about the their Whiskey brands and their place in the South African Market
1. In a market filled with various whiskey’s how does McConnell’s Whisky stand out?
Well, I think that McConnell’s Irish Whiskey stands out in a number of ways. First of all, the quality of our liquid. We are a blend of grain and malt whiskey, but unusually for blends, we have a high malt content, more than many other blends that are out there. So when you taste and sip a McConnell’s Irish whiskey, you will definitely get a long-lasting finish on the back of your throat. So we stand out in the fact that we’ve got a higher malt content than grain in our blend. But there’s no doubt that we also stand out in the fact that we have history, we have heritage, we have provenance. The McConnell’s brand dates back to 1776, one of the oldest Irish whiskeys coming from the island of Ireland. We’re so old that in fact we predate the introduction of the E to the So we spell whiskey, W-H-I-S-K-Y, whereas other Irish whiskeys spelled with an E-Y. So we have history, we have heritage, we have provenance. We have a great liquid with a high malt content. And then lastly, we have beautiful packaging. When you look at a McConnell’s bottle, you will see that it’s a fantastic exhibition of the McConnell’s brand. Beautiful bottle, highly decorated and a beautiful badge on the front which pays reverence to the shipbuilding manufacturing in Belfast. Our distinctiveness is attributed to our liquid, the design of our bottle, and the rich history and heritage we proudly possess.
2. We see various trends taking hold from time to time, where do you see whisky taking its place in and amongst trends?
It’s really evident that you can see that Irish whiskey is growing here in South Africa. When I look at the sales numbers from 2020 to 2021 and 2022, the Irish whiskey category has almost doubled in those two years. In terms of the top 10 markets for Irish whiskey anywhere around the world. South Africa is by far the fastest growing country of scale in the Irish whiskey world. So I really believe that we are seeing a renaissance in Irish whiskey globally, and it takes place brilliantly here in South Africa. So I would think that Irish whiskey can certainly overtake what we have seen in general.
3. What is particularly different about the South African consumer compared to the rest of the world?
That’s not an easy question to answer because, you know, I’ve really only spent the last few days in South Africa and I’m getting to know the market. But what I will say is that, you know, the South African consumer really seems to enjoy quality liquid and they enjoy celebrating with friends. So those are the two things that I find very interesting, exciting, a really fun community. And I’ve heard a lot about the importance of bringing a quality bottle of whiskey to a community event or to a family event. I think that McConnell’s is exactly that. It’s great liquid and great packaging. And I’m very sure that, you know, a lot of South African consumers will want to bring this to their family events. That’s unusual, you know. I don’t think you see it to the same scale in other places. But interestingly, I think the Irish are kind of similar to South Africans. We like to spend time with family, we certainly enjoy a drink and we certainly enjoy our Irish whisky. So I’ve enjoyed the time in South Africa and great consumers here.
4. What is something that we as “average consumers” don’t know about whisky, particularly McConnell’s Whisky, that people don’t know to ask?
What people don’t know about McConnell’s Irish Whiskey. I think that one of the things I would say there is that it’s a blend. Our blended whiskey, and people won’t know this until they try it, has a very high malt content. So I would think that that’s something that people don’t know about us. Secondly, they probably don’t know that we’re five years old. Many blends that are out there are three years old, but we allow our liquid to stay in the barrel for another two years, so we’re that bit older than most blends.
Lastly, we have just launched our McConnell’s Sherry Finish. This product only arrived in the South African marketplace recently.
We have been launching the McConnell’s Sherry Cast Finish at Whiskey Live here in Johannesburg, and it complements our original five-year perfectly.
5. What can we look forward to from McConnell’s Whisky in the near future?
You know, we now have two beautiful expressions available to the South African consumer. That really has only taken shape over the last number of weeks and months. So as we look forward to 2024, I believe that the South African consumer will be able to see McConnell’s in many, many shops around the market. Other things that we can look forward to, I’m delighted to say that in January of this coming year, we will be opening the McConnell’s Visitor Experience. That’s the brand home for McConnell’s. And we’re hoping to run some consumer promotions which would allow the South African consumer, when they buy a bottle of McConnell’s, to come visit us at our home in Belfast. And I can’t say too much, but we do have something very exciting coming in the second quarter of 2024. But that’s all I can say for now.
