As part of our mission to return premium Irish whiskey to its rightful place as a global leader of the industry, we’re committed to putting it back on the menu. For too long, finely crafted Irish whiskey has either been missing or distinctly lacking from restaurants and bars across the world. But times are changing; with 40 distilleries now open in Ireland, up from just three a few decades ago, premium Irish whiskey is back. Bars and restaurants now have access to the finely crafted spirit of the Emerald Isle, and our team of Craft Specialists are working tirelessly to bring it to the world’s restaurants and their guests.

The people who make those venues so special – the bartenders, sommeliers, head chefs and more – are a key part of that. Whether championing Irish whiskey or delivering the ‘Perfect Serve’ to their guests, we won’t succeed in our mission without them. So in recognition of World Bartender Day on 24th February, we want to turn the spotlight on them with our latest series, Raising the Bar. By raising awareness of the hospitality industry and championing the people behind the venues, we’re celebrating those who go the extra mile to create memorable experiences for their guests every single day.

Supporting the Hospitality industry

Despite the Covid-19 restrictions of the past few years, hospitality has fought on, with the inspiring teams of staff pouring their passion into rebuilding the industry to come back stronger than ever.

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has a passion for working with and supporting the hospitality industry. In 2022, we launched the inaugural Hospitality Golf Classic, in support of World Young Chef Young Waiter. The event brought together clients and top Michelin-starred and celebrity chefs including James Martin, Executive Chef of The Ritz John Williams MBE, and Galton Blackiston, for a weekend of world class golf and whiskey at the Old Head Golf Links, Cork to raise awareness for WYCYW and its annual competition to honour those young chefs and waiters.

Our support continued with the International Restaurant Association Gala where we launched our partnership with Michelin Guide to hand-deliver the coveted winning plaques to the Michelin-starred restaurants. The Devil’s Keep was designed with the Michelin-starred experience in mind and it was an honour to celebrate the incredible people and places who create those experiences. 

From the head chef to the bartenders and sommeliers, we want to honour, support and shine a light on the passionate people behind the hospitality experiences we all enjoy. That’s why, in our new series, we’re showcasing the venue staff who work tirelessly to create those unparalleled experiences. By shining a spotlight on the passion, skill and dedication required to offer unrivalled service and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, we’ll give you just a glimpse of life behind the venue, and what it takes to create memorable hospitality moments.

Filming and interviewing these incredible chefs, sommeliers, waiters and bartenders has been a lot of fun, allowing our team to really get to know the amazing people behind the venues. We hope you’ll enjoy watching the series as much as we enjoyed making it! 

Culinary Creativity

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’s partnerships with esteemed venues such as Michelin-starred Frog by Adam Handling and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay have led to the creation of cutting-edge, culinary masterpieces that raise the profile and awareness of Irish whiskey. From the pairing of oysters and The Taoscán at Ugly Butterfly to Matt Abé’s exquisite roasted loin of deer, with a gel created from The Donn to highlight the intensity in the flavours, the creativity of these chefs has seen our single malts used in increasingly inventive ways. 

With over 60 Michelin-starred restaurants now serving our ultra-rare single malts – a number that’s growing by the day – whiskey enthusiasts from Dublin to London, Perth to Cornwall can now order premium Irish whiskey by the glass. Whether dining at The Waterside Inn, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall, or Kitchen Table, you can now order a glass of The Devil’s Keep, The Taoscán or The Brollach (availability varies by venue) and experience the ‘Perfect Serve’ created by The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. 

Follow @craftirishwhiskeyco on social media and sign up for our newsletters to find out more about our campaign to champion the incredible people behind the most memorable dining experiences.