Sale Of Paddy Irish Whiskey To Sazerac Confirmed

By Richard Thomas

The confirmation that the Paddy Irish Whiskey brand had been sold by Irish Distillers to Sazerac was confirmed today by Irish Distillers’ parent company, French drinks giant Pernod Ricard.

Earlier this month it was reported that Sazerac, the privately-held American spirits company, was in negotiations to acquire Paddy. Sazerac already owns Concannon and Michael Collins in the Irish whiskey sector, but both are relatively minor brands, and the sourcing of whiskey for Michael Collins is uncertain.

Paddy, on the other hand, is the fourth largest Irish whiskey brand in the world, selling 200,000 9-litre cases in 28 countries each year. Furthermore, as part of the deal Sazerac will continue to source the whiskey from Irish Distillers for the middle term. This gives Sazerac a firm foothold in the booming Irish whiskey market.