London – 4 April 2016

Quintessential Brands, the independent international drinks company, announces a key appointment.  Darragh Ryan has joined the Group as International Brand Manager for Irish Creams based at the Quintessential Brands offices in London’s West End.

With the recent purchase of The Dublin Whiskey Company in Dublin reinforcing Quintessential Brands’ commitment to their spirits business in Ireland, Darragh’s appointment is an important step in the development of the company’s Irish Creams portfolio.

The Irish Creams brands, produced by First Ireland Spirits, part of the Quintessential Brands Group, in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, include award-winning Feeney’s and O’Casey’s Irish Cream Liqueurs, O’Mara’s Country Cream and Brogan’s Irish Cream.

Darragh has worked in the Drinks industry for five years, most recently with Chivas Brothers on their Single Malt portfolio.  He previously worked with Irish Distillers, in their HQ in Ireland on Paddy and Powers Irish Whiskies and before that on Jameson Irish Whiskey, based in Scandinavia and India.  Darragh has an Honours Degree in Marketing, a further degree in Digital Marketing and a proven track record helping to build brands in the global arena.

Lizzy Johnson, Global Brand & Marketing Director, Quintessential Brands Company, comments:  “We are delighted to be welcoming Darragh to the team and very much look forward to working with him as we continue to grow our Irish Creams and Irish Whiskies business in the UK and internationally.”

In addition to Darragh’s appointment, two new Irish Spirits team members have joined Quintessential Brands as part of the Bord Bia Irish Food Board initiative: Eimear Kelleher as Marketing Executive Irish Whiskey and Irish Creams based in London and Ross McCarrick as USA Brand Ambassador for The Dubliner Irish Whiskey based in Pennsylvania.

Notes to Editors
Quintessential Brands was founded by Enzo Visone, former CEO of Gruppo Campari, and former investment banker, Warren Scott in 2011.  The Quintessential Brands Group is made up of the Quintessential Brands Company; Quintessential Brands Ireland, which includes First Ireland Spirits; G&J Distillers, the world’s oldest gin distiller; Essential Drinks Company, the business-to-business supply division; Marblehead, the UK brand agency and L&L, a leading manufacturer of fruit spirits and liqueurs.

Quintessential Brands Ireland’s core brand portfolio includes: The Dubliner Irish Whiskey, The Dublin Liberties Irish Whiskey, Feeney’s Irish Cream Liqueur and O’Mara’s Irish Country Cream. First Ireland Spirits is the world’s largest independent producer of Irish Creams, with key markets for the brands including the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Australia and Global Travel Retail.  O’Mara’s currently sells over 100,000 9 litre cases in the US and Feeney’s has recently been relaunched as a premium Irish Cream Liqueur brand globally.  Feeney’s has also won a double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards and received the SIP Awards ‘Best in Class Platinum Award’.

The Quintessential Brands Company’s spirits portfolio includes Greenall’s The Original London Dry Gin, BLOOM London Dry Gin, Berkeley Square London Dry Gin, Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin, Thomas Dakin Gin and Toussaint Coffee Rum Liqueur, which are all produced by G&J Distillers. The L&L portfolio includes the global brand Alizé.

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