Former Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Dick Spring has joined the board of Quintessential Brands Ireland as a non-executive director. The company said Spring will assist the company in the development and expansion of its Irish drinks operations, which includes a premium portfolio of Irish whiskies and Irish cream liqueurs sold internationally.

Quintessential recently announced a €10 million acquisition and investment in the Dublin Whiskey Company. The investment will see it build a new whiskey distillery and visitor experience for its established portfolio of Irish whiskey brands including The Dubliner and The Dublin Liberties.

In 2014 QBI bought First Ireland Spirits, Ireland’s leading independent Irish cream liqueur producer, which has a manufacturing plant in Abbeyleix.

QBI says it has invested €4 million in doubling the production capacity of the facility, including introducing a whiskey bottling operation.

Quintessential Brands’ CEO Warren Scott commented:  “Dick Spring’s experience and business acumen will be invaluable in helping drive the growth of our Irish spirits business in both Ireland and in international markets. Our goal is to continue to diversify and expand our portfolio of Irish drinks brands and establish ourselves as a leading international player within the global drinks industry.”

In Association with

Spring (65) was leader of the Labour Party from 1982 to 1997. In the 1992 general election, Labour increased its Dáil seats from 15 to 33. Five years later the Labour Party returned to opposition, winning 17 seats in the election. After Labour’s candidate Adi Roche polled poorly in the 1997 presidential election, Spring resigned as leader of the party. He lost his Dáil seat in 2002.

Spring currently sits on several boards including FEXCO Holdings, International Development Ireland, Alder Capital and Goodbody Stockbrokers.

Spring remarked: “I would like to thank Quintessential Brands Ireland for this opportunity.  I was drawn by the clear vision Warren and Enzo have for the development of Quintessential Brands Ireland and their commitment to continuing to invest in Ireland and its world class spirits industry.”

Portfolios

Quintessential Brands was founded in 2011 by Enzo Visone, former CEO of Gruppo Campari, and former investment banker, Warren Scott.  In the UK the company’s activities include G&J Distillers, the world’s oldest gin distiller; Essential Drinks Company, its  business-to-business supply division; Marblehead, a UK brand development agency; and L&L, a manufacturer of fruit spirits and liqueurs.

The Quintessential spirits portfolio includes Greenall’s The Original London Dry Gin, BLOOM London Dry Gin, Berkeley Square London Dry Gin, and Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin, which are all produced by G&J Distillers.

The Ireland portfolio spans The Dubliner (Irish Whiskey), The Dublin Liberties (Oak Devil) Irish Whiskey, Feeney’s Irish Cream Liqueur, O’Mara’s Irish Country Cream.

The L&L portfolio includes Alizé Passion Liqueurs, Toussaint Coffee Rum Liqueur and Baron de Clovignac Cognac.