DUBLIN: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion Conor McGregor of UFC fame announced on Monday that his company, Eire Born Spirits has launched an Irish whiskey brand ‘Proper No. Twelve’ in the country and the USA as part of its initial plans, which will evolve into expanding in other countries in 2019. Proximo has been named its global distribution partner.
McGregor said that it all started with this being his pet project initially under the name of ‘Notorious’. He expressed his excitement in sharing the whiskey with the world having collaborated with Ireland’s esteemed master distiller, David Elder for a long time. They created close to one hundred blends and ultimately selected what they knew was the one and only proper whiskey blend.
Proper No. Twelve’s global launch expression is a blend of the finest golden grain and single malt. It is produced in an area known for its rich soil and pure spring water. It is said to complex and sophisticated yet smooth and approachable with hints of vanilla, honey and toasted wood.
“I come from a place called Crumlin, in Dublin 12. It’s a place dear to my heart. It’s where I learned how to fight; it made me who I am today. It’s a place I’m still very much a part of every single day of my life. So, that’s where the name came from. It’s proper Irish whiskey and twelve is my hometown,” said McGregor.
“Growing up on the streets of Dublin 12, I learned the values of loyalty and hard work. I respect other Irish whiskeys, but I am coming in strong, with passion and with purpose. I am the founder of this company and I am going to give it my all,” he continued.
McGregor’s business venture also has a CSR angle attached to it which he says is for the ‘First Responders’ community in the country who display a strong sense of urgency to provide any form of life support to dying or injured persons. He has pledged to donate $5 for every case sold to local first responder organizations or charities which is estimated to be worth $1 million annually. They will be identified for each state and country around the world and donations will go directly to specific states and countries where sales take place.
