Enthusiasts promoting Mayo whiskey to the world

The Mayo Whiskey Society has launched its new website at a well-attended event in Gilligan’s Bar, Claremorris.

The society was formed three years ago by a group of 10 friends and has grown significantly.

The website, www.mows.ie, also has a link to the society’s social media platforms.

The Mayo Whiskey Society chairperson, Paul Ryan, explained how the society was formed.

“It was set up three years ago and we had 10 founding members, and that snowballed then with everybody bringing in a friend and after year three we had 40 members.

"We would meet with different whiskey societies at various events, and they advised us to cap our membership at 40 or 50 people.

“We do a distillery tour every year and we also attend Whiskey Live at the RDS, Dublin, which is a whiskey tasting conference.

“We then had some members join the society who were real whiskey experts, and one of those members managed to get us in contact with Matthew Smyth, from the Irish Distillers, and that led us to organising tasting events, such as the one we have here tonight in Gilligan’s Bar.”

Paul said the new website will help grow their profile.

“We have our website launch and our membership will be open up to the general public, however there is a waiting list to join.

"The idea now is that when a member leaves that will open the door for a new person to join as our membership is capped at 42.

"We want this society to be an active club, and we have set out rules in our constitution. One of those rules is that a member has to attend an event each year.

“The website will also have links to our social media as well, and our online presence will cast the net a bit wider.

“We have members from Dublin, Liverpool and London and membership is not restricted to just Mayo.”

The society has already visited two Mayo distilleries.

“In our first year we visited Achill as part of our distillery tour, then in year two we visited Lough Mask Distillery and this year – for our third tour – we will visit Ballina.”

Matthew Smith from Irish Distillers is the Prestige Irish Whiskey Ambassador for the Island of Ireland. He said that new societies have increased in recent years.

“Every year since Covid-19 we have seen new whiskey societies pop up in every county and this had led to a more formal standard of tasting events.

"I attended a tasting event with the Mayo Whiskey Society of the Redbreast brand and that went very well, and the enthusiasm was there, and we are more than happy to attend other events with the Mayo Whiskey Society.”

Matthew has been impressed with the quality of whiskey being produced in Mayo.

“I have been very impressed with the quality of whiskey being produced in Mayo.

“Traditionally whiskey in Ireland would have been associated with a smaller number of areas, such as Cork and Dublin, but to see distilleries pop up in Mayo is very good to see. The stock that Mayo is producing is on a par with whiskey being produced in the rest of Ireland.

"The stock being produced in Ireland is up there with anything being produced in Scotland or the United States.”

The distilleries in Mayo could be an opportunity for tourism.

“A couple of Irish distilleries have been voted the best in Europe and are now up there competing with the best in the world as well. Tourists can come and see the stock and brands that they didn’t now might have existed beforehand.”

Matthew says the website will be of great benefit to Mayo Whiskey Society.

“I think all visibility is important, whether is a website, social media, being active at tasting events or in bars. The Mayo Whiskey Society now have website where people can visit before they try a tasting event.

“People may not be aware of some of the different brands; however, these events will be a great opportunity for brands to showcase their products.”