Willie Aherne, of The Palace Bar on Fleet Street, has been elected as the new Chair of the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA). He takes over from outgoing Chair, Laura Moriarty of The Bracken Court Hotel and the Moriarty Group. Willie is a third generation publican, having taken over the running of The Palace from his [...]
The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) says that urgent challenges facing the pub trade, including unsustainable labour costs and the escalating overall cost of doing business, is forcing many publicans to consider retirement in the next two years. The Federation is calling on the Government to introduce key supports to ensure the sustainability of this [...]
The 2024 Best Irish Sommelier Competition took place on Monday 29th April, 2024 at Beckett Lock, in the Point Square Village in Dublin. The winner will represent Ireland at the ASI Europe & Africa Best Sommelier Competition in Belgrade in November 2024. All the competitors are current members of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers. There are 41 member countries [...]
This week, over 130 competitors participated in the Best Cocktail Experience competition sponsored by Monin as part of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2024. The theme for this year’s Best Cocktail Experience competition, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Dublin Bar Academy, was Lights, Camera… Cocktails! Directed by Monin with inspiration taken from movies ranging [...]
The theme of the month, Pour Yourself a Glass of New Zealand, comes at a time when New Zealand’s top three exported white wine varieties are internationally celebrated with International Sauvignon Blanc Day (3 May), International Pinot Gris Day (17 May) and International Chardonnay Day (23 May) all falling in the same month. “New Zealand [...]
Hinch Irish Whiskey is basking in the glow of international acclaim after securing not one, but two prestigious titles at this year's World Whiskies Awards. The awards dinner, held in London at the prestigious Merchant Taylors’ Hall, saw Hinch Irish Whiskey clinch the coveted titles for 'World's Best Blended Irish Whiskey' and 'World's Best Blended [...]
The representative organisation Women in Irish Whiskey was officially launched as a nonprofit organisation at an event held today, Friday, 8th March 2024, at Roe & Co Distillery, in Dublin's The Liberties. Women in Irish Whiskey was set up by industry professionals and lifelong friends Heather Clancy and Anne-Marie Kelly, both from Co Kildare, to support women and [...]
SommiT is a gathering of food and wine professionals from within the hospitality industry. Attendees will include restaurant professionals both service and culinary, retail sales buyers and sellers, food and wine writers and broadcasters, hoteliers, wine importers and producers and their distributors. The event includes discussion and debate with international authorities in many and varied [...]
At an event in The Powerscourt Distillery visitor centre, the inaugural winners of the Spirit of Wicklow Awards were announced. The aim of the Spirit of Wicklow Awards is to honour the extraordinary spirit and unwavering mindset of the people of Wicklow, and it's all brought together by the team at The Powerscourt Distillery. With [...]
Calling all rum lovers! This June Bank Holiday Weekend Dublin's favourite Rum festival is back at its home Wigwam on Middle Abbey Street. Dublin’s only Rum Emporium will be putting on a full weekend of Rum fun & games to appeal to everyone from the Rum Curious to Rum Afficando’s. The festival will stretch from [...]
