Whisky made in Bear Country, and a range of premium Irish whiskeys and Irish gins from “the garden of Ireland” are joining Mangrove Global’s premium World Whisky and Spirits portfolio. Mark Anthony Brands International continues the global roll-out of its premium craft spirits, through a distribution partnership with Mangrove Global which will focus on bringing BEARFACE Whisky, an adventurous Canadian Whisky brand, and Glendalough Distillery, a range of luxury craft spirits from the Wicklow Mountains, to the UK.
Nick Gillett, Managing Director of Mangrove Global, said:
Whisky doesn’t get much more adventurous than BEARFACE – produced using a unique Elemental Ageing™ process in the Canadian wilderness, the usual boundaries don’t apply for this proudly Canadian whisky. For Glendalough Distillery, the bountiful, ancient valley of Glendalough (the birthplace of distilling) has served as the inspiration for its range of luxury Irish whiskeys and Irish gins and was recently lauded as the Sustainable Irish Distillery of the Year. We are excited to be involved in growing these award-winning brands, sharing their unique stories and incredible flavour profiles with a curious and engaged UK audience.
Enda O’Sullivan, VP of Spirits at Mark Anthony Brands International commented:
We are delighted to further our ambitious global distribution plans in the UK with Mangrove Global. They are an important strategic partner for us and we look forward to working with the team to build these authentic, innovative and expressive premium spirits brands across the UK.
BEARFACE Whisky, from the wilderness of Canada, is produced using a unique elemental ageing process. Hand-selected oak casks are aged in repurposed shipping containers, exposing them to the elements, with extreme temperature fluctuations amplifying how the whisky and wood interact. Led by Master Blender Andres Faustinelli, BEARFACE Whisky works with the Canadian wilderness to transform into something wilder and more adventurous, giving it a bolder, smoother flavour.
As an award-winning brand, BEARFACE Triple Oak has won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Gold at The Canadian Whisky Awards, Gold and 95 points at the IWSC awards. Its unique ageing process uses three types of oak: American, French and Hungarian: creating a flavour that is distinctly BEARFACE.
Founded in 2011, Glendalough Distillery has become a leader in craft spirit innovation, releasing a number of world-firsts. These include Irish single malt whiskey aged in rare Japanese Mizunara Oak casks, Irish pot still whiskey aged in Wicklow Irish Oak casks, and a range of unique Irish gins crafted with hand-foraged botanicals picked daily in the Wicklow mountains and valleys surrounding the distillery.
Glendalough Distillery’s range of spirits have won multiple accolades on the global stage. It has been voted Gin Distillery of the Year (New York International Spirits Competition), Sustainable Irish Distillery of the Year (Whisky Magazine) and has picked up six further Golds, including Double Golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for both their Wild Botanical Irish Gin and Double Barrel Whiskey. With a wide range of whiskey and gin produced in the distillery, Glendalough Distillery will enhance Mangrove Global’s portfolio of craft spirits.
The world whisky market is growing fast at about 5.7% each year (according to Mordor Intelligence and Statista), with over 30 countries now producing whiskies. Appealing to a new and more diverse demographic who are more experimental with their spirits, this growth is exciting for new brands in the UK like BEARFACE and Glendalough Distillery.
Both brands are available to trade through Mangrove Global and will be supported by trade and consumer marketing campaigns.