Belgians FoodNI Member Whiskey’s in Unique ‘Wonderland’ Festival
Irish whiskey lovers in Belgium and the Netherlands were able to taste around 50
varieties from Ireland, including single malts, blends and pot still, during a unique
one-day festival.
Taking part in the unique ‘Irish Whiskey Wonderland’ in Kilrooi, Limburg, near the
Dutch border, were whiskeys from seven Northern Ireland distilleries, including Food
NI members. They were among spirits from around 50 Irish distilleries in what was
the biggest Irish whiskey festival in Belgium and the Netherlands that was among the
most important events of its type in Europe. It’s a further demonstration of the
growing global popularity of Irish whiskey as whiskey as an export earner.
The local whiskeys were: Old Bushmills, Co Antrim; Hinch, Ballynahinch; Killowen,
Rostrevor; McConnell’s Whisky, Belfast; Limavady, Co Derry; Titanic, Belfast; and
Two Stacks, Newry. Food NI members were: Hinch Distillery, Titanic and Two
Stacks.
Organised by longstanding Belgian Irish whiskey enthusiast Gunther Moonan, the
colourful event was launched in 2024 and was, according to Gunther, “born out of
our love for Ireland and its spirited soul”.
“We are big fans of the Emerald Isle, and so we brought a dash of Irish magic to
Kinrooi. It was all about Irish whiskey, gin, poitin and more. Visitors also enjoyed
warmth, character and good craic, with a nod to the pubs of Dublin, the Giant’s
Causeway and the wild shores of Connemara,” he adds.
Darryl McNally, founder of Limavady Single Barrel Irish Whiskey, found the event an
“important opportunity in Europe for our whiskey.” “It gave us the chance to introduce
our unique whiskey to what could potentially be a hugely important marketplace in
Europe,” he adds. McNally is also involved in the new Carnlough Irish Whiskey and
the Harbourview Irish Whiskey Hotel in Carnlough.
The popular event in Belgium and the Netherlands came as Bord Bia’s recently
issued Performance and Prospects 2025 detailed another exceptional year for Irish
agri-food exports overall and for the Irish drinks sector, with the export value of Irish
drinks exceeding €2 billion for the second year running.
