A Fermanagh based distillery became a record breaker last week when the first bottle of Scotts Irish Whisky fetched £11,000 at an auction that formed part of an event celebrating and outlining the future plans of the London Irish Centre.

It became the most expensive first bottle of Irish whiskey ever sold in Europe with the previous record holder Teeling Whiskey Celebratory Single Pot Still going for £10,000 three years ago.

Among those in attendance at the event for the London Irish Centre was Dermot O’Leary, a patron for the centre, and Irish Celebrity chef Richard Corrigan.

Distillery owner, Fermanagh man, Conal Treacy was delighted to see his labour of love fetch the record.

“It was fantastic. Obviously a brilliant cause in the shape of the London Irish Centre who do so much for the community here in London and we were also delighted to see the reaction to our whisky from the people present at the launch. We are a local company with big ambitions and it was great to get off to this start,” he explained.

Scotts Irish Whisky limited edition first batch, which consists of 3000 bottles, is now on sale and available from their website www.scottsirish.com

The distillery is based in Fermanagh village, Garrison, which sits just a few miles from the Donegal border and draws its inspiration from the story of Angus Scott, a local man who distilled whisky around the waters of Lough Melvin in 1790s.

Celebration is in the air at Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt this week as the announcement of a major national award, a lucrative new business contract and the imminent completion of purpose-built premises on the estate combine to create a perfect platform for business growth.

Crowned overall ‘UK’s Best Product of the Year 2021’, Clandeboye’s Madagascan Vanilla Greek Style Yoghurt stole the show at this year’s Quality Food Awards becoming one of only a few products from Northern Ireland to have taken the overall title since the annual awards were launched over forty years ago. The awards celebrate excellence in food quality and are designed to recognise and reward those products that lead the way in the market.

“Of course, we were delighted to win the Dairy category,” explains Bryan Boggs, general manager at Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt “but when news came that our Madagascan Vanilla Yoghurt had actually come out on top across all the products and category winners we were obviously over the moon! There’s no doubt that a Quality Food Award opens up new opportunities for small producers like Clandeboye.  It is a great boost as we enter a very exciting phase in our development to know that we have been judged as the best there is in the UK by the discerning panel of experts.”

The County Down producer is not only set to benefit from increased interest from UK based buyers but it’s good news for cross border trade too with the announcement of a new deal with Irish distribution company, BWG, who distribute to a vast network of convenience stores and trade customers in Southern Ireland. 

Bushmills Irish Whiskey in Northern Ireland has launched a new bottle and pack for its iconic single malts. The range includes 10, 16, and 21-Year-Old references which are now available across the island of Ireland.

 In an era of unprecedented global growth for the premium single malt category, the new pack provides a distinctive platform to showcase Bushmills single malts’ timeless excellence and underlines Bushmills’ pre-eminence as the original single malt Irish whiskey from the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. 

 A stone’s throw from the Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim, the Giant’s Causeway has been a source of inspiration to Bushmills for centuries. The new bottle, designed by New York agency Stranger and Stranger, is broad-shouldered and angular, taking inspiration from the legendary columns and integrates subtle features such as its hexagonal punt mirroring the Causeway stones.

 Vibrant colours across the range bring a contemporary elegance while discrete embossing on the side panels honours Bushmills’ 1608 heritage and iconic pot still. Quality crafted parchment labels are complemented by varnished wooden cork closures for the 10 and 16-Year-Old while a bold matt black zamac cap sets off the gunmetal label and gold features of the iconic 21-Year-Old.   

Northern Ireland’s Finnebrogue Artisan, a specialist in nitrite-free bacon, ham and sausages as well as plant-based options, has won the Product of the Year title in the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2021 which took place on 23 November.

Finnebrogue, which is based at Downpatrick, Co Down, gained the prestigious awards for its unique Naked Smoked Streaky Bacon, part of its successful Naked range of pork products which are now on sale in major supermarkets throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. In addition to its market leading Naked range, Finnebrogue has pioneered the development of plant-based foods and now operates one of the biggest plants for these products in Europe.

As well as winning the coveted Product of the Year at the event, Northern Ireland companies gained a series of major awards across many food and drink categories in what was another excellent year for local food and drink producers, both large and small and including several artisan enterprises.  

The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, held annually, recognise and celebrate the best in retail, wholesale and foodservice food and drink products available on the island of Ireland.

The other Northern Ireland winners were:

Armagh Cider Company, Portadown, Co Armagh – Gold for Armagh Craft Cider Sweet produced for Aldi

Big Pot, Cookstown, Co Tyrone – Gold for Vegan Butternut Squash & Chipotle Bean    

Burren Balsamics, Richhill, Co Armagh – Gold for Balsamic Sugar in Store Cupboard Items and Gold for Blackberry and Thyme Infused Balsamic Vinegar in Oils, Vinegars and Dressings.

Crust and Crumb, Derrylin, Fermanagh – Gold for Lidl Sourdough Pizza Half & Half – Goat’s Cheese, Onion & Spinach / ‘Nduja, Picante Salami and Red Peppers and Silver for Lidl Deluxe Tomato & Mozzarella Sourdough Pizza

Daily Bake, Armagh, Co Armagh – Gold for Lidl Deluxe Beef Ragu and Gold for Lidl Deluxe Chicken & Mushroom Risotto       

Deli-Lites, Warrenpoint, Co Down – silver for Pulled Ham Hock and Whole Grain Mustard Tosta in Foodservice Food to Go and Gold Aldi Carlos Mexican Bean Enchiladas, in Ready Meals and Bronze for Applegreen Salt and Chilli Chicken Wrap in Food to Go

Dunbia, Dungannon, Co Tyrone – Gold Lidl Deluxe Irish Pork Porchetta with Lemon and Herbs, Dunbia

Finnebrogue Artisan, Downpatrick, Co Down – Product of the Year and Gold for Naked Smoked Streaky Bacon and Bronze for Naked Unsmoked Back Bacon

Glens of Antrim Crisps, Cushendall, Co Antrim – Silver for Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Cooked Clogherhead Sea Salt & White Wine Vinegar Crisps and Silver Sweet Sriracha Chilli Crisps

Golden Popcorn, Antrim, Co Antrim – Bronze for Gourmet Crunch Thai Sweet Chilli 5 x18g Multipack in Snacks

Green Family Fingers, Larne, Co Antrim – Silver for Berry Bliss Raspberry Granola in Snacks

Hellbent, Belfast – Bronze for Boerewors Kith and Kind Sausages

Karro Food, Cookstown, Co Tyrone – Gold Lidl Deluxe Irish Stuffed Pork Fillet with Apple and Rosemary Stuffing.

Mash Direct, Comber, Co Down – Bronze Carrot and Parsnip Mash

Milgro, Coleraine, Co Derry – Gold for Flame Grilled Steak Flavour Crispy Onions and Bronze for Original Flavour Crispy Onions    

McColgan’s Foods, Strabane, Co Tyrone – Bronze for Lidl Deluxe Maple Cured Bacon and Gruyere Cheese Quiche, in Quiches

Pizzado, Portaferry, Co Down – Bronze for Choice Pizza

Rich Sauces, Newtownards, Co Down – Gold for Only Plant Based Ranch Sauce, Rich Sauces in Vegan/Vegetarian and Silver for Only Pland Based Chipotle Sauce, and Bronze for Only Plant Based Sriracha Sauce

TS Foods, Castlewellan, Co Down – Gold for Aldi Specially Selected Cranberry, Apricot & Orange Stuffing, and Gold for Aldi Specially Selected Smoked Bacon & Butter Leek Stuffing.

Whites Oats, Tandragee, Co Armagh – Bronze Deluxe Organic Water Oats for Lidl in Breakfast Products

Willowbrook Foods, Killinchy, Co Down – Gold Aldi Specially Selected Fiery Green Stir Fry

There is a reawakening on the banks of Lough Melvin in Co Fermanagh where a 225-year-old distilling dream has become a reality.

Scotts Irish distillery, located in Garrison in West Fermanagh, has produced a new Irish whisky based on the story of local man Angus Scott, who weaved his distilling magic on the waters around the village more than 200 years ago.

Scotts Irish Whisky will launch on the 25^th of November with a charity auction taking place for the first bottle. The charity auction is part of a night celebrating and outlining the future development plans of the London Irish Centre and in attendance will be patron of the Centre, Dermot O’Leary, as well as long-time supporter, celebrity chef Richard Corrigan.

The first batch of 3000 bottles goes on sale from the 26 November and is sure to become a collector’s item.

The whisky, which is described as appealing, approachable and of uncompromising quality, traces its lineage to Angus Scott, a native of Garrison who emigrated to America where he made his fortune distilling and selling bourbon in the new world.

Clarke Millar has won new business for its convenient ready meal snacks range from leading discounter Poundland’s Northern Ireland stores.

The company, which is based in Dunmurry, county Antrim is supplying Mulligan’s, a successful range of branded convenient, microwaveable snacks – burgers, hot dogs, chicken wraps and sub rolls and Millar Family Food sausage rolls (4 packs).

In addition to the quality snack foods, Poundland has listed the company’s flavoured milk range in Strawberry, Chocolate and Banana flavours. The drink is supplied in a 200ml carton with a straw, which is ideal for school lunchboxes.

Mark Hermsen, Commercial Director of Clarke Millar, a family owned food manufacturing business, describes the new listings as “an important expansion of the company’s longstanding relationship with Poundland”.

Clarke Millar is now among one of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers of convenient food and drinks. In addition to extensive business in Northern Ireland with major retailers such as Poundland, Iceland, Musgrave and Eurospar/Spar, the company has business in Scotland and in the Republic of Ireland.

As well as its meat snacking brands, the company has a premium flavoured milk range in Millar Moo which has enjoyed a tremendous near five-fold growth in 2021, and Zumi orange drink.