Brian Nation, Master Distiller at the Midleton Distillery explains that "Irish whiskey is experiencing a global renaissance, led by Jameson which has been driving the growth of the category for the past 29 years and continues to thrive in more than 70 countries around the world. Whiskey drinkers like the smooth taste, approachability and Irish personality of Jameson, but are also increasingly selecting our super-premium Jameson Black Barrel and Jameson Caskmates whiskeys as the category develops. The cult of Irish whiskey is underpinned by a thriving base of new and planned distilleries that would have been unimaginable a decade ago – we have just seen the opening of Ireland's 23rd distillery, and we look forward to seeing what these new players bring to the category." It was indeed Jameson who really embraced the rise at the very beginning and invested more in their marketing and visitor experience.