Beam hires Irish graduates to promote brands in US

American spirits giant Beam Inc has hired five Irish graduates to promote its Irish whiskey brands in the US market.

The Illinois-based group — which owns the popular Jim Beam bourbon brand as well as the likes of Teacher’s scotch whisky, Maker’s Mark bourbon, Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry, Gilbey’s gin, and Courvoisier cognac — entered the Irish whiskey market at the end of last year, via the €73m purchase of Cooley Distillery.

That deal, which moved Ireland’s last remaining independent whiskey producer into international corporate hands, gave Beam control of whiskey brands such as Kilbeggan, Connemara, Greenore, and Tyrconnell.