Irish Whiskey industry welcomes UK-Australia trade deal

Many Northern Irish distilleries currently produce blended Irish whiskeys containing grain Irish whiskey distilled in the south.

The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) said it welcomes new wording in the free-trade agreement between the UK and Australia saying they will protect all-island supply chains in the whiskey industry.

Under new rules-of-origin agreed on Thursday, Irish grain whiskey distilled in Ireland but matured and blended in Northern Ireland will qualify for the new zero tariff to be applied by Australia to UK whiskeys.

The IWA said many Northern Irish distilleries currently produce blended Irish whiskeys containing grain Irish whiskey distilled in the south.

The previous rules of origin required all liquid to be distilled in the states which are party to the trade agreement which would have meant that only Irish whiskey fully distilled in Northern Ireland would qualify for the free trade agreement (FTA).

"The reform of rules-of-origin in the new FTA will protect traditional, long-standing supply chains in the Irish whiskey industry and will support Northern Irish distilleries as they target export growth to Australia," William Lavelle, Head of the IWA said.

“Protecting cross-border supply chains and securing reform of rules-of-origin for mixed-origin Irish whiskey has been a top priority for the Irish Whiskey Association since the UK voted to leave the EU."

The IWA said they will continue to press the EU to seek reforms to rule-of-origin in its parallel trade negotiations with Australia.