Distillers sued for $100m over Michael Collins

The US makers of Jim Beam, Canadian Club and Makers Mark have been sued for $100 million (€76.8m) by an importer that claims Beam Inc and its Cooley Distillery unit broke a contract to supply it with Michael Collins Irish Whiskey.

The importer — the New York-based Sidney Frank Importing Co (SFIC) — claimed in a suit filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court that the defendants cut off its access to the private-label whiskey brand after Beam acquired Cooley last year.

“Cooley unilaterally and wholly without justification abandoned its supply contract with SFIC,” the importer claimed.