brims and lead consultant Annette Kearney is pleased to announce a new commercial alliance with family business McCallan Bonded in Co. Tyrone – one of Ireland’s premier Irish whiskey maturation providers and the first carbon-neutral bonded whiskey maturation facility on the Island.
As a Commercial Agent to McCallan Bonded in Ireland, Annette will focus on building the company’s casks’ warehousing and Irish whiskey maturation business with distilleries, brand owners, whiskey bonders and producers of Irish whiskey, while assisting to strengthen McCallan Bonded’s profile and relationships across the Irish whiskey sector.
Annette is the managing director of brims -a drinks trade and industry consultancy, as well as Programme Director of the Irish Drinks Forum. She has worked extensively across the Irish drinks industry both at home and in export markets abroad, as well as having previously established and managed Dair Nua Cooperage and Casks supply business to the Irish whiskey sector for a number of years.
The partnership comes as McCallan Bonded continues to expand its infrastructure, with planning permission secured for a new 10,000-cask warehouse and options for further growth. The development builds on the company’s existing zero-carbon whiskey maturation facility and commitment to sustainable warehousing and maturation.
Annette Kearney said:
“When I first visited McCallan Bonded and met with founders James and Mary McCallan at their farmstead site their early-stage development a few years ago during, I realised then, that they had set about building something special and unique for the Irish whiskey industry. Over the years since, I remained to be most impressed with their energy and drive, ambition and service-lead approach as they have grown their business. McCallan Bonded has lead the way in offering not just quality and sustainable warehousing for maturing Irish whiskey and for casks’ storage, but for offering producers an added-value ‘home-from-home’, event space and promotional platform for their whiskey assets and brands. I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with the McCallan team and to spread the word about McCallan Bonded’s new services and capabilities as they continue their drive to becoming an integral partner in their clients’ whiskey production journey.”
James McCallan said:
“Our relationship with Annette has developed over a number of years, and we first saw at close hand the expertise and energy she brings to the industry through the Irish Drinks Forum in 2024. McCallan Bonded attended the Forum that year, which was flawlessly orchestrated by Annette and hosted at the BIA Innovator Campus in Athenry.
“Since then, we’ve continued to see the depth of her experience, her strong industry network and the respect she has built across the Irish drinks sector. This partnership feels like a very natural next step as we continue to grow McCallan Bonded.
“Annette will help us develop new relationships with distilleries, brands and bonders and build our presence within the industry.”
