Getting to know the new chair of Drinks Ireland

When Claire Tolan steps into the role of chair of Drinks Ireland, she does so with more than 25 years of experience in the drinks sector and a career that has taken her from San Francisco to senior leadership within one of Ireland’s most iconic drinks companies.
Tolan, managing director of Irish Distillers, part of Pernod Ricard, succeeds Pat Rigney, founder of The Shed Distillery in Co Leitrim, who served three years in the role. Irish Distillers produces some of the world’s most recognised whiskeys, including Jameson Irish Whiskey, and distributes the Pernod Ricard portfolio across the island of Ireland.

In her day-to-day role, Tolan oversees the sales, marketing and distribution of a range of premium spirits brands, along with well-known ready-to-drink products such as West Coast Cooler.
Now, as she begins her tenure representing the wider industry, she says she feels both honoured and energised by the opportunity. “I am delighted and honoured to be stepping into the role as chair of Drinks Ireland and would firstly like to thank Pat Rigney for the work he has done throughout his term,” she says. “I’m excited to represent such a dynamic and innovative sector that is focused on the quality and heritage of its brands, driven by the passion and commitment of colleagues right across the industry.”
However, she acknowledges that the role comes at a particularly complex time for drinks producers and suppliers. extremely challenging for the drinks sector,” she says. “In particular, we’ve seen the introduction of tariffs in some markets and an increasing regulatory burden on drinks manufacturers and suppliers.”
Despite those pressures, Tolan believes Ireland’s drinks sector continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience. “Ireland’s drinks industry plays a vital role in both our economy and our society,” she says. “It sustains employment across the country, drives export success and showcases Irish excellence internationally. The industry has consistently shown its resilience, adapting to changing market conditions, investing in innovation and responding to evolving consumer expectations.”
She believes the sector’s ability to evolve while maintaining high standards of quality and responsibility has been central to its global reputation.
“By building on these shared strengths, embracing evolving consumer trends and continuing to invest in quality and innovation, we can ensure the long-term success and global reputation of Ireland’s drinks industry.”

From Dublin to San Francisco

Tolan’s career in the drinks industry began almost by chance. A graduate of Dublin City University, she studied international marketing with French and Spanish and spent part of her degree studying in Spain. After graduating, she joined a graduate placement initiative called the European Overseas Programme. It was there that her connection with Irish Distillers began.
“Companies would come in and interview candidates from the programme,” she recalls. “Irish Distillers came in and recruited a group of us and that’s how I started on the Jameson graduate programme in 1998.”
Her first posting took her far from home. “I wanted to go back to Spain, but they sent me to San Francisco,” she laughs. “When I got there I realised it was the dream. I was 22, straight out of college, living in San Francisco.”
The role was both exciting and unconventional. “There was no office,” she says. “I had a fax machine in my room. There was an office in Los Angeles and I had a boss there and another one in Ireland. Once we got our visas we were off, working very much in the field.” Her job involved promoting Irish whiskey brands within the US distribution system, working with bartenders, retailers and sales teams.
“In the US there’s a three-tiered system,” she explains. “So my job was to promote our brands to bartenders and retailers through the sales teams.”
San Francisco in the late 1990s proved to be an exhilarating place to begin a career.
“It was the era of the dotcom boom so there were parties everywhere. I loved the city, I loved the job and I loved the industry.”

Returning home

After five years in the United States, Tolan and her Swiss partner, who is now her husband, decided to travel the world before eventually settling in Ireland. Her first role back home took her outside the drinks sector, working in marketing training and recruitment.
But the drinks industry eventually drew her back and back into the Irish Distillers fold. She progressed through a series of senior roles, including regional director for the Americas and brand director for Jameson Irish Whiskey.
One of her most memorable roles came when she became managing director of Irish Distillers’ brand homes business, overseeing the visitor experiences at Jameson Distillery Bow St. and Midleton Distillery.
“It was the best job ever,” she says. “We were redeveloping the entire Bow Street site. It was a huge investment and incredibly intense.”
The redevelopment opened in time for St Patrick’s Day celebrations and went on to win multiple awards. The distillery experiences have become hugely popular with international visitors, particularly from the United States. “About half of the visitors to Midleton Distillery are from the US,” she says. “People absolutely love the brand. There have even been marriage proposals there.”

The rise of Irish whiskey

When Tolan first entered the industry in 1998, Ireland’s whiskey landscape looked very different. “There were only four distilleries in Ireland when I started,” she says. “Now there is one in every county.”

The growth of the category has been extraordinary. “We’re punching above our weight when it comes to drinks,” she says. “It’s been a vibrant industry and it’s experienced double-digit growth for many years.”
Irish drinks brands also play an important role in promoting the country abroad. “Sometimes people’s first experience of Ireland is through our drinks brands, things like Jameson Irish Whiskey, Guinness or Baileys Irish Cream,” she says. “They get to know Ireland through those brands.”
Today, the drinks industry is a major contributor to Ireland’s economy. “It’s a powerhouse worth around
€2 billion in exports,” she says. “It supports jobs right across the country, from farming and grain production to tourism and hospitality.”

Global opportunities

International markets remain central to the sector’s growth. “The US is still our biggest market,”she says. “It probably accounts for
around 40–50% of our business.”
However, new markets are emerging quickly, particularly in Asia. “India is absolutely exploding as a whiskey market,” she says. “There’s a growing middle class and a huge interest in international brands. Irish whiskey is very appealing there because it’s so smooth and approachable.”
She expects the market to expand significantly in the coming years. “We’ll likely be doing a million cases in India in the not-too-distant future, which would have been unimaginable years ago.”

Consumer trends

Like many industries, drinks producers experienced significant changes during the pandemic. “Premiumisation became a huge trend,” she says. “During Covid, people started collecting whiskey and buying high-end bottles. It was actually difficult keeping products in
stock.”
That trend continues today, alongside the growing popularity of ready-to-drink beverages. “RTDs are a huge trend globally,” she says. “Products like West Coast Cooler are performing incredibly well, especially since we launched the canned format.”
At the same time, she believes attitudes to alcohol consumption in Ireland are changing. “The whole attitude to drinking has matured,” she says. “Consumption has actually declined by around 30% over time.”
Health and wellness trends are also influencing behaviour. “Saunas are packed, running clubs are thriving and people are very conscious about wellbeing. But they still want to go out and have fun.” That shift has encouraged consumers to prioritise quality over quantity.
“They may go out less often, but when they do they’re buying premium drinks or cocktails. Experiences have become really important.”

Regulatory pressures

Despite the sector’s positive outlook, Tolan says regulatory challenges remain a major concern for producers. One of the most contentious issues has been Ireland’s proposed alcohol labelling regulations.
“We understand the need for labelling, but it needs to be harmonised with Europe,” she says. “If Ireland goes out on its own it makes us uncompetitive.” She stresses that the issue is more complicated than simply adding labels. “It’s not just a sticker on a bottle. Different alcohol levels mean different calorie counts, so each product can require separate labels for every SKU. That adds huge complexity and cost, particularly for smaller producers.” She hopes to work with policy makers to find a more aligned approach. Excise duty is another challenge.
“Ireland has the second highest excise on alcohol in Europe,” she says. “At the same time there are 14 countries with higher consumption than us. We’d ultimately like to see some reduction so the industry can invest more in innovation and new products.”

Representing the sector

As chair of Drinks Ireland, Tolan says her priority is to ensure policymakers fully understand the scale and importance of the industry. “A big part of the role is having conversations with politicians and helping them understand what’s happening in the sector,” she says. That includes explaining how the industry supports jobs and communities throughout Ireland. “This is an industry that provides employment across rural and urban Ireland. From grain growers to tourism operators and hospitality workers, the impact is enormous.”
Tolan says she is particularly keen to represent the full diversity of the sector. “I’m proud to represent not only the larger brands but also the smaller producers,” she says. “It’s a vibrant industry and it’s one people genuinely care about.”

Looking ahead

Despite the uncertainties facing the sector, from tariffs to regulatory change, Tolan is optimistic about the future. Premiumisation will remain a major driver, she believes, along with innovation in categories like RTDs and cocktails.
“There’s still enormous interest in premium whiskeys,” she says. “We recently launched a new Midleton release and there was a queue around the corner at the Celtic Whiskey Shop.”
Innovation also continues to attract new consumers, including women who may previously have felt whiskey wasn’t for them.
“Cocktails like a whiskey sour or a Jameson Irish Whiskey with ginger and lime are very approachable,” she says. “Once people try them they
realise how versatile whiskey can be.”
As she begins her role as chair, Tolan says she is looking forward to working with colleagues across the industry to ensure its continued success.
“It’s an industry I genuinely love,” she says. “The people are passionate, collaborative and proud of what they do. My goal is to represent them well and ensure the sector continues to thrive both at home and internationally.”