Ember is a mood-led Irish whiskey founded on one simple idea – that people choose what they drink based on how they feel, long before they think about how it was made.
Developed by a team with serious pedigree in Irish whiskey, Ember launches with three expressions, ‘Bright’, ‘Still’ and ‘Deep’, and just one proposition – choose by mood and moment, not by method or distillation.
Dublin’s Whiskey Live, in the RDS (5-6 June 2026), will see the trade launch of Ember Irish Whiskey.
The first Irish whiskey brand with a range created around the moment, Ember Irish Whiskey leads on mood and flavour, rather than on history or vintage. Ember is a family of three – Bright, Still and Deep – all of which are eight-year-old Irish whiskey blends, triple distilled and produced in Ireland.
Each has been developed, not around production credentials or distillery heritage, but around the drinker’s mood and feeling in the moment.
The brand was founded by whiskey-lover, Laura O’Connor, a former corporate lawyer who simply describes herself as someone who loves and appreciates whiskey!
“Not everyone reaches for a drink because of how it is distilled or what type of cask it was finished in”, she says. “As a category, whiskey has become overly complex. Connoisseurs might opt for a forty-year-old single malt, but a fun and affordable beautifully blended whiskey can be equally as enjoyable. I didn’t want to make a whiskey for people who have to get whiskey – I wanted to make a whiskey that gets people”.
Ember launches this weekend, for sale via http://www.emberirishwhiskey.com, as well as in several specialist Irish off-licences and on-trade venues.
RRP on the new Ember ‘whiskey by mood’ range is €49.99 for a 700ml bottle. Mainstream supermarket retail and export business is set to follow the off-trade and on-trade launch within the next six months.
Brian Fagan, CEO of Cobblestone Brands and founder of Glendalough Distillery and Five Lamps Brewery, is an advisor to the project, bringing 20 years industry experience and start-up know-how.
Karen Murphy, who has spent nearly twenty years in drinks marketing and innovation, holding senior international marketing roles at William Grant & Sons and, most recently, Sazerac, with responsibility for their full whiskey portfolio across Europe is also involved.
“I have seen the brand and product develop from the ground up, and ember earns its place in the glass and in the moment. You don’t need a whiskey degree to enjoy your whiskey of choice. It’s about the drink, the moment and the person holding the glass,” said Murphy.
Irish whiskey is among the fastest-growing categories in premium and super-premium spirits, globally. In fact, according to the latest figures from IWSR (International Wine and Spirits Record), Irish whiskey exports surpassed €1 billion in 2024. Ember Irish Whiskey is launching at a moment
when the category has the commercial momentum to support a new entrant, its founders say, and the cultural maturity to make room for a style that looks and feels a bit different.
Three expressions, three moods
Each Ember is blended and finished to carry a distinct feeling, with the spirit matching the mood.
BRIGHT – Made for lighter moments. Notes of vanilla and citrus. The one that opens an evening. [Aged 8 years, 43% ABV]
STILL – Made for quieter moments. Notes of stout and cream. The one that slows things down. [Aged 8 years, 46% ABV]
DEEP – Made for richer moments. Notes of dark fruits and spices. The one that holds.
[Aged 8 years, 46% ABV]