MMA Champion Conor McGregor is finally prepared to launch his whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, and will use the profits to support local first responder organizations around the world.
Underneath his trademark swagger and outrageous outfits, mixed martial arts master McGregor is known for his work ethic. The founder and chairman of Eire Born Spirits famously made his way from welfare to the top of the MMA world.
Now, he’s brought all of that to whiskey making.
Irish born and bred, McGregor has loved Irish Whiskey for years. Rather than endorse an existing brand, McGregor partnered with Master Distiller David Elder, previously of Guinness, to create his own. Together, after a lot of trial and error, they settled on a blend of golden grain and single malt.
“We created close to one hundred blends and ultimately selected what we knew was the one and only proper whiskey blend. We took the time to develop an incredible whiskey and I’m excited to share it with the world,” said McGregor.
The company has committed to donate $5 for every case sold to local first responder organizations/charities, up to $1 million annually. The organizations/charities will be identified for each state and country around the world, and donations will go directly to specific states and countries where sales take place.
For McGregor, Proper No. 12’s namesake is personal. “I come from a suburb called Crumlin, in Dublin 12,” he explained. “It’s a place dear to my heart. It’s where I learned how to fight; it made me who I am today. It’s a place I’m still very much a part of every single day of my life,” said McGregor. “Growing up on the streets of Dublin 12, I learned the values of loyalty and hard work.”
The whiskey is launching now in Ireland and the US, but expect more markets to emerge in the future. Proper No. 12 is bottled at 80 proof, and is available now for a suggested retail price of $25.
