Teeling Whiskey now majority-owned by Bacardi

It was a move that had been expected in the whiskey scene for some time: Bacardi has secured a majority stake in Teeling Whiskey. This means that the Bermuda-based company will play a key role in determining the future direction of the Irish whiskey distillery.

Bacardi had already been a minority stake shareholder in Teeling since June 2017 (we reported). The sale of the shares to Bacardi at that time was primarily with a view to utilising the global company's distribution channels on the US market.

The appointment of Bacardi employees to three positions on Teeling's Board had already given the company a majority there in August 2023. Bacardi now also owns the majority of the shares (exact figures were not disclosed in the press releases). The Irish company was founded by the brothers Jack and Stephen Teeling in 2012. According to information from Bacardi, they will continue to take care of the operational business of Teeling Whiskey.

Ignacio Del Valle, Regional President of Bacardi, said: “As a fifth generation Bacardi family member, I understand the bold decision made by the Teeling family to place its trust in us and use our expertise, resources and network to ensure more consumers can enjoy this incredible range of whiskeys. Bacardi will take Teeling to the next level and, together with Jack and Stephen, we will grow the brand’s reputation for craft and quality to fuel future success.”

From 1 January 2024, Bacardi will take over the distribution of the Teeling brand in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, from February in Sweden and one month later also in Belgium.