Since its debut on the show in 2002, The World’s 50 Best has established itself as the king of luxury food and drink. When the annual confab announces its restaurants and top restaurants, heads turn headlines are made. Later this year they will grow into a luxury hotel with a list of the 50 Best Hotels in the World.
But before that we take a look at the 2023 edition of the event that started it all: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The winners will be announced at a special ceremony at Les Arts opera house in Valencia, Spain on June 20th. And while we have no way of knowing which glorious kitchen will come out on top, we do to do find out what whiskeys will be enjoyed by the variety of chefs and connoisseurs who will be in attendance that evening.
The award show has just announced The Craft Irish Whiskey Company as its own “Whiskey of the world” dear What does that really mean? And how did it get to this producer? Let’s ask the World 50 Best and find out.
“The World’s 50 Best Restaurants celebrates the world’s best cuisine and The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. shares our passion for celebrating the constant pursuit of hospitality,” says Roger Betriu, the group’s UK media relations director. “We are delighted to partner with The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. as our official Whiskey World Partner.”
A brand as important as the World’s 50 Best obviously has no shortage of partners to work with. So it speaks volumes that he chose to connect not with Scotch, but with Irish whiskey – and a relative newcomer at that. Craft Irish, for its part, has been turning heads for the past 3 years with its approach to bottling and mixing premium spirits. These are the same people who started with the $2 million water, which was placed next to the first Faberge Egg of its kind.
In the following words he has won many awards for high quality design. But company founder and master blender Jay Bradley is most proud of the recognition he’s received inside glass. Last year his Devil’s Keep was named “World’s Best Irish Single Malt” at the prestigious World Whiskeys Awards. And he is dedicated to raising the profile of the most advanced group he has ever played. This is where the 50 Best World comes in…
“As a company, it’s our job to put Irish whiskey at the top of the world hierarchy, and that means putting it on the world’s best whiskeys as well,” explains Bradley. “Whether it’s a glass, a restaurant, or a plate, we are fulfilling this task very quickly, and I believe that this is the result of the passion we have for hospitality, which has been shown through our work with organizations such as the World’s 50. The Best Guide and Michelin.”
Craft Irish Whiskey Company began a partnership with the latter at the beginning of 2022, helping the tire company distribute its prestigious labels to Michelin Star recipients after unveiling last year. Earlier this year they presented the “Special Cocktail List Award” for outstanding expertise in mixology to Makis Kazakis, bar manager at Park Chinois in London. Bradley’s impressive relationship with top restaurant talent can already be seen in many of the city’s restaurants.
Donn – Craft Irish’s most expensive release – is used as the first ingredient in a dipping sauce on a steak dish at Restaurant Gordon Ramsey. Chef Adam Cultivating Frog’s popularity is using it in an Irish coffee he made for Paddy’s Day this year. And that same juice is featured in the citrusy, tangy Golden Nectar menu at Hakkasan London.
Through his new partnership with the World’s 50 Best, Bradley hopes to build relationships with chefs and brewers beyond the UK capital he calls home. It’s always easier to make friends when you arrive at a party with a premium whiskey in hand.
