Our Story

In 2020 three men met on a international trade mission and over a dram or two in a late night bar on the other side of the world formed an idea to one day own and launch their own Irish Whiskey brand.

Successful Entrepreneurs Brano Pajer and Rory O Donnell were intrigued by the ever-increasing global success of the Irish whiskey industry as the fastest moving Spirit category in the world, and pondered the explosion of Distilleries and Brands across the island of Ireland. Michael Morris, a veteran Irish whiskey man with over 30 years-experience in the industry, had played a part in the renaissance of the category, and found like-minded thinkers in Brano and Rory – independent and unafraid businessmen with a clear vision as to what success might look like in a fiercely competitive space.

The idea of an independent Irish Whiskey company, that could bond and bottle product from the finest sources on the island, took its first steps with nimble being the watchword as the business plan took shape.

Inventory was acquired with patience and perseverance and an eye for the finest casks being at the centre of the plan – A signature blended whiskey was at the heart of the story and older mature casks of Single Malt and Pot Still unique to Ireland were added in time. The three men had a plan and were building up their asset base to create strong foundations for the enterprise, but the missing link was the brand name that would encapsulate the ethos of the company yet to be formed, and of course the timing which would be all important in "catching the wave"

Fast forward to 2022 and the Irish words An Gael became the name for both the fledgling company and the brand, with 2025/26 the start date for the company as fate and the stars aligned perfectly both by design and opportunity. An Gael was a name carefully chosen by the owners of the company, as it perfectly captured the culture of a people and a place that would make no apologies as a brand in terms of what it represents – everything that's good about being Irish, with a nod to the ancient people who went before us, who lived on a tiny island at the edge of the world and spread their wings through the centuries to the far corners of the globe.

Just like Irish Whiskey itself as it turns out.

We give you An Gael.

Slainte !