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French spirits giant Pernod Ricard has established a new global brand company, called North American Distillers (NADL), to oversee its growing American whiskey portfolio and operations.

The move underscores Pernod Ricard's commitment to the thriving American whiskey category, which has seen substantial investment from the company in recent years.

Helming the new specialised business will be Richard Black, a Pernod Ricard executive with 23 years of experience in whiskey and cognac. As CEO of NADL, Black will manage the company's full American whiskey line-up and North American production sites.

"American whiskey is a dynamic spirits category, and our portfolio shows immense potential for future growth," Black said. "My mission is to harness this potential and drive a singular focus on these brands and our operations, driving us towards our goals and creating a top-tier marketing and sustainable operations team."

The formation of NADL aligns Pernod Ricard's American whiskey business with the structure of its successful Irish and scotch whisky entities, Irish Distillers and Chivas Brothers.

The new company will be responsible for global marketing strategy and production of Pernod Ricard's premium American whiskey brands, leveraging the company's global network to spur growth.

Pernod Ricard's American whiskey portfolio includes brands such as Jefferson's, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler, Skrewball and TX Whiskey. The company has made significant investments in the category, including the highly anticipated Jefferson's distillery currently under construction in Kentucky.

Supporting Black at NADL is a seasoned team of operations and American whiskey specialists, including Pierre Joncourt, current SVP of operations for Pernod Ricard North America, and Bourbon Hall of Famer Kaveh Zamanian, founder of Rabbit Hole Whiskey, who will guide the liquid strategy for the full North American whiskey portfolio.

The establishment of NADL marks the next phase of Pernod Ricard's American whiskey commitment, building on the initial launch of the portfolio as an independent unit within Pernod Ricard USA.

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