We’ve all seen celebrity-endorsed beer and liquors, with entire labels specifically designed and produced just for them. Now, I won’t quote statistics—because I don’t know any—but I’m pretty sure people buy these liquors simply because of who is associated with them, regardless of how they taste. Conor McGregor recently joined the list of celebrity-endorsed spirits with his new whiskey, Proper No. Twelve. Do people also buy McGregor’s whiskey simply because it’s his? Of course. The real question here is how does Proper No. Twelve taste? Surprisingly, not terrible.
The Notorious
McGregor originally wanted to name his Irish whiskey, Notorious, after his nickname. Unfortunately, the name was already taken by someone else. Instead of dealing with a legal battle, he decided to take the title in a different direction. He eventually opted for the name Proper No. Twelve, which is a homage to his hometown city of Crumlin in Dublin, Ireland. “Many ask where the name Proper No. Twelve comes from, and it has true meaning to me. I was born and bred in the Dublin suburb of Crumlin, Dublin 12 – thus Proper No. Twelve.”
In partnership with Eire Born Spirits, the whiskey brand itself is entirely owned by McGregor, he’s both the founder and CEO. The whiskey was made by the legendary distiller David Elderman, a former distiller for Bushmills. McGregor is reported to have sampled over 100 different blends before deciding on the right recipe for Proper No. Twelve. That’s pretty picky for a “cheap” whiskey.
How’s Proper No. Twelve Taste?
Some bottom shelf, or better yet, under the bottom shelf, liquors have a taste that’s somehow similar to getting kicked squarely in the balls. But, despite its low price point of $30, I don’t consider Proper No. Twelve bottom shelf. It actually tastes pretty decent, and it’s made by a respected distillery. It’s quite literally the personality of Conor McGregor in liquid form—kind of shite, but also smooth. I’ll be honest here though; would I have tried it if it wasn’t endorsed and promoted by McGregor? Probably not.
Now, if you have a taste for higher-quality whiskey, and/or enjoy sitting in large leather recliners discussing political tensions in the Middle East, you’re not likely to enjoy Proper No. Twelve. Taste and “texture” are very important to many people, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, I’m not going to cover the texture, or the color, or other “tasting notes” as who really gives a damn anyway. Besides, McGregor had to consider all of that while choosing the right blend for his whiskey, so that’s already taken care of (here’s a good review of all of the tasting notes if you’re interested). So, if you’re like me and enjoy watching people beat the shit out of each other while eating a bag of chips, then Proper No. Twelve is a great choice of spirit.
What more do you need to know about it? Try Proper No. Twelve and see what you think. If you absolutely hate it and think it’s total shite, at least it was only $30. Plus, McGregor donates $5 of every purchase to first responder charities. Win-win.
The Notorious 24/7
This blog is dedicated to providing everything you need to know about three things: MMA, UFC, and the living legend, Conor McGregor. I may kiss his particular ass a lot, but I cover everything else about the sport as well. For my day job, I landscape and remove trees with a hartland tree removal company, so I don’t get a lot of free time. When I do have free time, I stay up to date on things happening in the world of UFC (while sipping Proper No. Twelve, of course). If you enjoyed this article, check back regularly as I’ll be posting more cool, entertaining, and dumb shit about whatever is happening in the world of MMA.