Mariah Carey Triumphs After 2-Year Legal Battle Over Her Black Irish Cream Liqueur Brand

Honoree Mariah Carey speaks at the 51st annual Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and awards gala June 17 in New York. Carey’s Black Irish Cream Liqueur will be able to be sold in the European Union and United Kingdom following a two-year legal battle. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Five-time Grammy Award-winning singer Mariah Carey has emerged triumphant after a two-year legal spat over her Black Irish Cream Liqueur brand.

Carey debuted the brand in August 2021, claiming the name came from her heritage; her mother is Irish-American, and her father is half-Black, half-Venezuelan. However, at the time Black Irish launched, another company existed with the same name.

Irish company Darker Still Spirits had launched a whiskey-and-stout spirit drink called Black Irish in June 2020 and legally registered the brand name in 2015.

Carey’s legal team objected to Darker Still Spirits’ use of the trademarked name, since it meant Carey’s Black Irish couldn’t be sold in the European Union or United Kingdom.

More than two years later, the legal dispute has ended with Darker Still Spirits agreeing to sell the Black Irish name. The drink formerly known as Black Irish has been renamed “Born Irish.”

“We are delighted to have resolved this trademark issue with Mariah’s team so that we are both able to sell our respective brands in our desired territories,” Richard Ryan, co-creator of Born Irish and co-founder of distribution partner Kirker Greer Spirits, said, according to The Spirits Business. “Our brand name may have changed but Born Irish still contains the same innovative recipe: Irish whiskey aged in Bourbon and stout casks, made dark with infusions of chocolate malt, roasted barley and vanilla.”

The Born Irish rebrand will come into effect in the Americas and Europe this summer. A full global roll out is planned before the end of the year.

“On a personal note we also wish Mariah and her team the best of fortunes with their cream liqueur brand,” Ryan said. “We look forward to working with our retail partners and distributors globally to ensure the continued success of Born Irish. We are also excited to bring this brand to the American market, where we believe it will be a challenger in the Irish whiskey category.”

Earlier this month, Black Irish Cream Liqueur announced the expansion of its full portfolio of flavors — Original, Salted Caramel and White Chocolate — to Mexico, Brazil and the Bahamas.

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