No mention of Conor McGregor as new owners release new edition of whiskey
Proximo Spirits launched a new limited edition 13-year-old premier version of the whiskey across America last week for 60 bucks a bottle while the shamed fighter and his ex-sparring partner Artem Lobov were fighting it out over the No Twelve whiskey in the High Court.
A source said: "There was no mention of Conor's name at the launch - it was as if he never existed."
Whiskey expert Lobov claims the idea of a McGregor whiskey was originally his and Conor promised him a five per cent share in the brand for all the years he worked on the project.
McGregor offered him a million quid to settle a few years ago but he turned it down.
But now sources say both were shocked when the new 13-year-old version of the whiskey was launched last week with no mention of McGregor - another idea Lobov says was his.
It is understood the original idea of number 13 was to commemorate the 13 seconds that it took McGregor to knock out Jose Aldo at UFC 194 on December 12, 2015. The No Twelve idea came from the post code in which he grew up in Crumlin, Dublin.
However Proximo, which paid $600 million for McGregor's whiskey, made it clear at the launch of the single malt whiskey that the product had nothing to do with Conor McGregor any more and was a "new era" for the business.
He was dropped as the brand ambassador by Proximo last November after he was found liable for sexual assault in the civil action taken against him by Nikita Hand and ordered to pay €250,000 in damages. The fighter is currently appealing that decision.
There is no use of his name, face or likeness in relation to Proper No Twelve any more and the same applies to the new 13-year-old bottle.
Lander Otegui, executive vice-president of marketing for Proximo Spirits said it represented a new era for the brand.
He said: "This 13-year-old Single Malt is a more refined expression that still holds true to our roots - bold, accessible and built for those who appreciate character.
"It's a celebration of the exciting future ahead as we continue to expand the brand's Irish whiskey offerings and disruptive approach to the category."
McGregor founded his whiskey in 2018 and it became an overnight commercial success story, becoming one of the most popular brands in the USA.
He walked away with $130 million from the deal. It is believed he still holds shares in it.
The new whiskey is distilled at Bushmill's, the world's oldest licensed whiskey distillery.
The 13-year-old whiskey is now on sale in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas and Arizona.
The High Court showdown between McGregor and Lobov has been postponed for a couple of weeks while changes are made to the original claim.
It is understood private talks between the legal parties involved have so far failed to find a resolution to their dispute.
McGregor and Lobov were best mates and used to travel the world together before they fell out.
A source close to the case said: "We are all hoping they will sort this row out and make up. The Americans couldn't care less about either of them."
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