Irish Whiskey Brand Bold ’98 Debuts in Nigeria With Retro-Themed Launch

Bold ’98 Irish Whiskey has entered the Nigerian market with “Party Like It’s ’98,” a retro-themed event at Nomaada Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Rather than a traditional launch centred on speeches and presentations, the event invited celebrities, distributors, media and other guests to take part in the experience.

Guests posed for Polaroid “’90s and 80s moments” and were encouraged to share the evening online using hashtags including #PartyLikeIts98, PLIS98 and #Bold98. A Cocktail Lab and chef’s table, hosted by Nomaada, paired the whiskey with food and mixed drinks. Tastings were also available throughout the venue.

Motunrayo Raheem, Executive Director, said the format was a strategic choice. “A whiskey is best introduced by tasting it, in good company, and not by telling people about it,” she said. “We wanted the trade and consumers to feel the brand before they hear our pitch. If you enjoy Bold ’98 at the table, in a cocktail and on the dance floor, you’ll remember it.”

Raheem said the retro theme was chosen months before nostalgia-themed posts began appearing widely on social media. The team settled on the concept in January and February, she told guests, before the posts surged as September approached. “It has to be God,” she said.

Bold ’98’s launch comes as competition intensifies in Nigeria’s premium spirits market. Whisky is one of the category’s most contested segments, with established international brands competing for discerning drinkers. Growing urban demand for imported spirits has also expanded the audience. In this crowded market, brands compete on quality, storytelling and experiences consumers want to share. Bold ’98 is positioning itself around its heritage and a launch designed for social media.

The brand’s story reaches back to 1798, when the Society of the United Irishmen rose against British rule, inspired by the American and French revolutions. The group sought to unite Catholics, Protestants and Dissenters around self-determination. Fighting broke out in Wexford, Antrim and Down, while a French force landed in County Mayo. The rebellion was crushed within months, with heavy loss of life and a decisive defeat at Vinegar Hill in Wexford.

The brand’s makers, Stafford Irish Spirits Co. of Enniscorthy, tell a story of barley from the rebels’ pockets sprouting on the battlefield afterward, becoming a symbol of hope. The campaign line, “Rooted in Rebellion,” draws on that account.

“Bold ’98 is rooted in rebellion, in boldness and in the belief that something good can come from defiance,” Raheem said. “Nigerians will recognise that, because it’s how many of us have built our own lives and businesses.”

Raheem described the whiskey as a premium blended Irish whiskey from County Wexford, with notes of caramel and toasted oak. “It is a premium blended Irish whiskey from County Wexford, creamy and smooth with caramel and toasted oak,” she said. “It’s easy to enjoy neat or on the rocks, and it holds its own in a cocktail.” She also described the launch as the beginning of a lasting presence in the country: “This whiskey has been coming from Ireland, but it’s also here in Nigeria to stay.”

The evening also featured a fireside panel moderated by Zion, a staged bottle reveal, a catwalk featuring models with umbrellas, fans and glorifier props, a headline performance, and a rap and dance battle between Gen Z and Millennials. The panel included Raheem, Olajumoke Oladimeji of Capston Bee and Esther Usoroh, among others.