Bernard and Rosemary Walsh created Hot Irishman Limited in 1999 with the desire to create and bottle the perfect Irish Coffee recipe. Expanding on their success, in 2005 the couple attempted to rival the major Irish cream liqueur brands, creating a recipe that recaptured the essence of the drink: The Irishman Irish Cream liqueur, made with 100% Irish cream and premium Irish whiskey. However, it was only in 2006 that the Walshes began to venture fully into the world of whiskey, when they signed a long-term supply contract with Irish Distillers – the Whiskey Supply Agreement – ​​which allowed the distillation and storage of Irish whiskey according to their specifications. This enabled the launch, in 2007, of The Irishman Whiskey, the first single whiskey released by Walsh, followed, in 2009, by Writers Tears. After seventeen years of success, Bernard and Rosemary Walsh, in a joint venture with Illva Saronno, owner of the Tia Maria brand, and Pat Rigney, founder of Boru vodka, opened the Royal Oak Distillery in June 2016. In 2019, the partnership between Walsh and Illva Saronno came to an end, including Walsh's stake in the Royal Oak Distillery.