Whiskey and contemporary pop culture have become elegantly linked, from the witty one-liners of Ron Burgundy to the high-stakes suspense of Game of Thrones. This heady cocktail of storytelling and libations has produced a growing number of iconic on-screen moments that have permanently marked our collective psyche.
This article, appropriately titled “Whiskey and Modern Pop Art,” delves into this fascinating intersection, providing an engaging exploration of how whiskey has progressed from a mere backdrop detail to a significant plot element, character-defining attribute, and emblem of sophistication, thereby securing its place in the annals of popular culture. Let’s toast the countless TV series, movies, and fictional characters that have praised whiskey’s appealing complexity as we set out on this adventure.
Another Chapter in the Legend of Anchorman
Ron Burgundy’s whiskey The Finest Bottles of Great Odin’s Raven
“Scotch, Scotch, Scotch, Scotch, I love you so much,” said Ron Burgundy of Channel 4 in the opening scene of Anchorman. The Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues promotional whiskey is a mix of Speyside, Highland, and Islay whiskies crafted by Old St. Andrews. The whiskey bore the name of a popular Burgundian euphemism based on Greek mythology; it is no longer produced under this name.
Hip-Hop Stars Raise the Profile of Expensive Champagne
Jay-Z’s infatuation with Cristal, a then-rare and exorbitantly priced Champagne, began in 1994. The relatively inexpensive Moet was a club favorite, so splurging on the all-gold-labeled bottles of Cristal was a surefire way to set yourself apart. Everything was for show, and it succeeded. The VIP room’s currency was Cristal and expensive bottles of Cognac until Hova switched to Armand de Brignac a year ago.
Community
The Macallan Spirit of Fellowship
The only thing I can say to those of you who have never seen or heard of Community is why not?
Although it has ended, this comedy series is still among the greatest on television and will be missed by many fans. The beverage of choice for the protagonist. Jeff drank Macallan 18 Years Old, or Glencallan as they say on Community, a fictional Scotch that has appeared in multiple TV shows.
It’s obvious that Jeff, or at least his authors, have a good handle on libations. This idiom was probably chosen because it suited the character’s reputation for refined tastes.
“Parks and Recreation” Star Ron Swanson
Steak, woodworking, and quiet time are among Ron Swanson’s favorite things. He is also well aware of his distaste for the government along with everything else. Additionally, he’s a fan of whiskey, too. The parks director of Pawnee, Indiana, in the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” which aired between 2009 to 2014, can only drink Lagavulin single malt. And it wasn’t lost on Lagavulin.
The Islay, Scotland, distillery and Nick Offerman (Swanson) have collaborated to develop the Offerman Edition, one bottle of single malt scotch whiskey aged for 11 years and depicting Offerman in all his full-bearded splendor. This comes five years after “Parks” ended production. Not for the last time, but this was when whiskey culture first encountered popular culture.
This Fantastic Film by Sofia Coppola From 2003 is Centred on Bill Murray Being, Well, Pretty Much Himself
Former Japanese film actor Bob Harris, played by Murray, appears in a commercial for Suntory whiskey, an actual Osaka-based distillery whose tagline is ‘for relaxed times’.
His professional life is over, and he is a broken man, but thankfully we have the unforgettable sequences with Scarlett Johansson in the false whiskey commercial to remember him by. Murray was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, and he probably got to hoard all the liquor for himself.
The Golden Circle, AKA The King’s Man
GlenDronach 1991 and Old Forester Statesman Whiskey
Two separate whiskey-themed films have been released since last year’s Bond spoof sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle. 20th Century Fox and the GlenDronach distillery collaborated to release a 1991 vintage of the whiskey, aged in Sherry casks, to reflect the polished refinement of the Kingsman agents. Matthew Vaughn, who directed Kingsman, picked the vintage because it corresponds to the year during which Eggsy, the film’s protagonist, was born.
The distillery in the film serves as the headquarters for the Statesmen, an American secret spy agency, and the studio collaborated with Old Forester (both brands are owned by Brown-Forman) to create a Bourbon in their honor. Statesman, a straight Bourbon bottled at 95 proof (47% abv) and part of Old Forester’s whiskey Row collection, is still in production and distribution.
After 8 Days
Lagavulin 16 Year Old Appeared in the Iconic Horror Film That Revolutionised the Zombie Subgenre
While Brendan Gleeson’s character scolds Cillian Murphy for taking whatever malt he can get his hands on during a robbing spree, Cillian Murphy fills his basket with four Lagavulin 16s. Only the green boxes affixed with a golden Lagavulin seal will do for these. Amid a zombie apocalypse, be sure to stock up on your favourite bottle of Lagavulin, as it very well could be your last.
The HBO Series “Game of Thrones”
Even though whiskey in its modern form is absent in HBO’s groundbreaking fantasy series, Johnnie Walker has paid repeated tribute to the show. White Walker is just one of several bottle designs inspired by the show. White Walker, named after the zombie army shown throughout the series, tastes like caramel, vanilla bean, and juicy red berries.
A Song of Ice (a blend of single malts from the Scottish distillery Clynelish) and A Song of Fire (a blend of single malts from the Islay-based Caol Ila distillery) were both inspired by “Game of Thrones” and produced by Johnnie Walker, proving the company’s devotion to the show. Johnnie Walker doesn’t simply have winter coming; it’s always there.
Our exploration of the fascinating intersection of whiskey and contemporary popular culture has led us to the conclusion that the way we look at both has been altered forever because of it. whiskey has etched itself into the heart of our favourite narratives, reflecting tastes, lifestyles, and the zeitgeist of our times, from iconic characters like Ron Burgundy and Ron Swanson to the high-stakes extravagance of Jay-Z’s Cristal-infused VIP rooms to the chilling adventures in Westeros.
Together, distilleries and filmmakers have produced a new sort of pop art in which the bottle is a symbol and the dram is a character, blurring the barriers between fact and fiction. As we toast this fine whiskey and the art of storytelling, keep in mind that each sip has a tale just waiting to be told. After all, isn’t it what makes whiskey, and the popular culture we adore, so interesting and enduring?