ICONIC Scottish actor James Cosmo has launched his own whisky, STORYMAN, created in a unique partnership with award-winning Annandale Distillery in Dumfries & Galloway.
James was joined by family, friends, fellow actors and celebrities, international whisky experts, investors, and members of the team who created STORYMAN, for the London launch at The Caledonian Club in Belgravia on Wednesday night. [June 14]
They heard how James first became aware of Annandale Distillery when he was filming Outlaw King [the distillery is built on what had been King Robert the Bruce’s land, near Annan] and was so impressed with the team’s passion for creating the best single malt single cask Scotch whisky that he entrusted them with making his dream of having his own whisky – “the kind that is delicate, complex, and with a warmth that grows on you” – come true.
It was an almost three-year journey to create the perfect whisky inspired by James, his iconic presence and personality, with a distinct flavour profile based on months of complex research by international research companies MMR (Mathematical Market Research) Research Worldwide and Huxley Global, owned by Annandale Distillery co-owners Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church.
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Professor Thomson said: “We wanted to capture James’ essence in a bottle, to create a whisky that reflects his personality, his values and his stories. We used our expertise in consumer research to understand how people perceive James and what kind of whisky they would associate with him. We then translated that into a sensory profile that guided the blending process.”
Master blender Keith Law describes the unique blend of Annandale’s award-winning Man O’ Words and Man O’ Sword (peated) whiskies, as “a tale of mellow fruitfulness, smooth honey and rich vanilla, with a spicy edge that brings real warmth to its heart.”
And is that warmth that James was delighted with for his whisky, named STORYMAN to reflect his 60-year career as a storyteller with iconic roles in films and TV programmes including Braveheart, Highlander, Game of Thrones, Trainspotting, Jack Ryan, and Six Four.
“STORYMAN is a lovely blend,” he says. “It’s gentle and the sort of whisky you want to sit by a fire and have a little sip of. It’s delicate and thoughtful and absolutely a whisky for telling stories with. I’d like to think that people will open a bottle and sit back and regale people with stories.”
You can be part of James Cosmo’s story: STORYMAN is available to buy now at www.storymanwhisky.com
