Single Malts in the Movies

[Nock]

Just the other night I rented the easily forgettable movie Constantine staring actor Keanu Reeves (Matrix). So I am watching the scene where the heroine tracks down our hero to his apartment. He is drinking the last of a bottle of red wine when she nocks. He invites her in and then goes and grabs another bottle (which he doesn't offer to her by the way).

It is a bottle of Ardbeg TEN !!!
What is even more amusing (then how dorky it was of me to notice) is that the liquid that he pours is WAY too dark to be Ardbeg (our ever so pale Isla malt). Yet, the label is unmistakable.

I will leave you with another sighting.
In the movie 28 Days Later our group of heroes stop at an abandoned grocery store to search for food. While there the character played by the Irish actor Brendan Gleeson gives a little lesson on picking out Whisky. The movie never shows the bottle, but you do see him pick up several dark green boxes with the delightful gold-lion-crest symbol of Lagavulin on its top.

Any other random sighting you care to share?

(I in no way encourage people to see these movies. But if you must, at least enjoy these minuscule details as only the whisky obsessed can)

Nock

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

ocasionally I noticed whisky in movies, blends as well as malts over the years. But unfortunately I never took down notes. It has been a while but I am sure I saw a bottle of Macallan in an American movie shown on German television. But can´t remember where and when. I think I saw Paul Newman handle a bottle of Lagavulin once, Pierce Brosnan in his character as 007 has handled blends and his prdecessors also I am sure. I keep my eyes open from now on.

Greetings
kallaskander

[Paul A Jellis]

I can't remember any individual films but I often notice bottles in films and TV progs and my poor wife is amazed that I can identify what bottle it is even with the briefest of shots to camera.

Is that sad?

Cheers

Paul

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

cause not! It speaks for your knowledge and a quick eye. I made the same experience. My fellow onlookers wonder how I do it. Secret is, I have quite a collection by now and a good memory.

Greetings
kallaskander

[Iain]

If I remember rightly, Dudley Moore (in the movie Arthur) swigs great quantities of The Glenlivet when he has a nervous meeting with his father-in-law. There's a crucial scene with a bottle of TG near the start of The Man Who Would be King too, when Michael Caine waxes lyrical about "Glenleevit" whisky.

Still on The Glenlivet - the characters drink from a bottle of it in an early scene of The Mummy. But that's a very contrived case of product placement (when it was made, Seagram owned both the whisky and the film company!). At this early stage in the thread, I vote we should ban examples of product placement.

(That would rule out the bottle of Macallan that features in the love scene in Don't Look Now and allegedly features in all the films in which Allan Scott alias Shiach was involved as a scriptwriter!!)

And feel free to ignore my arrogant attempt to impose rules on this thread

[Lawrence]

I see them quite often however I can't remember the names of the movies, just the scenes the bottles were featured in.

Dalmore
Laphroaig
Glenlivet
Various Blends.

[Tartan]

If I remember rightly, Dudley Moore (in the movie Arthur) swigs great quantities of The Glenlivet when he has a nervous meeting with his father-in-law. There's a crucial scene with a bottle of TG near the start of The Man Who Would be King too, when Michael Caine waxes lyrical about "Glenleevit" whisky.

Ah, recently in a Wedding Crashers a Vince Vaughn character "confesses" to a priest about the girl and pours himself and the guy a glassful of Glenlivet (?) I believe it was Glenlivet... now I will HAVE to see it again at some point to check for sure

I also remember someone gave a link of a website, whcih breaks down all the drinks consumed in James Bond movies. I remember whisky was quite high on the list.

[bernstein]

Try Whiskyspotting - lots of blends, so slightly off topic...

[posterboy]

In "Highlander", Christopher Lambert's character (Duncan Macleod) goes into a bar and orders Glenmorangie.

[Tom]

yes, "on the rocks"... for a supposedly scot that lived hundreds of years, you would think he held at least some notion of tradition...

Glad to see someone else noticed the Ardbeg Ten in Constantine. I posted this a while ago here but nobody seemed to have seen it. It was the best sneak commercial I ever saw, because when I got home I poured myself an Ardbeg Ten! Also think it was the best choice for a dark movie like that. Enjoyed both the Ardbeg and the movie

[Mr Fjeld]

yes, "on the rocks"... for a supposedly scot that lived hundreds of years, you would think he held at least some notion of tradition...

See what you mean, but maybe he knows what he's doing as the whisky of "yestercentury" probably didn't taste that good....

Skål!
Christian

[Deactivated Member]

Iain, I doubt that any recognizable product appearing in any motion picture these days is anything but product placement. No director would risk legal action by using something recognizable without permission; and if your script calls for whisky, or beer, or anything else, why not use the product of someone who's willing to pony up for the privilege? It is a rampant and somewhat disturbing phenomenon--welcome to the 21st century. I suspect it is part of the zeitgeist that has pretty much kept me out of movie theaters for some years now.

[jimidrammer]

The movie Spy Game with Robert Redford, he's drinking Glenlivet 21 Archive, I think, gulping in a tumbler to boot. He also tells Brad Pitt to never drink Scotch less than 12 yo as part of his spy training. What is it with Glenlivet anyway, I can see a CIA agents salary affording much better drams.

[Deactivated Member]

A fat salary does not automatically confer good taste. Call it the Trump Rule.

[Iain]

Here's an on-line list for those who're interested (blends as well as malts):

http://www.wind.dk/film.whisky.html

[Deactivated Member]

He also tells Brad Pitt to never drink Scotch less than 12 yo as part of his spy training.

The first rule of spy training is to never do anything that might draw attention to oneself. Therefore, I suspect they would drink whatever other people seemed to be drinking - which would seldom be a malt of over 12 years' age.

[Wendy]

In, Anchorman, the main character Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), who does not have an ounce of spy quality character to behold and does everything to draw attention to himself, drinks Glenlivet throughout the movie. In one scene, he orders, "Glenlivet, three fingers and pepper" and in another when asked what he loves most in the world, scotch is noted as one of his top three things.

Cheers,
Wendy

[Deactivated Member]

Ouch. The mass media vision of a Scotch lover....

[Wendy]

EXACTLY, Mr. TH...to ease our pain, lets just think of him as the Scotch Guzzler...

[ppz]

I know it's not a movie, but I'll say this one anyway: in episode 175 (season eight) of TV sitcom Frasier, Roz (Frasier's radio producer), comes to his flat with a "grown up problem" and she needs a drink. She proceeds to the kitchen and pours herself a whole tumbler of Glenfarclas 25, which, as Frasier ironically observes, is a wise choice compared to a less expensive 12-year old. After he calms her down she pours almost the entire glass of it down the kitchen sink

[Lawrence]

I spotted J&B in Scarface last night and an M16A1 with grenade launcher which was introduced "as my little friend", very amusing.

[Deactivated Member]

In the fabulous film "Local Hero", Gordon pours Mac a measure of what he professes to be a "42 yo malt". He unscewed the cap and delivered the dram.
Now was this a canny Scot hoodwinking a suseptible American or is there something we should be told? Shurey shome mishtake!

[Spirit of Islay]

Hi ppz ,
Seeing your in the UK have you tried Malt spotting on Emmerdale ?
Not only is there a good selection on view in the Woolpack , there's a great selection on offer in the Village store (i've often remarked to my wife that there seems to be a brand battle going on to see who can get to the front , Glenmo/Ardbeg seem to do well ! ) i wish my village store was like that and you get the occasional glimpse in peoples houses of the good old SMSW !
For those of you who don't know Emmerdale is a Soap Opera set in the Yorkshire Dales on UK ITV channel . I wonder if the local Retailers have anything to do with it ?
We seem to do well on UK tv for malt spotting , Dalziel from Dalziel and Pascoe seems to like a wee drop especially Highland Park ......

Slainté

[Deactivated Member]

Crieftain, my all-time favorite movie, and that's the mythical MacAskill 42. Later in the film, Mac asks Roddy for a 42 at the ceilidh, and Roddy replies, "We've none of that here tonight, Mr Mac." "I'll have three tens and a twelve, then," answers Mac (or words to that effect). "Oh, ay, that adds up."

Embarrassingly, I could go on for hours quoting that movie. When I was having dinner and drams at the late lamented Mariners Hotel in Bowmore, I punctuated a discussion of northern lights with "It's red all over! It's red all over!", breaking up the couple who were running the hotel, who'd been inspired by the film to move to Scotland.

I'll have to have a look for the screwtop. Alas, I loaned my DVD to someone and haven't got it back yet.

I've seen Emmerdale a few times. I've traveled all around the Dales, and if Emmerdale existed, I'm glad I missed it (great malt choices notwithstanding). Give me All Creatures Great And Small any day.

[Lawrence]

Tattieheid, it's a great movie, poor Mac, all lonely back in Houston with his shells and no drams..........

[Aidan]

Brosnan drinks Tallisker in one Bond film, I think.

In the film about Jim Morrison by Oliver Stone, he's guzzeling Bushmills all the time.

[Deactivated Member]

Tattieheid, it's a great movie, poor Mac, all lonely back in Houston with his shells and no drams..........

A friend of mine and I used to sit around trying to plot an imaginary sequel. We felt quite sure that Mac would end up being a big wheel at the Felix Happer Sky & Sea Institute. Just as well there was never a sequel; such things are best left to the imagination.

[Mr Fjeld]

Does anyone know which one of the series of "All Creatures Great And Small" is the best. I looked it up on Amazon and it specifies several years and series.....

Skål!
Christian

[Deactivated Member]

I can't say I can answer your question specifically, Christian, but why not start at the beginning? I believe generally that the earlier ones are better than the later ones, anyway. For one thing, Herriot's "first" wife was much better than the second.

Edit: misspelling.

[Mr Fjeld]

Thanks for the advice Mr T! I'm going to order "Whisky Galore", "Local Hero (after reading about it here) and possiby also "All Creatures Great And Small". I do have a problem with my priorities right now as the new 3D and Quarter Cask just became available.....

Skål!
Christian

[lambda]

Sounds like an easy choice Mr Fjeld

I just watched Miranda. Christina Ricci sits in her hotelroom alone with next to her a small bottle of macallan (12 I think). She drinks it with milk (or cream?) though...

[jimidrammer]

Poured myself the first dram of the evening, an Oban 14, and popped in a DVD with Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman,"Kiss The Girls" and what did I see on the coffee table of the first crime scene? The back label of a half empty bottle of.. you guessed it, Oban 14. I paused and grabbed my bottle to verify. How's that for coincidence?

[Mr Fjeld]

Sounds like an easy choice Mr Fjeld

Your suggestions on what to do was spot on! I'm now the proud owner of 3D Moine Mhor and Quarter Cask

Skål!
Christian

[patrick dicaprio]

Just the other night I rented the easily forgettable movie Constantine staring actor Keanu Reeves (Matrix). So I am watching the scene where the heroine tracks down our hero to his apartment. He is drinking the last of a bottle of red wine when she nocks. He invites her in and then goes and grabs another bottle (which he doesn't offer to her by the way).

It is a bottle of Ardbeg TEN !!!
What is even more amusing (then how dorky it was of me to notice) is that the liquid that he pours is WAY too dark to be Ardbeg (our ever so pale Isla malt). Yet, the label is unmistakable.

I will leave you with another sighting.
In the movie 28 Days Later our group of heroes stop at an abandoned grocery store to search for food. While there the character played by the Irish actor Brendan Gleeson gives a little lesson on picking out Whisky. The movie never shows the bottle, but you do see him pick up several dark green boxes with the delightful gold-lion-crest symbol of Lagavulin on its top.

Any other random sighting you care to share?

(I in no way encourage people to see these movies. But if you must, at least enjoy these minuscule details as only the whisky obsessed can)

Nock

i just saw 28 days later and was going to mention the lagavulin bottle and now i see your post!!! it should be noted that the character gave it a good review

Pat

[Iain]

I'm convinced I heard Meg Ryan's character ask for a Chivas and milk in some movie playing on tv late one night.

Or was I just nightmare-ing?