Hollywood star Hemsworth makes a spirited move

Actor and film producer Chris Hemsworth is now a co-owner of leading Australian spirits producer Archie Rose.

The former Home and Away and Thor actor has joined Archie Rose founder Will Edwards and his family with a shared ambition to take Australian whisky to the world.

Later this year, Archie Rose will launch three bespoke whiskies co-created with Hemsworth and made using 100% Australian-grown malts.

The range will launch nationally and, for the first time, in the United States, followed by Asia and New Zealand, before expanding into the UK and Europe in 2027.

As the largest independent distillery in the southern hemisphere, multiple award winner Archie Rose is aiming to put Australian whisky firmly on the global stage.

Founded in Sydney in 2014, Archie Rose has built an international reputation and Hemsworth has been a long-time admirer of the brand.

"I’ve been a fan of Archie Rose for a long time,” the Melbourne-born actor says.

“Wherever I am in the world, tasting an Archie Rose whisky immediately transports me right back home, to that feeling of sitting around a campfire in the Australian bush with my mates.

"Their ethos of only using Australian grown malts to produce flavour packed whiskies at their Sydney distillery is truly awesome. They’re a brilliant example of what Australia does best and I can’t wait to share that with the world.”

Edwards is delighted by the new investor.

"Our approach has always been about championing local ingredients to create spirits that taste truly Australian," he says.

"Having Chris join the business as a co-owner allows us to bring that ambition to the world. We aren't just making spirits; we are using Australia’s raw materials and ingenuity as the base for producing the world’s best whisky, gin and other spirits, telling the stories of the growers and the land beneath them."

For more info see archierose.com.au

Respected New Zealand wine producer dies

Actor and vigneron Sam Neill has died, his family has confirmed.

“It is with immense sadness that the whanua (family) of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia,” they posted on social media.

Northern Ireland-born, New Zealand-based Neill, the star of multiple films including My Brilliant Career and Jurassic Park, was 78.

“The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care,” the family statement said.

“More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”

Neill was diagnosed with blood cancer in March 2022, but recovered.

 

Neill was highly respected in the wine industry, having owned and operated his own pinot noir-focused vineyard Two Paddocks in Central Otago for over three decades.

“We started in 1993 with modest ambitions and first planted five acres of pinot noir at our original little vineyard at Gibbston, Central Otago in the deep south of New Zealand,” Neill said on the winery website, which makes no mention of his career as actor. He was serious about wine. 

“I wanted to produce a good pinot noir that would, at the very least, be enjoyed by my family and friends,” he said.

Two Paddocks now consists of four small certified organic vineyards and produces between 3,000-5,000 cases depending on the vintage.