Archie Rose Adds Chris Hemsworth as Co-Owner, Enters US
Before any whisky gets blended at Archie Rose, each malt type is milled, mashed, fermented, distilled and matured on its own, so every grain gets to show its character first. Now the Sydney distillery is heading to the United States with a very famous new co-owner. Chris Hemsworth, best known for playing Thor, has joined founder Will Edwards as co-owner of Archie Rose Distilling Co., and the brand's whiskies reach US shelves this fall.
Did You Know?
Archie Rose has won more than 450 awards, including World's Best Rye Whisky twice, Australia's Best Single Malt Whisky five times, and World's Best Gin.
Its whiskies are made only with Australian grown malts, including custom rye and barley grown specifically for the distillery.
The distillery became B Corp Certified in June 2026. B Corp is a third-party certification for companies that meet high social and environmental standards.
The Release
This is a story about people and a brand, and there is a new set of bottles attached. Hemsworth joined as co-owner in 2026, and the distillery says it remains privately owned and Australian-run. The size of his stake has not been disclosed. He is also described as the global face of the brand.
Hemsworth has been working with the Archie Rose team on three new whiskies, from branding and packaging to creative assets and campaigns.
According to coverage of the announcement, he has been involved behind the scenes for more than a year, with a focus on design, content and launch plans rather than changing what goes into the bottle. The distillery has not shared names, ages, strengths or prices for the three whiskies in the sources available.
On timing, the editor's information puts the US launch of the three whiskies on 20 October and the Australian launch on 21 October. The wider plan also includes Asia and New Zealand later in 2026, then the EU and UK in 2027.
For the US, Archie Rose has lined up a distribution network anchored by Reyes Beverage Group, one of the country's largest beer and spirits distributors, as its national partner. New York Wine & Spirits covers New York, and Fedway Associates covers New Jersey.
"I've been a fan of Archie Rose for a long time," Hemsworth said in the announcement.
The Story of Archie Rose
Will Edwards founded Archie Rose in Sydney in 2014 with a simple question: why weren't there more distilleries in Australia's cities? He started researching in 2012, visiting New York distilleries and meeting other Australian distillers. He then commissioned Peter Bailly to hand-build three copper pot stills.
The distillery opened in March 2015 as a distillery and bar. Its first releases were Signature Dry Gin, Original Vodka and White Rye. Casks of rye and single malt whisky were laid down early, and the whiskies followed in 2019 and 2020.
Today Archie Rose calls itself Australia's largest whisky producer and its number one independent gin producer, and it makes everything on site.
The distillery is in Botany, Sydney, with a public Bar & Cellar Door in Rosebery. The whisky approach is built on local growers, heirloom and drought resistant grain varieties, and separate handling of each malt type before the components are brought together. The gins use cold distillation, a process designed to preserve the character of the botanicals, along with native Australian botanicals.
Why It Stands Out
Celebrity spirits are nothing new. This one is framed as a hands-on partnership with an independent, award-winning distillery that already has a track record, and Hemsworth's focus on design and storytelling sits on top of an established liquid. Australian whisky is also still a fresh discovery for many US drinkers, so a recognizable face and a national distributor could widen its reach quickly.
The Details
Style: Australian whisky (Archie Rose range, plus three co-created whiskies)
Age/ABV/Proof: Not yet announced for the three new whiskies
Price (SRP): Not yet announced
Release Date: 20 October (US) and 21 October (Australia) for the three whiskies; Asia and New Zealand later in 2026; EU and UK in 2027
US Availability: Archie Rose whiskies arrive in key US markets this fall via Reyes Beverage Group, New York Wine & Spirits and Fedway Associates
More Information: archierose.com.au/en-us
Tonights Poison Take
The most interesting part here is how much of the pitch rests on the liquid: local grain, separate malt handling and a long awards list. Hemsworth's involvement adds attention, and the three co-created whiskies will show what that creative partnership tastes like. If you have not tried Australian whisky yet, this is a good moment to start.
Bar Talk: Archie Rose distils, matures and blends each malt on its own, and now Thor is a co-owner.
Send this to the friend who is always hunting for the next whisky region to try, and tell us in the comments what you hope the three new bottles taste like.
Please enjoy responsibly.
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