Say what you will about the quality of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s movies post-Bloodsport, but you can’t deny the man is a workaholic. Over an expansive 40-year career in both the martial and dramatic arts, JCVD has cemented his place at the tippy top of the action movie podium, shoulder to shoulder with greats like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Much like his contemporaries, “The Muscles from Brussels” is no stranger to diversifying his investment portfolio, with this week marking the official launch of the inaugural Jean-Claude Van Damme whiskey, Old Oak.
Described as a “tribute to the beauty of nature and the grace of time”, Old Oak is a triple-distilled Irish Whiskey, similar to those produced by established players such as Jameson and even Conor McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve. At present, the brand boasts two core products: a three-year-old aged Irish whiskey and a Jamaican rum cask-aged release, both of which are available for pre-order. It’s certainly an interesting move for the 63-year-old screen legend, but it must be said that JCVD’s move to the spirits business is hardly unfounded.
Over the years, we’ve seen countless celebrities get involved in the liquor trade, from big-drinking wrestlers like The Rock and rappers such as Post Malone, all the way through to Kendall Jenner, who judging by her initial 818 tasting video, knows as much about alcohol as she does about cucumbers. According to Old Oak co-founder Kevin Carson, however, Jean-Claude Van Damme is more than simply a face to attach to the brand.
“Jean-Claude embodies the very essence of our brand with his unwavering strength, exceptional character, and unparalleled precision,” said Carson in a statement upon Old Oak’s launch. “His relentless pursuit of perfection and attention to detail make him the quintessential representation of our brand.”
By all accounts, Van Damme has been eyeing the spirits game for a while now, initially putting the feelers out there for a bourbon line. As The Spirits Business’ Melita Kiely explained, however, friends convinced him to ‘go back to the roots of whiskey and find an Irish whiskey’ to invest in. The Street Fighter star reportedly got in contact with Carson and business partner Ian Rowlands for a tasting and the rest, as they say, is history.
“I was looking for my own brand of whiskey, possibly an American Bourbon, and then one of my close friends and business associates asked: ‘Why an American whiskey when you can go back to the roots of whiskey and find an Irish whiskey?” Van Damme said. “He then introduced me to the Old Oak whiskey label, which had yet to be launched and had been put together by some whiskey aficionados in Ireland. It was also the perfect opportunity to combine two things with which I feel a close connection – whiskey and its rich heritage and the charisma and warmth of Ireland and its people.”
JCVD’s sentiments certainly ring true of the brand, which is named for Derry County in Northern Ireland. The word ‘Derry’ is reportedly an Anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic word ‘doire’, which means ‘oak wood’, a core component of the brand’s DNA.
Old Oak says that its whiskey is sourced from “carefully selected” stock and finished in a craft distillery just outside Belfast. The unique setting grants the distillers access to what is believed to be “some of the purest water in Ireland”, sourced straight from a 400-foot deep well located on-site at the distillery.
The global launch of Old Oak will see Jean-Claude Van Damme’s whiskey available in core markets around the UK and USA, however, there is no word yet on when it will be roundhouse kicking its way onto Australian shelves.
