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The craftsmen and renegades who saved scotch whisky and started a single malt revolution.
Filmed over 2 years in 6 countries across 3 continents, our story is an endearing love letter to the Blood of Scotland, its craftsmen and women, and the country itself. It is a story of rebels and alchemists who, against all odds, managed to breathe life back into a stagnant industry and put it on a path to become the global titan it is today.
Filmed over 2 years in 6 countries across 3 continents, our story is an endearing love letter to the Blood of Scotland, its craftsmen and women, and the country itself. It is a story of rebels and alchemists who, against all odds, managed to breathe life back into a stagnant industry and put it on a path to become the global titan it is today.
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Photo Gallery
1/8
Near to the southwesternmost point of the Hebridean island of Islay. Islay is one of six key whisky regions in Scotland; this small island is now host to 10 distilleries.
Alfonse Palaima
2/8
Director Greg W. Swartz and Director of Photography Brad Kenyon assemble glasses of whisky seen in the opening credits of "The Water of Life - A Whisky Film," in a Glaswegian studio.
Alfonse Palaima
3/8
Executive Producer Brittany Curran demands perfection in both the whisky spirit and the production of "The Water of Life - A Whisky Film itself."
Alfonse Palaima
4/8
Bruichladdich Head Distiller Adam Hannett draws samples of aged whisky directly from the cask as part of his daily routine. Sometimes, dangerous jobs have delicious benefits.
Alfonse Palaima
5/8
Tools of the trade. A cooper's hammer and hoop driver, rest atop a few burn-charred barrel staves at the Glasgow Distillery.
Alfonse Palaima
6/8
Ralfy Mitchell, whisky writer and famed YouTube personality, is interviewed for "The Water of Life - A Whisky Film" at the famed Bon Accord whisky bar in Glasgow.
Alfonse Palaima
7/8
Nolan Verheij records an interview with the whisky legend Jim McEwan in Byron Bay, Australia while he assists the Cape Byron Distillery, a local gin producer, to make whisky for the first time.
Alfonse Palaima
8/8
Jim McEwan noses Ardnahoe's "new make," the core spirit used to make whisky. When perfect, it is stored in wooden barrels for a minimum of 3 years and a day to legally call this whisky "Scotch."
Alfonse Palaima
About the Show
As we researched for the film and met some of the greats of the industry, we discovered a story that grew beyond what we originally thought it would be.
We found a story of rebels and alchemists who, against all odds, managed to breathe life back into a stagnant industry and put it on a path to become the global titan it is today.
In making this film we set out to tell human stories about the world of spirits – to tell stories about the people who dedicate their lives to mastering a craft. These are craftspeople using techniques and traditions that, in some cases, harken back to the Bronze Age and the very advent of distillation. We take you from the ancient floor maltings of Bowmore Distillery to the birth of single malt whisky at the hands of independent bottlers to the dozens of new distilleries popping up across Scotland today.
Film as a format doesn’t allow the viewer to taste the drink, so we must use the tools of cinema to emulate one of the most complex and nuanced sensory experiences known to humankind. With immersive shots, sounds, and stories, we hope to give viewers an experience as visceral as being in Scotland, enjoying these spirits in person.
Filmed over two years in six countries across three continents, our film is an endearing love letter to the Blood of Scotland, its craftsmen and women, and the country itself.
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