Chris Hemsworth buys into Archie Rose as the distillery heads for America
Archie Rose has landed the biggest name yet to attach itself to Australian whisky. Chris Hemsworth – Thor, to most of the world – has joined the Sydney distillery as co-owner alongside founder Will Edwards, and will act as the global face of the brand as it launches in the United States for the first time in late 2026.
The timing is no accident. Hemsworth's buy-in comes stapled to a full international push: three whiskies co-created with the actor will launch across Asia and New Zealand later this year, with the EU and UK to follow in 2027. Notably, Australian availability of those co-created releases has not been announced – the whole play is aimed outward. Hemsworth called the distillery "a brilliant example of what Australia does best".
Archie Rose, founded in 2014 and billing itself as Australia's largest whisky producer, brings genuine credentials to the pitch – the company cites more than 450 global awards, including World's Best Rye Whisky twice – along with a fresh B Corp certification, gained in June. Celebrity capital has transformed tequila and gin before now. This is the most serious attempt yet to do the same for Australian whisky.
