Opportunistic Irish whiskey producer Bernard Walsh is making celebrated film director Martin Scorsese an offer he can’t refuse – and it’s sealed in a wooden casket.
Walsh has been producing the whiskey brand The Irishman since 2007. Meanwhile, Scorsese’s new The Irishman film has its world premiere at the New York Film Festival this Friday (27 September). The movie stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel.
Not only does the whiskey share the same name as the movie, it also shares a similar logo. But Walsh, who has written to Scorsese, says he will not be disputing commercial rights. Instead, in his letter, which is encased in a casket, he offers Scorsese and Netflix a free supply of The Irishman whiskey for all the movie’s premieres, along with a personalised bottle of The Irishman Cask Strength.
The brand owner has also sent 30 personalised bottles of his triple-distilled, 54% ABV whiskey, which retails at US$140 a bottle, to senior members of the cast and production crew. This includes the aforementioned lead actors and Stephen Zaillian, the author of the movie’s screenplay.
Walsh has also produced a short movie of his own as a homage to the movie and his whiskey. It is in the style of the original trailer to announce The Irishman, which Netflix aired during the Oscars ceremony this spring. The short animation features two ‘Wise Guys’ in conversation as one introduces the other to his ‘associates’ – three expressions of The Irishman whiskey: Founder’s Reserve, Single Malt and Cask Strength.
Walsh said: “I have been a fan of Mr Scorsese’s work for many years and I hope that he will also appreciate mine. In addition to our sharing a business name we already have a few other things in common. We both love creating works of intensity, depth and character, accepting awards and having a healthy regard for the critics.”
He added: “It was a major surprise to see my brand on a Hollywood movie trailer, but my view is that the world is a big enough place for us to co-exist together. In fact, in the 50-plus countries where our whiskey is distributed worldwide, people could do a lot worse than pour themselves a dram of The Irishman Founder’s Reserve when they settle down to watch what surely will be an Oscar-winning movie on Netflix in the Fall.
“One thing’s for sure, whether Mr Scorsese decides to accept or refuse my offer, he won’t have to worry about me challenging him to a duel in the Octagon. I am not that kind of Irishman.”
