Chris Hemsworth joins Archie Rose as Australian distillery sets its sights on the world

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has joined Sydney-based Archie Rose Distilling Co. as co-owner, partnering with founder Will Edwards as the distillery prepares to enter the United States and accelerate its international expansion.

Founded in 2014, Archie Rose has established itself as one of Australia’s leading independent distilleries, producing whisky and other spirits using locally grown grains and native botanicals. The company plans to introduce its whiskies to the US market in late 2026.

Hemsworth, a long-time admirer of the brand, said Archie Rose’s whiskies evoke a strong sense of home. “I’ve been a fan of Archie Rose for a long time,” he said. “Wherever I am in the world, tasting an Archie Rose whisky immediately transports me right back home, to that feeling of sitting around a campfire in the Australian bush with my mates.

“Their ethos of only using Australian-grown malts to produce flavour-packed whiskies at their Sydney distillery is truly awesome. They’re a brilliant example of what Australia does best, and I can’t wait to share that with the world.”

Photo: Chris Hemsworth and Will Edwards

Archie Rose works with local growers to source heirloom and drought-resistant grain varieties for its whiskies, as well as native botanicals for its gins. Its whiskies are made exclusively from Australian-grown malts, including varieties of rye and barley cultivated specifically for the distillery.

This focus on provenance is intended to give each expression a recognisably Australian character. “Our approach has always been about championing local ingredients to create spirits that taste truly Australian,” Edwards said. “Having Chris join the business as a co-owner allows us to bring that ambition to the world. We aren’t just making spirits; we are using Australia’s raw materials and ingenuity as the foundation for producing world-class whisky, gin and other spirits, while telling the stories of the growers and the land behind them.”

At its Sydney distillery, Archie Rose mills, mashes, ferments, distils and matures each malt type separately. The resulting components are then brought together, allowing the individual character of each grain to contribute to the finished whisky.

For its gins, the distillery uses cold distillation to help preserve the character of its botanicals. Archie Rose says its spirits have received more than 450 awards, including two World’s Best Rye Whisky titles, five Australia’s Best Single Malt Whisky awards and a World’s Best Gin accolade.

The distillery was designed with a range of energy-efficiency measures, while its wider sustainability programme includes an emphasis on local sourcing and grain cultivation. Archie Rose achieved B Corp certification in June 2026.

Alongside its US debut, Archie Rose plans to release three whiskies co-created with Hemsworth in late 2026, initially launching across selected Asian markets and New Zealand before reaching the UK and European Union in 2027.

For a distillery founded in Sydney little more than a decade ago, the move from ambitious local producer to a growing presence on the world stage is a significant achievement and marks a proud new chapter for Archie Rose and Australian whisky.