Top ‘Fictional’ Scotch whisky brands on TV and Films

From probably the most famous fictional scotch whisky brand, Glencallan, to others such as Glengoolie scotch whisky from the FX TV series ‘Archer’, these are just some of the many fake brands that have appeared on screen over the years. On Movies and TV shows they tend to be usually difficult to spot and generally only the region or the age is highlighted without mentioning a brand…here is a sample of the top fictional brands found – I started by using the Scotch Cinema blog as the original source of material (its founder, Curtis MacEachern, has been logging every dram appearance since 2011) and since then I have continued to add new fake brands or appearances….if you see any out there, please contact me!

‘The term for the use of a fake product in the film industry is “Greek”. For example, a company will Greek a box of cereal so that they don’t feature a real brand in the scene, thus avoiding royalty disputes or the impression that they are promoting a particular product.’ Curtis MacEachern

FULL LIST OF FICTIONAL WHISKIES ON TV AND FILMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1. Aldebaran whisky
2. Auchembray scotch whisky
3. Balmoor scotch whisky
4. Black Pony scotch whisky
5. Clyburn scotch whisky
6. (Premium) Darkly Machiever scotch whisky
7. Ehrich Single Malt Scotch whisky
8. Galglennie Irish whiskey
9. Gladstone Single Malt Scotch
10. Glenbarney Malt Scotch Whisky Single Barrel
11. Glencallan scotch whisky
12. Glen Dochart scotch whisky
13. Glen Edmonds scotch whisky
14. Glen Eyre Scotch Whisky
15. Glengoolie Scotch whisky
16. Glenholme Single Malt Scotch whisky
17. GlenKnolls scotch whisky
18. Glen McKenna scotch whisky
19. Glen Nairn Single Malt Scotch whisky
20. Glenvagulin scotch whisky
21. (Ron Burgundy’s) Gret Odin’s Raven blended scotch whisky
22. Gullstrand Single Malt Scotch whisky
23. Haas Bourbon Whiskey 8yo
24. Halpenny Premium Malt Whiskey
25. Hennigan’s scotch whisky
26. Hoblers whiskey
27. Invergowrie Blended Scotch whisky
28. J. Darby scotch whisky
29. MacAskill Single Malt scotch whisky
30. MacCutcheon scotch whisky
31. MacFarland’s Single Malt scotch whisky
32. Macweldon Scotch whisky
33. Mantia scotch whisky
34. McCleary scotch whisky
35. McGlenton’s Scotch Whisky
36. McMurray Distillery Single Malt Scotch whisky
37. Meudachd Scotch Whisky
38. O’Gorman’s Irish whiskey
39. O’Harren’s Scotch whisky
40. Old Elk whiskey
41. O’Melveny’s Irish Whiskey
42. SG Ceres Whiskey
43. Stafford Twin Wood scotch whisky
44. Swaford Single Malt Whisky
45. Taylor & Scott whisky
46. The Glen Edinburgh Single Malt scotch whisky
47. The Makallan 12yo scotch whisky
48. The Makalaxx 12yo scotch whisky

Images have been added below when spotted on TV and Films (in no specific order):

Ehrich 18yo Single Malt Scotch whisky (TV: The Mentalist)

Glen Nairn Single Malt Scotch whisky (Film: Glenrothan)

Macweldon Scotch whisky (TV: The Simpsons)

On episode 8 of season 35 of The Simpsons we find out that Groundskeeper Willie used to sniff out (and cut) peat bogs for making Scotch whisky at the fictitious Macweldon Distillery in Scotland.

Haas Bourbon Whiskey 8yo (Game streamed on YouTube: Dispatch)

McMurray Distillery Single Malt Scotch whisky (Film: Made of Honor) – thanks Mau for this one!

Auchembray Scotch whisky (TV: House of Cards)

Meudachd Scotch Whisky (TV: Joe Pickett)

Aldebaran whisky (TV: Star Trek)

Swaford Single Malt Whisky (TV: Star Trek Picard; MacGyver)

Gladstone Single Malt Scotch Whisky (TV: Bodies)

Glenbarney Malt Scotch Whisky Single Barrel (TV: Mythic Quest ‘Peter’ episode)

Glenvagulin Scotch whisky (Film: 10 Cloverfield Lane)

Gullstrand 25yo Single Malt Scotch whisky (TV: NCIS)

The Glen Edinburgh Single Malt scotch whisky (TV: Ghost Whisperer)

Old Elk whiskey (Film: His Dark Materials)

Glen Edmonds scotch whisky (Film: Boss Level)

Glencallan scotch whisky (TV series: Chicago P.D.; Sons of Anarchy; Burn Notice; Nip/ Tuck; Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Community; Heart of Dixie; Grey’s Anatomy; Breakout Kings; The Mindy Project; Space Force; High Potential)

“We’re trained to see brands, so when you don’t it’s almost jarring, but the network won’t use a brand if it interferes with an advertising deal they have or if it’s not used for its intended use. So instead of covering it with tape or running into a legal nightmare, we create these brands that are fictional.” Michael Bertolina, ISS’s former vice president of Entertainment Marketing and Acquisition

Balmoor scotch whisky (TV series: Chicago Med; The Grinder; Lipstick Jungle; The Defenders, Boston Legal, The Originals; Cloak & Dagger; Film: Scary Movie)

Glen McKenna scotch whisky (TV: How I Met Your Mother/ HIMYM)

This fictional scotch whisky has appeared a number of times on HIMYM – click here for more info if interested.

Invergowrie Blended Scotch whisky (TV: Anne Rice’s Talamasca)

Clyburn scotch whisky (Film: The Dark Knight; Rock of Ages; The Place beyond the Pines/ TV: HIMYM)

Ron Burgundy’s Gret Odin’s Raven blended scotch whisky (Film: Anchorman)

“I love Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch. Here it goes down. Down into my belly.” – Ron Burgundy

Note that this originally ‘fictional’ whisky in the first Anchorman film, was actually released in time for the sequel Anchorman 2, and is now available to purchase.  It’s apparently a classy blend, featuring grain and malt whiskies from the Highlands, Speyside and Islay – click here.

Premium Darkly Machiever scotch whisky (Film: I, Robot)

The Makallan 12yo scotch whisky (TV: South Park)

The Makalaxx 12yo scotch whisky (TV: South Park)

McCleary scotch whisky (Film: Pulp Fiction, Barfly)

Glen Dochart scotch whisky (TV: Blacklist)

GlenKnolls scotch whisky (TV: Scandal; Modern Family; The People vs. OJ Simpson)

“This particular sighting marks the fourth appearance of mystery malt known as GlenKnolls. It has appeared in an episode of “The People V. O.J. Simpson” as well as two episodes of “Modern Family“. In each scene the label on the actual bottle itself is barely visible but after enlarging a few screenshots it no longer completely indecipherable.”Curtis MacEachern, Scotch Cinema blog

MacCutcheon scotch whisky (TV: Lost, Once Upon a Time)

This fictional scotch whisky brand appears numerous times during Lost – click here for more information.

Stafford Twin Wood scotch whisky (TV: Ray Donovan; Californication; MONK; How I Met Your Mother; Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

J. Darby scotch whisky (TV: Lost; Life; NCIS; Film: Ava)

Hennigan’s scotch whisky (TV: Seinfeld)

To Jerry and Kramer, Hennigan’s has the advantage, unlike other brands of Scotch, of not leaving the imbiber smelling of alcohol.

“That’s right, folks. I just had three shots of Hennigan’s, and I don’t smell. Imagine, you can walk around drunk all day. That’s Hennigan’s, the no-smell, no-tell Scotch.”

“Say you got a big job interview and you’re a little nervous. Well, throw back a couple of shots of Hennigan’s, and you’ll be as loose as a goose and ready to roll in no time. And because it’s odorless, why, it’ll be our little secret.” (singing) “H, E, double-N, I…” Kramer

Hoblers (Film: Subservience)

Mantia scotch whisky (TV: Westworld)

MacAskill Single Malt scotch whisky (Film: Local Hero)

MacFarland’s Single Malt scotch whisky (Film: Doctor Sleep)

O’Harren’s Scotch whisky (TV: Daredevil)

Glenholme Single Malt Scotch whisky (TV: Vegas; Blindspot)

Halpenny Premium Malt Whiskey (TV: The Expanse)

The bottle used as the prop bottle for Halpenny Whiskey is actually the bottle for Khortytsa Vodka.

Glen Eyre Scotch Whisky (TV: The Expanse)

The bottle used as the prop bottle for Glen Eyre Scotch is actually the bottle for St. Germain elderflower liqueur.

McGlenton’s Scotch Whisky (TV: The Expanse)

The bottle used as the prop bottle for McGlenton’s Scotch whisky is actually the bottle for Zirkova Together Vodka.

SG Ceres Whiskey (TV: The Expanse)

The bottle used as the prop bottle for SG Ceres Whiskey is The Square stainless steel bottle by Clean Bottle.

Taylor & Scott whisky (TV: Anne Rice’s Talamasca)

Galglennie Irish whiskey (TV: Peaky Blinders)

This is another fictional whiskey brand and although not a Scotch whisky, I thought it would be worth adding it to the list.

O’Gorman’s Irish whiskey (TV: Ted Lasso)

O’Melveny’s Irish Whiskey (TV: Daredevil)

Black Pony Scotch whisky (Film: murder mystery ‘Laura’ from 1944)

House of Lords (Film: Bride of Frankenstein)

The Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American sci-fi horror film and this House of Lords scotch whisky can be seen on the footage. W Whiteley & Company Ltd used to produce a House of Lords blended scotch whisky and also owned Edradour Distillery in Scotland from 1933 (they also had another blended Scotch whisky brand called King’s Ransom). The House of Lords scotch whisky stopped being produced in 1966 even though it had only been available in export markets, due to protests at its naming by the upper house of the British parliament. Therefore, I have included this footage as it could be a fictional or a ‘real life’ brand created under a name which its producer did not have the authority to use. One to be investigated further…

The one with no name….a fictional independent bottler of Scotch whisky (TV series: Annika – series 2)

For reference – Inside the Cask blog post ‘Whisky in Comics‘

For reference – Inside the Cask blog post ‘Do you recognise these ‘Fictional’ Drinks brands from Hollywood films and TV?’

FULL LIST OF FICTIONAL WHISKIES ON TV AND FILMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1. Aldebaran whisky
2. Auchembray scotch whisky
3. Balmoor scotch whisky
4. Black Pony scotch whisky
5. Clyburn scotch whisky
6. (Premium) Darkly Machiever scotch whisky
7. Ehrich Single Malt Scotch whisky
8. Galglennie Irish whiskey
9. Gladstone Single Malt Scotch
10. Glenbarney Malt Scotch Whisky Single Barrel
11. Glencallan scotch whisky
12. Glen Dochart scotch whisky
13. Glen Edmonds scotch whisky
14. Glen Eyre Scotch Whisky
15. Glengoolie Scotch whisky
16. Glenholme Single Malt Scotch whisky
17. GlenKnolls scotch whisky
18. Glen McKenna scotch whisky
19. Glen Nairn Single Malt Scotch whisky
20. Glenvagulin scotch whisky
21. (Ron Burgundy’s) Gret Odin’s Raven blended scotch whisky
22. Gullstrand Single Malt Scotch whisky
23. Haas Bourbon Whiskey 8yo
24. Halpenny Premium Malt Whiskey
25. Hennigan’s scotch whisky
26. Hoblers whiskey
27. Invergowrie Blended Scotch whisky
28. J. Darby scotch whisky
29. MacAskill Single Malt scotch whisky
30. MacCutcheon scotch whisky
31. MacFarland’s Single Malt scotch whisky
32. Macweldon Scotch whisky
33. Mantia scotch whisky
34. McCleary scotch whisky
35. McGlenton’s Scotch Whisky
36. McMurray Distillery Single Malt Scotch whisky
37. Meudachd Scotch Whisky
38. O’Gorman’s Irish whiskey
39. O’Harren’s Scotch whisky
40. Old Elk whiskey
41. O’Melveny’s Irish Whiskey
42. SG Ceres Whiskey
43. Stafford Twin Wood scotch whisky
44. Swaford Single Malt Whisky
45. Taylor & Scott whisky
46. The Glen Edinburgh Single Malt scotch whisky
47. The Makallan 12yo scotch whisky
48. The Makalaxx 12yo scotch whisky