By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
If movies mesmerise the mind, then The Glendronach Whisky-Meets-Film Experience is a masterclass in well-scripted storytelling brought to life. From November 12-14, Palace Cinema Como in South Yarra transforms into a silver screen where celluloid meets single malt, inviting guests to sip, savour and sink into films curated to mirror the character and depth of Scotland’s most celebrated sherried whiskies.
Upon arrival, the lights dim, the velvet seats beckon and a dedicated whisky butler glides in with bespoke cocktails, tailored to the evening’s dram. Before the opening credits roll, guests are guided through a tasting of The Glendronach’s featured single malt alongside a rare release from the Master’s Anthology Series.
It’s a prelude as carefully composed as a film score, setting the tone for what promises to be an evening where indulgence is the plot and luxury the cinematography.
The series opens with ‘The Great Gatsby’ paired with The Glendronach 12-Year-Old. Both are celebrations of indulgence, nostalgia and the art of subtle opulence. The whisky’s notes of chocolate praline, gingerbread and sun-dried raisins echo the decadence of Gatsby’s parties, where Champagne sparkled and secrets glittered behind every corner.
Sipping the 12-Year-Old while watching Leonardo DiCaprio stride across that art-deco canvas is like tasting Fitzgerald’s prose, rich and layered, with each sip a chapter in an evening of glamour.
The following night, ‘Y Tu Mame Tambien’ pairs with the 15-Year-Old expression, a dram matured in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks that mirror the film’s warmth, sensuality and lingering complexity. It’s an intoxicating interplay between maraschino cherry, honeyed fig and dark chocolate mint and Alfonso Cuaron’s sun-soaked narrative of youth, desire and fleeting moments. The pairing is playful yet profound, like catching a favourite line from a novel and discovering it resonates in a new light.
For the finale, ‘The Godfather’ is accompanied by The Glendronach 18-Year-Old, a whisky as commanding and enduring as Coppola’s cinematic magnum opus. Dark, brooding and layered with notes of fudge, fruit compote and toasted walnut, it evokes legacy, patience and artistry honed over generations.
Watching Marlon Brando and Al Pacino navigate power and loyalty while a dram of 18-Year-Old rests in your hand feels like attending a masterclass in craftsmanship, where every sip and scene demands reflection and appreciation.
Even the snacks have been elevated to the level of art. Yarra Valley caviar-topped popcorn adds a gilded flourish to a classic cinema indulgence, while Spanish charcuterie tips a nod to the distillery’s famed sherry casks. Just when you think the night is done, a surprise pour of an unreleased Glendronach whisky valued at $2000 ensures a finale worthy of the silver screen - a plot twist in liquid form.
Curator Zak Hepburn likens pairing film and whisky to more than flavour: it’s about mood, atmosphere and storytelling. "Each Glendronach expression evokes a distinct emotion - bold and brooding, rich and nostalgic - inviting guests to experience cinema and whisky in a completely new way,” he says.
Stuart Reeves, Brand Manager at Brown-Forman, adds: "At The Glendronach, great whisky tells a story. This partnership brings that philosophy to life. It’s not Gold Class; it’s a masterclass in craftsmanship - cinema, served neat.”
Three nights, three films, three whiskies: The Glendronach Whisky-Meets-Film Experience promises a sensory narrative unlike any other. It’s an evening where whisky and film converse in whispers and exclamations, where indulgence is both the main character and the plot twist and where each guest leaves with a story worth retelling.
For cinephiles and whisky lovers alike, it’s a premiere not to be missed and a toast to the timeless art of storytelling - whether in a glass or on screen.
