Outlander's Heughan Looking for Unique Opportunities

is The clan Lands Almanac. He is engaging in fun. If you watch he and a fellow actor roam around Scotland men and kilts. He's got some upcoming movies, a Sony film text for you. That's that next year. He's also got an award winning whiskey, the Sassanac. I've tasted it. It's in the studio. It's really really good. He's also charitable. He's my Peak Challenge promotes a healthy lifestyle. They've raised millions for the leukemia and lymphoma charity blood Wise. Um,

and he's here in studio, Sam huan Um. It's so nice to have you here with you. Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you in person. We did something virtually which was a lot of fun. We made a cocktail and wasn't very good at it, but I did get it. All goes down the same way, doesn't it and tastes so great. Job so true. Um, I said that we don't have a lot of people in studio. Our world is slowly coming back. And you said you haven't been in New York in a in a long time.

How did the pandemic impact your world? Yeah, I mean I think, well, firstly, it's amazing to be back, and it's what great office is you have, But also in New York City, it's like it's really a buzzing, it's alive. Um. I haven't been in the US really for the past you know, two years almost, so um, it's so good to be back. But yeah, I mean I think it's obviously impacted everyone, but business wise more than anything, it's delayed a lot of imports and exports, especially without whiskey.

Did it complicate things? Oh? Absolutely? Yeah. I mean I think you've maybe seen the pictures of, you know, the the container ships outside Long Beach. Um, I think it's about forty of them out there at the moment um, things are just really slow, you know, globally, it's it's been tough. You know, we've been challenged with the cork for our stoppers in the bottles, you know, trying to get access to that right, yeah, exactly, or just even getting a container to to transport our whiskey across from

from the UK. So yeah, it's been challenging. What changes did you have to make as a result of these challenges? Did you have to raise prices, did you have to change material or just be patient? I think that's pretty much. Yeah. You know, people were waiting for our next release. We released last year and then this is our biggest release. Um, we wanted it to be out in time p obviously

the holiday season, but um it's finally here. We're actually only delayed a couple of weeks, so we're pretty fortunate. How much fun are you having with this and it's doing and tell us about like taking it around in and introducing it to people. Yeah, so I'm really proud. Obviously self financed, self realized, you know, we designed everything, you know, every every aspect of the finance. You've strapped

it all. Yeah. Yeah, so we haven't any investors we've we've done it all ourselves and um, as I said, yes, our second round, we've we want about seven double gold medals from various awards. I'm just really proud of it. It's my it's my baby. Can you talk about why you bootstrapped it and show not to bring on outside investors? Did you not want to the equity? I think so, you know, I mean, firstly, it is a small, limited

batch release. You know, it's it's hard to get our hands on enough of the products, so we didn't need finance at the first. But then also, um, you know, just to retain to retain the rights, to retain the majority share or control of it. And as I said, it is a passion project, so I really didn't want to give anything away. There may be a time when we do look at find people k looking at the door.

We we yes, we have, We've definitely had conversations and uh, you know, there will be a point where we want to really upscale and and and increase. And I think at that point investment would really help us because it's interesting in the marketplace. Uh you know, it's a crowded marketplace. But when you can create a brand, um that somehow has some interesting distinction to it, and I think this one is safe to say it does also taste good. Um,

you can really move ahead. What's the been the response that you're hearing and as you because you're meeting with people in New York and elsewhere. Yeah, well, so we were now available in I mean, I think about forty states. We're working on the rest of them, and we're working on Canada as well and Europe. Um. It's it's a whiskey that I wanted people to be accessible. Um. You know a lot of people don't haven't tried whiskey, or don't know much about Scotch whiskey. This is a blend.

There wasn't really a premium blend out there that I felt was comparable to like the Asian blends out there, which are really phenomenal. Um, So we wanted to create something like that modern but also you know, with a nod to our heritage. So we've got some great moret whisky in here. Um. And yeah, I think people's reaction has been really really positive. Sam human still with us, of course of Outlander fame, and we're going to continue

a conversation in just a moment. But we did want to talk to you a little bit about what's it like on the set, because it looks like you guys have just an incredible group of people. It is. Yeah, we've been obviously on the show now almost I think about eight years where in our sixth season is about to come out, um, and it really it's where this sort of real core ensemble of our terms and um,

it's it's been good. I mean this was the hardest year definitely, you know, with with obviously COVID situation, but also we were shooting in winter. Um it was tough. I mean it was it was really difficult. But um, a really strong season and I think that's what brings you, gets you through something like that. You know, your your sort of friendship and your bonds and with the crew

as well. You know, it's like one big family. What are the COVID protocols and how is it different this season then it was in previous seasons before we were talking about COVID each and every day. Yeah, you know we So I worked on a movie as well during COVID, UM movie called Text for You. Um. Also, Men and Kilts shows were one of the first shows to shoot

in the UK with the COVID protocols. Um for outlined it was difficult, different and difficult because it's such a big show, you know, we have so many extras were out out in Scotland, so it did delay us by a number of months. But um, the protocols, you know, everyone was tested every day. We actually had a testing center in the production offices which was amazing. They could do aud test, so you get tested every morning. We had bubbles. M you did have bubbles, right, this is

what we heard from when we were talking. A stuff came back so basically different. Uh, depending on sort of your your level of what your function is in on set, you would then be allocated a certain bubble. What I really want to know when you drink whiskey on on the set, are you drinking real whiskey? Um? Absolutely, of course all the time. Wait a minute, you and I were talking, we were talking around the table here, um about your brand, ASSASSINAC. So is there more to come?

You expand this? Yeah, you put me on the spot. Yeah, well you know, well absolutely, you know our tagline is unique Spirits. Uh, so we are looking, you know, around the world for you know, unique opportunities and um, really just shining the spotlight on you know, great producers and collaborating with other people. So um. But you know, obviously the whiskey is are is our main party. It's our first spirit and we really want to establish that and

then let that grow as well. Are you going what else? What? I'm just wondering what one last one on the on the spirit in the spirits the industry right now? Oh, I mean there's just you know, I mean the explosion of tequila obviously is really interesting. I've spent a lot of time over in in actually in Tequila Town, which is a really fun place. Um. But you know, even look in the UK, I mean, Gin is really big. It's it's kind of almost overpopulated now. Um. But yeah,

I'm really interested in just like these small producers. I mean, Mescal is just fascinating, you know, and it's hard to for them to upscale. So um, I'd love to go to well Hacker and spend a bit of time there. Um, how long do you think you might hold on to the brand before maybe something you know, we talked about people being interested and we know, um, certainly some of the bigger brands are always looking for um, new players, new entries. Do you think that the the end game

is that ultimately becomes part of somebody's portfolio. Um. I, to be honest, I don't know. It's something and it's obviously very close to my heart. It's quite poured so much to myself into this, so I want to retain it. Um. But who knows in the future where that could go. So let's talk about some of the other projects that you're working on. UM. What is it like to either have a director reach out to your producer? Is it virtual still or is things getting back to normal? Yeah?

It is, Uh, it is still kind of virtual. UM. I just shot a TV show in the UK called Suspect and that was old predominantly. You know. The reto was done by our you know via zoom goals. UM, which is it is quite challenging, but it's great. You know, we're getting we're getting back on the feet that the movie TV industry is really really flourishing at the moment, is really busy. It is really busy. We're seeing certainly in and around New York too. I mean, is it

the best time to be a creative right now? You not only have streaming services just duking it out for content for talent, but you also have established companies looking to get into streaming by creating more content. I mean, we are so hungry for content. Yeah, we are, and I think myself, I'm already pitching something at the moment, and it has been mostly to streamers because that's that's where who have the money and who were making things.

But I mean it's also good to see that the movie industry and people going back to the movies, you know, and Bond recently. It was fantastic and I mean like in the theater, just that shared experience which I think was something which we all miss as well. And I think hopefully, you know, also it will also have a life and we'll get people back back into the movie theaters. So, um, Atlanta, what can we expect in the season. Yeah, it's back, um early next to the long dry spell it has,

it has, it's a it's a different season. It's only eight episodes, however, the episodes are longer. The first episode of things an hour and a half. Um, it's a dare I say, it's Atlanta. So it's quite a dark season. There's a lot going on. Um, but I'm really I'm really excited the first episode especially, it's it's pretty strong.

It's one of the interesting things I think that you guys did, And we've had a lot of conversations about how you all come together really portray reality, like you don't hide some of the difficult things that go on, whether it's in a relay ship or just certainly the history that was out there. And and that's pretty impressive in terms of showing it and not kind of sugarcoating things. Yeah,

I think it comes down to Diana Gablon's books. You know, I think they're you know, they can be pretty gritty in places. Um, so that's part of it. But I think also the show has tried not to shy away from certain subjects and it can put us in a sticky situation. But I think we're you know, we really do go into, you know, trying to portray whether it's a victim of trauma or culture. For instance, the Native Americans, which we have play a large part in in our season.

This season plays into so much kind of the world at large. If you think about the last couple of years, whether it's the pandemic or whether it's George Floyd like things that have been in our society for such a long time, but you guys really kind of deal with that intiguing. Yeah, but it was also showing America in its infancy, which is really interesting. I didn't know a lot of this, you know, how this will happened and you know the British influence and um, it's it's fascinating.

So it's it's just interesting that we're shooting, you know, for in Scotland for America, which is kind of crazy. It is pretty cool. So, UM, my peak challenge. Talk to us about that because you do a lot unsocial about that and you really encourage people to challenge themselves in a lot of different ways. And it could be physical or fitness, or it could be playing the guitar, gardening or whatever. Right, yeah, I'm still going to play the guitar myself. Get it any better? But no, it is.

It's basically an online fitness program, but whilst helping yourself, you're also helping out this fift of all the profits go to charity. We raised just under six million dollars now for our chosen charities. Um. And it's just to be honest, it's it's our peakers as we call them, Um. They are so inspiring. They they have lost weight, they've

made friends, they've found confidence, they found mobility. Um, they share you know, their their their challenges and and it really is an amazing sort of support network that we have. Hey help us understand how you think about compartmentalizing different parts of your life and just from a productivity perspective, when Carol was during your intro, you know, it was like the longest like you know, with a lot of because you've done a lot of stuff, and you do a lot of stuff, and you do a lot of

stuff at the same time. How do you compartmentalize it? What do you work on when? How do you keep productive? I don't know, I don't know how it happens, but I mean i'm I think I'm like that. I think I just wanted to. I can't really sit still, Like if I have time off, I do like to to challenge myself. And UM, I have a brilliant business partner. I think that's pretty much with a great team. You know, we have an office in Los Angeles and UM, I think we have about seven members of stuff now and

we're still expanding. So UM it's that's important. A good team. How many times do you say no to things that? And I do wonder if, like you, you know Atlander Assassinak Whiskey, like there's this wonderful kind of continuity in terms of things. Um, do you think about that when you're choosing what you want to work on? Yeah? Absolutely, I think it's important to say no, and I'm not very good at it. Um, it's all stay together no,

but it's uh, it is. It's just as important as things that you say yes to of course, so m yeah, there's there's also a lot of community is not only in the business side, but also career wise as well. You know, I only have a short space of time when I'm not working on Outlanders, so the projects I choose have to be have to be the right ones. All right, We're gonna have to leave it there, unfortunately. Thank you so much for having me a real pleasure

and we see you guys. Yeah, great to see you, and we look forward to hearing more and following you in the future.