BUSHMILLS® IRISH WHISKEY REVEALS THE SECOND CHAPTER OF ITS SINGULAR TALES CAMPAIGN WITH ‘I TO YOU ’- A POEM & SOUNDTRACK BY RISING STAR JAMES MASSIAH
Bushmills® Irish Whiskey, the pioneers of Irish Single Malt, unveils the second chapter of Singular Tales, starring poet and musician James Massiah. The campaign celebrates the stories inherent to Bushmills’ unique, 400 year journey in whiskey craftsmanship and how story telling connects us. Regarded as one of today’s most original voices, Massiah’s poem transports us to the world’s oldest licensed distillery and the surrounding mythical landscape of Giant’s Causeway with an exclusive track providing the audio backdrop. The evocative content is live across social media channels and invites us all to get together over a dram of award – winning whiskey.
Born from a mutual understanding of artistry and craftmanship, James’s new work explores the passing down of rituals through generations, provenance and innovation – all elements which lie at the heart of Bushmills’ own story. In the spirit of reinvention Bushmills builds on the inaugural Singular Tales campaign last year, which starred George The Poet, with James Massiah’s bespoke poem layered with uplifting musical flavours.
In the Singular Tales film, Massiah is shown striding across the spectacular Giant’s Causeway, which straddles the same water and balsalt rock intrinsic to the easy -drinking, smooth complexity of Bushmills whiskeys –and a UNESCO site which is also famously rich in legends. We also meet father and son, Alistair and Chris Kane in action at the Old Bushmills Distillery – they run the unique, third generation in-house cooperage there. Bushmills is firmly rooted in its local community and the sense of family is never stronger than on special days when we celebrate these bonds.
James’s talent as a story teller has resulted in commissions from HRH Prince Charles through to Church’s and Selfridges. His work is anchored in timeless, moving and often witty references to his own experiences in relation to shifting environments and people -realised through the mediums of poetry and music. A creative career is not without its challenges and James has drawn strength from his family relationships, in particular his father, when in need of support and encouragement.
Thanks to its extensive history, Bushmills has an incomparable inventory of around half a million casks, which is now safeguarded by Master Blender, Alex Thomas. Alex takes responsibility for the selection, management and nurturing of Bushmills’ repertoire of casks for its famous Single Malts and the invention of future releases. One of the world’s few female whiskey master blenders, she succeeds Helen Mulholl and who began her long career at the Old Bushmills Distillery almost 30 years ago.
Alex comments: “Singular Tales honours Bushmills’ heritage in story telling, craftmanship and community and we are so excited to have James Massiah be inspired by this and also Ireland’s impressive track record in the written word and performance. He is an original talent seamlessly blending music and poetry to share tales rooted in people, place and creating special memories –truly the perfect partner for our campaign.”
James comments: “I was really trying to communicate a feeling with the poem, drawing on some of my fondest moments with friends and family in away that I hoped people would find engaging and evocative. Speaking with Alex and seeing her passion and knowledge was a huge inspiration and I really wanted to create something that would do justice to her level of belief and commitment. Visiting the Giant’s Causeway, the Old Bushmills Distillery and spending time with the people intrinsic to Bushmills – particularly Alex, was an unforgettable experience for me. We bonded over our shared love of story telling, the journey in the pursuit of excellence and the patience required to channel creativity and hone our crafts. I hope others are encouraged to connect and share their own stories.”
James’s poem ‘I To You’ and the supporting Singular Tales content is now live across social media and encourages us all to come together and share tales over a dram of award – winning whiskey