Gillan’s starring role as whisky muse – Daily Business Magazine

Creative director Angela D’Orazio with Karen Gillan and the new label

Scottish actress Karen Gillan has appeared in a number of Hollywood blockbusters and now she is playing a different kind of starring role as the face of a limited edition whisky.

Hedonism, the world’s first blended grain Scotch whisky, made more history when it launched in 2000 as the first to place a woman at the centre of its label.

It went one step further in 2023 when it became a limited annual release, and Compass Box began working with a different female artist each year to reimagine the original Hedonism woman in her own eyes.

The tradition continues now with Gillan who is the muse for internationally renowned artist Emma Hack, best known for her work on Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know – one of the most viewed music videos of all time.

The Scottish actor and filmmaker known for her roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers and Jumanji was born in Inverness.

“To be considered a muse for this whisky and to be a part of its story is deeply personal to me. Sharing whisky and stories are some of the best times of my life. There’s no wilder sensation than seeing yourself on a whisky bottle,” she says.

The artwork by Emma Hack

Acclaimed artist Emma Hack, celebrated for her striking fusion of body art, collage, and photography, has reimagined the original Hedonism woman through a contemporary, layered lens and with Gillan at the centre, the artwork celebrates grace, strength, and individuality.

Hack says, “Hedonism means to me the power, the beauty, the goddess, the strength within, and that’s what I really wanted to capture.”

For the 2026 edition of Hedonism, Compass Box’s creative director of whiskymaking, Angela D’Orazio, included a 30-year-old from Strathclyde Distillery and whiskies ranging from 20 to 24 years old from Port Dundas and Cameronbridge Distillery, alongside some historic blended grain parcels. In addition, a new sherry component contributes notes of cherry and raisins.

D’Orazio said: “Working with Emma and Karen to bring the label to life was a fantastic experience – seeing the different forms of artistry blending together and our whiskymaking process mirroring art. Karen as our Muse truly is the Hedonism woman brought to life.”

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