Basic Info

James Thornett is an original gentleman adventurer. From the war zones of the Middle East with his elite British paratrooper unit, to the jungles of Central America and West Africa, James has sought adventure and excitement in them all. It was his love for whiskey and a desire to capture the tastes of his adventures that led to the creation of Buckshee. He wanted his whiskey to represent three core values — quality, spirit of adventure and a little mischief thrown in the mix. These values attracted leading liquor industry figures, JP Fetherston (US mixologist of the year), Xavier Padovani (partner in Experimental Cocktail Group) and Steven Grasse (Creator of Hendricks Gin and Sailor Jerry Rum), to create a whiskey that evokes many of the adventure-filled locales that have filled the pages of James’ passport and brought a lucky few to the Baghdad Country Club — the inspiration for Buckshee. Buckshee—Derived from the Arabic work Bak-sheesh meaning a small tip or bribe. It was adapted by the colonial soldiers after the first world war to mean a free drink. It was a term used commonly by James and the guys in his Unit but ideally reflected the brand and attitude of the bourbon and rye he created.