‘Not Like My Old Oak Irish Whisky’: Jean-Claude Van Damme Takes Swipe At Conor McGregor’s Proper No. 12 Whiskey Mere Days After His Own Brand’s Debut

Jean-Claude Van Damme is apparently not a fan of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey (Photo: ddp images/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

Jean-Claude Van Damme announced the launch of his Irish Whiskey brand this week, Old Oak. The action star known as “Muscles from Brussels” is no stranger to whiskey, and he expressed his opinion on his major celebrity Irish whiskey competition: Proper No. Twelve. the actor had thoughts. The Sun reported Friday that Van Damme is not a fan of MMA Champion Conor McGregor’s brand.

“Proper No Twelve was heavy on my throat when I tried it,” Van Damme said, according to The Sun. “It’s not like my Old Oak Irish Whiskey because that is more, what’s the word… smooth. I like it better that way.”

Van Damme may not be a fan of Proper No. Twelve, but he was a kinder in his review than former boxer Carl Froch. In July, Froch was quoted as describing Proper No. Twelve as a whiskey that “tastes like proper s**t.”

The Notorious launched Proper No. Twelve in 2018, and flavor profile aside, the whiskey brand has him laughing all the way to the bank. McGregor sold his majority stake in the brand for over $500 million in 2021. Proper No. Twelve is the official whiskey partner of the Professional Fighters League.

McGregor is quite the entrepreneur, particularly within the alcohol world. The fighter also launched a “Forged Irish Stout,” which arrived in the U.S. on Monday.

Van Damme is not the only celebrity fighter launching a whiskey that may attempt to compete with McGregor’s highly profitable whiskey brand. Floyd Mayweather launched Canadian whiskey brand and Champagne brands on Thursday. Mayweather may have beaten McGregor in the ring during one of the most publicized fights in history in 2018, but whether his whiskey will beat Proper No. Twelve in terms of sales remains to be seen — although it’s unlikely, given Proper No. Twelve’s rabid success.

As for Van Damme’s opinions on Proper No. Twelve, besides citing the whiskey’s “heaviness,” he did admit he can’t speak to its quality.

“I don’t know about the quality. I can’t say. I’ve tried them all. Every whiskey is like every woman or man, they all make love differently.”

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