The action star’s foray into the whiskey business began serendipitously after a friend suggested he try Irish over American whiskey.

Mr Van Damme recalled: “I was looking for my own brand of whiskey possibly an American bourbon and then one of my close friends and business associates asked ‘why an American whiskey when you can go back to the roots of whiskey and find an Irish whiskey?’.

“He then introduced me to the Old Oak whiskey label which had yet to be launched and had been put together by some whiskey aficionados in Ireland.”

Captivated by its rich aroma and smooth palate, Mr Van Damme quickly became a partner in Old Oak, a brand steeped in Irish tradition.

He added: “It was also the perfect opportunity to combine two things with which I feel a close connection …whiskey and its rich heritage and the charisma and warmth of Ireland and its people.”

Old Oak’s name pays homage to its origins in Derry County, known as “Oak Leaf County”, with the Irish word “Doire” meaning “Oak Wood”. The whiskey, a craft premium blend, prides itself on using some of Ireland’s purest water from a well at its distillery near Belfast.