SNL's Paul Briganti directs hilarious ads for Fistful of Bourbon

It’s a hot day in the wild, wild west. A cowboy interrupts a duel to slather sunscreen all over his face, while questioning the whole idea of scheduling shootouts at high noon. 

Another cowboy compares a bourbon’s smoothness to the silk loungewear he has taken to wearing. “It ain’t just a bourbon,” he says, “it’s a damn fistful.”

That smooth swig is Fistful of Bourbon, launched nationally by William Grant & Sons, the fiercely independent Scottish family distiller. Bringing over 100 years of blending expertise to the world of bourbon, Fistful is the first from-the-ground-up American whiskey from the award-winning portfolio. A blend of five straight bourbons, literally a fistful. Fistful is a one of kind whiskey delivering the best the category has to offer. A brand born from ingenuity, for its national launch Fistful of Bourbon created its own series of short brand films poking fun at cowboy movie clichés with writer and Saturday Night Live Movie Short Director Paul Briganti. Taking inspiration from Hollywood’s action-packed Spaghetti Westerns, cult film classics and laugh out loud cowboy comedies, the Fistful of Bourbon world has been brought to life in these films and just in time for its coast to coast debut.

The spot was produced by LA-based Tool of North America.

Known for his work on Saturday Night Live (NBC), Adam Ruins Everything (TruTV), and the Upright Citizens Brigade, Briganti worked with Fistful to create a series of shorts, giving consumers a glance into Fistful’s irreverent and hilarious world. The shorts star Frank Garcia-Hejl (writer, actor, director with Upright Citizens Brigade) and George Basil (a regular on HBO’s Crashing). To coincide with roll-out onto shelves and into saloons from east to west, the film's launch across social media, streaming platforms, and on FistfulofBourbon.com.

"Working with Fistful Of Bourbon was so fun, it felt like making movies with friends,” said Briganti. “They have great taste in comedy, weren’t afraid to let me take creative risks, and they also make great bourbon, which has come in handy in 2020.”

“If you’ve ever found yourself daydreaming about who would win in a duel, Billy Crystal in City Slickers or Gene Wilder in Blazing Saddles, then Fistful of Bourbon is for you,” said National Brand Ambassador, Anthony Bohlinger. “There are many quirky characteristics that make Fistful what it is, from our blending process to our obsession with Hollywood and Western cult film culture. The trailer we created with Paul takes all of these things and wraps them in a wacky bow for viewer enjoyment.” While Fistful hopes to one day make a full-length feature about just how damn good its bourbon is, for now, 30-second clips accompanied by smooth, neat pours of whiskey will do just fine.