An early scene in the coming movie “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” the sequel to the hit starring Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson, unfolds in a cave and involves the discovery of a dusty safe with a bottle of old bourbon.

It was an ideal spot for a product placement. But the director, Matthew Vaughn, took that common commercial device and reversed it.

What is in the safe is Statesman bourbon, a spinoff of the longstanding Old Forester brand produced by Brown-Forman of Louisville, Ky., since 1870. It is not a fictional spirit: Statesman bourbon has been quietly appearing on liquor store shelves since spring.

By introducing its product before the release of the movie, Old Forester is not only hoping to capitalize on the cachet of the Kingsman characters discussing and enjoying Statesman bourbon. It is also trying to establish what marketers are seeking more than ever: authenticity.