Update: The Phenomenon of Celebrity Spirits 2022
Celebrity Spirits – Favorites and New Entries
In 2021 I reported on the Celebrity Spirit phenomenon. This trend accelerated greatly following the sale of George Clooney and friend Rande Gerber’s Casamigos Tequila brand to Diageo plc for $1 Billion in June 2017. Since that time many new celebrity spirit brands have launched. I recently shopped at Total Wine & Spirits to understand the scale of this spirits phenomenon, and I wasn’t disappointed by the breadth of celebrity offerings. My only regret was not being able to purchase Sassenach Scotch Whiskey, a premium-blend by Sam Heugan who plays Jamie Frasier on the Netflix series, Outlander. Let’s take a look at some of the most highly-ranked and purchased celebrity spirits in 2022. Please comment below should you have favorites of your own.
Casamigos Tequila, $39, 750 ml – George Clooney owned and endorsed the premium tequila that set the measure for a financial windfall brand sale. Casamigos was sold to liquor corporation giant, Diageo.
The Perfect Cosmo by SJP – Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Ashborne Craft Spirits collaborated on both canned and bottle pre-made Cosmo’s. $60 for 8 cans. 40 Proof.
Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon, $39 for 750 ml – Matthew McConaughey stars in and directs the commercials for his brand. This subtle and smoky 8-year-old bourbon has fragrant aromas of vanilla and spices. In August 2021, Esquire Magazine ranked it #8 of “63 Celebrity Liquors and Spirits, Ranked.”
Smithworks Vodka, $25 for 1.75 Liters – called “the spirit of the heartland,” this Blake Shelton-endorsed Vodka has spawned a line of lemonade hard seltzers.
SelvaRey Aged Rum, $30 to $149 for 750 ml – Singer Bruno Mars envisioned a sipping rum that would be the pinnacle of tropical luxury. SelvaRey's legendary Maestro Ronero, Francisco ""Don Pancho"" Fernandez hand-selected his finest vintages to create this incredible blend of rums aged between fifteen and twenty-five years. This brand comes in various flavors including: Chocolate, Owners Reserve ($149), White, and Coconut.
Aviation Gin $47 1.75 L -- Ranked #3 in the Esquire Magazine August 2021 rankings, actor and co-owner Ryan Reynolds has played an active role in the day-to-day business operations of Aviation Gin. He sold this Portland, OR-based brand for $61 Million to British spirits giant, Diageo.
Black Irish Cream Liqueur, $30, 750 ml – The Mariah Carey brand of Irish Cream liqueur launched in September 2021 and the brand title plays on both her Black and Irish lineage. I purchased the White Chocolate flavor and was surprised by the richness that holds its own “on the rocks.” Other Black Irish flavors include Original and Salted Caramel. This brand was mentioned in People Magazine’s September 2021 article, “Eva Longoria Launches New Tequila Brand– Plus More Stars Who Have Gotten in the Liquor Business.”
Vera Wang X Chopin Limited Edition Vodka, $92, -- A designer bottle designed by fashion designer Vera Wang, this Polish Potato vodka is packaged in stunning black and white bottles. The vodka is billed as the “first vodka-fashion collaboration ever to launch in the US.” This was one of only four women’s brands of sixty-three celebrity-endorsed brands in the August 2021 Esquire Magazine article.
King St. Vodka, $26, 750 ml – This vodka’s name is inspired by the memories of hosting friends in V Hudson’s King St. New York City home. Kate Hudson, who is a dirty martini fan, launched King St. Vodka, November 2019. Her clean-tasting vodka is distilled seven times in small batches and is gluten-free.
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky, [ Whiskey, with an e, more common in the USA, right?] $84 750 ml — Nick Offerman, best known for his role as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, endorses this Islay single malt whiskey which is finished-off in Guinness casks. Nick teamed up with Lagavulin distillery to create a limited-edition whisky [whiskey?] that features intense peat and charred wood aromas.
Crystal Head Vodka, $47, 750 ml – The Dan Aykroyd-endorsed vodka was ranked #17 in the Esquire article. The distinctive skull-head bottled Vodka will stand out in your bar. The vodka is distilled from corn and filtered through Herkimer diamonds. Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd, when asked why the vodka bottle is skull-shaped, said “it is a symbol of life, reflecting power and enlightenment.” Dan has been a majority owner of Crystal Head Vodka with Globefill, Inc. since 2008.
Blue Chair Bay Rum, $17 to $26, 750 ml - This rum is inspired by the island lifestyle of celebrity endorser, Kenny Chesney. The rum flavors include original, coconut, pineapple, banana, white, mango, and vanilla, and is made in “authentic beachside distilleries” of Barbados.
Ultra-Premium Celebrity Spirits
Sweeten Cove Bourbon, $200, 750 ml
I drew the line at purchasing the Esquire Magazine #1-ranked Sweetens Cove Bourbon, launched by football player Peyton Manning, tennis player Andy Roddick, along with Tom Nolan, Rob Collins, Mark Rivers, Skip Bronson, and Drew Holcomb. The ultra-premium Bourbon is named for a Tennessee backwater 9-hole golf course that lacks both plumbing and a clubhouse. Partner Mark Rivers notes, “There was a wonderful ritual there [at Sweetens Cove] that predated us; taking a shot of Tennessee whiskey before you took your first shot on the golf course. We loved it, and that’s when the inspiration hit and we said, ‘We should have our own whiskey.’” The brand hired Marianne Eaves, formerly of Castle & Key who was Kentucky’s first female bourbon Master Distiller since Prohibition, to act as its Master Blender. Special batches and barrels only make the cut of this fine Bourbon. The partners are actively engaged at tastings and events on a daily basis.
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