While releasing a specialty drink might have once been little more than a promotional gimmick, today’s celebrity alcohol brands are surprisingly serious. There are some high-quality options you can find at most liquor stores. If you don’t read the label carefully, you might not even know these brands come from celebrities better known for their skill at acting, music, or sports. Here are the top 10 celebrity alcohol brands you have to try.
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1. Sweetens Cove Bourbon
There are three different cask-strength Tennessee bourbons available from this brand, and each one has surprising character and depth. Football star Peyton Manning teamed up with tennis superstar Andy Roddick to create a bourbon that’s perfect for sipping with a carefully form sphere of ice to keep it cool.
2. Casamigos Tequila
George Clooney might not be the first name you think of when you consider tequila. Yet Casamigos Tequila routinely tops best seller lists and recommendations from agave experts and connoisseurs. It’s made with only 100% Blue Weber Agave.
3. Teremana Tequila
Produced by hand in small batches, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana Tequila is a complex and inviting liquor. It’s available in both Respado and Blanco variations. If you’re still not convinced, consider that it won gold at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.
4. Heaven’s Door Bourbon Whiskey
You probably know Bob Dylan better from his songs, but he’s put his name behind a solid bourbon as well. Heaven’s Door isn’t just named after one of his hits; it’s also a cask-aged Tennessee bourbon whiskey with a surprising amount of spice.
5. Aviation Gin
Most celebrities favor tequila or whiskey when they’re bringing a new product to the market. Ryan Reynolds broke out of that mold by putting his talent into a clean and crisp gin. Aviation is widely used for celebrity cocktail recipes, making it a doubly popular option for an Oscar watch party.
6. Crystal Head Vodka
It’s easy to dismiss Dan Aykroyd’s celebrity alcohol brand as a gimmick. The skull-shaped bottle certainly gives it a certain silliness that’s on brand for the writer, director, and actor. Yet Crystal Head Vodka is ultra-filtered and provides the smooth drinking experience you want from this kind of liquor.
7. Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon
Matthew McConaughey obviously doesn’t own the entire Wild Turkey brand. It has a long history as being one of the best-known Kentucky whiskeys. However, the Longbranch Bourbon special release was created with his help, and he’s the spokesperson for it. The bourbon is aged for eight years first, then filtered through mesquite charcoal from Texas to add a unique flavor and character. Matthew McConaughey also has his own fully-owned brand known as Pantalones Tequila.
8. SelvaRey Rum
Rum isn’t quite as easy to get right, so it’s not surprising that this is the only celebrity brand on the list in this category. But Bruno Mars went the extra mile with SelvaRey, creating a Panamanian Rum with hints of vanilla, fruit, and sugarcane. The chocolate variety is perfect for adding a depth of flavor to your favorite cocktails.
9. Dos Hombres Mezcal
It took two good friends to create Dos Hombres Mezcal, and Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul were more than up to the challenge. The Breaking Bad co-stars put their heads together and crafted a pair of varietals that everyone can enjoy. It has won numerous awards in international spirits competitions, becoming a top-shelf variety in many bars.
10. Staple Gin
If you enjoy having a gin in the kitchen that you can use to cook with as often as you enjoy it in a drink, turn to Rachael Ray. She created Staple Gin to add a more complex option to the market. While it’s packed with the usual botanicals like juniper and bergamot, there is also a strong note of Castelvetrano olives. You won’t need any olives or juice to make a dirty martini with this gin.
It’s clear that you don’t have to dedicate your whole life to distilling just to make a great liquor. Celebrity alcohol brands can liven up your home bar while also adding a touch of stardom to every cocktail you pour for your friends.
