Celebrities love to dip their feet in industries other than their own, from perfume brands to fashion labels. Some are genuine, and some just may want their name on a spirits brand. Either way, are any of them good? We searched the Internet to find what expert sites had to say about which are the best celebrity alcohol brands.
The world of celebrity alcohol brands has seen a remarkable surge in recent years, with renowned stars lending their names and passions to craft exceptional spirits. These brands often reflect the personal tastes and interests of the celebrities behind them, resulting in unique and high-quality offerings. From George Clooney’s Casamigos tequila, known for its smoothness and versatility, to Ryan Reynolds‘ Aviation Gin, celebrated for its crispness and modern appeal, these celebrity-backed brands have garnered acclaim in the spirits industry.
These famed bottles benefit from the star power and dedication of their creators, making them more than just endorsements but genuine contributions to the world of fine spirits. With the added allure of celebrity association, these brands have not only expanded the market but also provided consumers with exciting new options in the world of premium alcohol. As celebrities continue to invest their passion and expertise into crafting exceptional libations, the intersection of fame and flavor continues to yield impressive results, making these brands worthy of exploration for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.
Are you looking to try a creation from one of America’s favorite A-listers? StudyFinds visited 10 leading expert websites to see which were the best celebrity alcohol brands. Did we miss one from your favorite icon? Let us know in the comments below!
The List: Best Celebrity Alcohol Brands, According to Fans
1. Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin
Aviation Gin is delicious in cocktails. It’s just as great as a stand-alone with a mixer in a classic gin and tonic. “The ‘Deadpool’ actor purchased a stake in Aviation Gin from Davos in 2018 and became co-owner before selling it to Tanqueray and Gordon’s owner Diageo for around £466m just two years later. He still has a hand in the business and remains the face of the Oregon-made gin,” states The Evening Standard.
Even though Aviation Gin was already beloved by bartenders, Reynold’s involvement helped propel the brand to new heights. “The primary flavor is still that of juniper, but the coriander, orange peel, lavender, and cardamom are also very present. “It’s one of the stronger new world style gins on the market,” says The Spruce Eats.
Aviation was founded in Portland, Oregon. It is a great spirit if you’re not looking for something too dry. “It’s smooth on the palate, with subtle top notes of peppery spice, a hint of floral juniper, and finishing off with a base layer of citrus. You’ll get a softer, more pure flavor, too thanks to the unique distilling process and commitment to crafting the gin in smaller, 100-case batches,” explains Rolling Stone.
2. Matthew McConaughey’s Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Although McConaughey ended his partnership with the brand in early 2023, his name still comes to mind with this iconic liquor. This bourbon gives you vibes of being in a mahogany-paneled library, cuddled in a padded leather chair. “We sipped this liquor neat, and because it had a very strong note of caramel, it went down smooth. A couple more sips and we were feeling alright, alright, alright,” says Bustle.
McConaughey took his time with Wild Turkey spending two years crafting the taste of his new bourbon. “Longbranch honors both the actor’s and master distiller Eddie Russell’s Texas and Kentucky roots. The final product was chosen after the pair tasted their 83rd sample while on a camping trip. The small batch of bourbon was refined in Texas mesquite for a subtle hint of smoke, sweetness, and spice,” offers Variety.
After the straight bourbon Longbranch is distilled, it is then filtered with mesquite charcoal from McConaughey’s native Texas. “It has a light, sweet, approachable flavor profile, with familiar notes of caramel and vanilla and just a wisp of mesquite smoke on the mid-palate,” informs The Spruce Eats.
3. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana Tequila
In 2020, when Johnson and his partners launched Teremana Tequila, they sold 300,000 nine-liter cases in the first year. In 2021, sales doubled. Sorry Kendall Jenner. “Meaning ‘spirit of the earth,’ Johnson says Teremana is for the people. The Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico piña (the heart of the agave) are slow roasted in traditional brick ovens and distilled in small-batch copper pot stills before aging in American oak barrels. This slow process produces a premium product with a smooth taste. We tried the tequila, finding toasted oak and pepper with toasted vanilla and creamy honey,” informs Tasting Table.
The small-batch tequila hit the market in 2020 and now comes in three expressions: a blanco, reposado, and añejo. “If you follow actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson on Instagram, you know it was just a matter of time before the agave-loving ‘Fast and Furious’ actor founded his own tequila brand. Johnson introduced the world to Teremana Tequila on Instagram saying: ‘TERA means of the earth and MANA is the powerful Polynesian spirit that guides us,’ making the name of his new tequila mean ‘spirit of the earth.’ The blanco is a good bottle to have on your bar cart. With hints of golden pineapple and lemongrass salted lime, it’s superb in a tropical margarita,” offers Men’s Journal.
Expert sites agree that The Rock’s tequila is one of the greatest booze brand launches of recent times, celebrity or not. “The liquid is solid and additive-free, and while I don’t think Johnson drinks a whole lot of it (he once claimed a single post-workout shot per day), I do think he legitimately likes drinking tequila. He’s likewise done an incredible job of relentlessly promoting the product, all without it feeling too sales-y. Ignore the rampant health claims on the bottle, however—all tequila is gluten-free, and pounding frozen margaritas will never render you fit to star in Black Adam,” says Esquire.
4. George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila
George Clooney is not only an actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter but also co-owner of the tequila brand Casamigos. “Founded in 2013 by Clooney and Cindy Crawford’s husband Rande Gerber, it was sold four years later to Diageo for a head-spinning $1bn. Naturally, with credentials this starry, the tequila did well in La La Land, a fixture in home bars and parties all through Hollywood and beyond. But Casamigos is not a case of all glamour, no grit,” says The Evening Standard.
Casamigos changed up their distilling methods from an onsite diffuser to slow-roasting each batch in stainless steel barrels for a minimum of two months. “All three varieties, from the blanco and reposado to the anejo are stellar, and it’s one of our favorite, most clean-tasting tequilas, made from 100% agave in the Jalisco highlands. Clooney, and co-founder Rande Gerber, say they wanted to make, the best-tasting, smoothest tequila that didn’t have to be covered up with salt or lime,” states Rolling Stone.
What better way to invent an exceptional tequila than spending a ton of time in Mexico building homes, as Clooney and his co-makers did? “They wanted an option they could sip all day that didn’t have the alcohol burn often associated with tequila. After finding a distiller and doing extensive taste testing, Casamigos was born. In 2017, Diageo purchased the brand for a reported one billion dollars,” explains Tasting Table.
5. Kate Hudson’s King St. Vodka
Hudson came up with the idea of creating vodka much like other celebs. When she was hosting a cocktail party, she wasn’t happy with her vodka options when whipping up some martinis. “Hudson decided to create her own women-made vodka. King St. Vodka is gluten-free, non-GMO, made with alkaline water distilled seven times, and then filtered for purity in Santa Barbara, California. The name comes from Hudson’s former home on King Street in New York City,” offers Variety.
Just like Hudson’s athletic brand, Fabletics, she does a great job marketing this vodka. Bustle explains, “She is often seen drinking King St. Vodka poolside. When we went to drink it, we decided to mix it with the sparkling grapefruit Betty Buzz, thinking it would be the perfect summer cocktail. However, it was anything but. The grapefruit Betty Buzz is very faint in its flavoring, which is fine, except that King St. needs a mixer with a bit more flavor.”
Hudson’s market research helped her devise a gluten-free vodka brand. “It’s named after the street she lived on in New York City and made in Santa Barbara, where it’s cut with alkaline water, distilled seven times, and martini-ready,” says Men’s Journal.
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Sources:
- Bustle
- VinePair
- The Evening Standard
- The Spruce Eats
- Variety
- Delish
- Rolling Stone
- Esquire
- Men’s Journal
- Tasting Table
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.
Being the cheapest and therefor the most used don’t make them the best, this is misleading