5 minute read
SPIRITS
Five star
sips When a TV headliner makes a movie it seems natural; a screen actor releasing an album of songs is less common, but still not exactly “man bites dog.” These days, however, a gaggle of showbiz celebrities is branching out further—into the spirits world. They’re pouring talents that can’t be bottled into a product that can, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “creating buzz” and helping to endow chosen liquors with star power of their own:
GEORGE CLOONEY Casamigos Tequila
This 60-year-old actor totes a heavy bag of Hollywood hardware, including three Golden Globes and two Oscars, and plays significant social roles as a philanthropist and political influencer, but he’s also a major player in the world of spirits. His impact started in the early 2010s while he was looking for local tequilas to stock at his vacation home in Cabo San Lucas. When none of the offerings suited his taste, he sought to make his own. Along with his friend Rande Gerber and developer Mike Meldman, Clooney founded Casamigos Tequila Company in 2013, making a spirit that not only tasted great but also felt cool when consumed straight or on the rocks. As with anything Clooney touches (even his comparative box-office bust Batman & Robin was 1997’s 10th highest-grossing film), the tequila turned to gold and doubled in sales each year. But star power wasn’t the only thing behind Casamigos’ big numbers; Clooney and company knew good tequila too. The flavor profile is unlike many other varieties, as traditional herbal and citrus notes aren’t as prevalent as smooth caramel and black pepper. This makes it an ideal sip, whether it’s neat, on the rocks or mixed in a delicious cocktail. Just four years after starting the company, the team sold its operations to beverage magnate Diageo in a deal worth $1 billion.
FALL/WINTER 2021 |
BRUNO MARS SelvaRey Rum
It’s no surprise that mixologists concocted a drink inspired by and named after Bruno Mars’ punchy groove “24K Magic,” but that cocktail isn’t the music star’s first connection to the spirits world. When Mars, who was born Peter Hernandez in Hawaii in 1985, started performing small gigs throughout the U.S., he connected with SelvaRey, a Panamanian company that catered his events and parties. And soon after he broke through with his part in “Uptown Funk,” Mars purchased a stake in the company, which produces a line of popular rums. The prize of the collection, however, is SelvaRey Owner’s Reserve, released this year. Though Mars technically co-owns the brand with brothers Seth and Marc Gold and Robert Herzig, he is the “owner” in this case. Mars worked with master distiller Don Francisco Fernandez to create this drink, a blend of 15- and 25-year-old rums that was then aged in oak barrels. The pop star not only controlled its taste—it has smooth notes of toffee, hazelnut and vanilla—but also designed the shape and color of the statuesque bottle, logo and box. And why not? He does make magic, after all.
KATE HUDSON King St. Vodka
Though some of her rom-coms have flopped and the athleisure line she founded may fall out of trend, Kate Hudson’s labor-of-love vodka brand will always be perfect for any martini. The 42-year-old actress-slashentrepreneur took a stab at the world of liquor in 2019 for one reason: She wanted a vodka that truly satisfied her own palate. What she created was King St. Vodka, a 100 percent gluten-free beverage crafted with alkaline water that’s “7x distilled for purity.” Named for a Greenwich Village street where Hudson once lived and welcomed guests, the vodka has done more than gain the favor of her current celebrity pals: VinePair gave it an A-minus rating, while Jeff Ellingson, popular liquor critic and founder of the Best Tasting Spirits blog, awarded its Silver Medal to King St. And despite the vodka’s feminine rose-wrapped label, which was Hudson’s idea, its neutral palate and peppery finish would likely please Mr. Martini himself, James Bond.
FALL/WINTER 2021 |
DRAKE
Virginia Black Whiskey
At just 34, Toronto-born Aubrey Drake Graham is already a multifaceted global phenom. It’s tough to bet against anything he has his hands on, from making hit records and writing chart toppers to starring on the big screen and being the global ambassador of an NBA franchise (the Toronto Raptors). So when he teamed with spirits industry giant Brent Hocking, founder of the original DeLeón Tequila (which is now controlled by Diageo and Sean “Diddy” Combs), to create Virginia Black Whiskey in 2016, the result was an almost instant success. Entertainers and athletes alike enjoy a sip from the champagne-like, black-and-gold bottle, but it appeals to everyone else as well. It’s smooth on the palate with hints of toffee, vanilla and orange on the finish, a flavor that helped the spirit earn 91 points and a spot in Wine Enthusiast’s list of Top 100 Spirits of 2017.
RYAN REYNOLDS
Aviation American Gin
In most cases, the after-1 a.m. crowd at your local watering hole can’t distinguish the merits of a good cocktail, so their gin-and-tonics are often mixed using the house liquor. That’s passable for last call, but those with a more discerning palate deserve better. And Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian gave them better in 2006, when the duo first produced what is now called Aviation American Gin (Aviation, for short) in Portland, Ore. Its flavor starts with heavy rye and lavender followed by juniper, cardamom and orange. Wine Enthusiast magazine once gave it a 97-point rating, the highest grade the magazine had ever given to a gin. That caught the attention of actor and gin aficionado Ryan Reynolds, who bought a stake in the premium liquor company in 2018 and retained his minority ownership when spirits giant Diageo took over the brand last year for $610 million. Reynolds also still remains the face of the brand (not a bad-looking face), appearing in multiple places on the gin’s website. Also handsome are the gin’s Art Deco-inspired bottle and its flask-like silhouette.
