20 Best Celebrity Liquors And Spirits

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Celebrity spirits have had a moment that has never seemed to taper off, with some of the most well-known actors, comedians, chefs, and even rock legends founding or at least investing in brands across the spectrum, from whiskey and bourbon to vodka, tequila, and the ever-refreshing canned seltzer. According to a 2023 report from Union's OnPrem Insights, which gathers data from over 1,000 high-volume accounts using the POS platform, celebrity brands are only continuing to grow, and guests are paying, on average, 73 percent more per drink. The report also stated that nearly 80 percent of the venues in the report carried celebrity spirits, and those celebrity spirits represented about 10 percent of sales. Celebrities are conquering the spirits industry, and with so many newcomers entering the landscape, there are no signs of slowing down.

With so many celebrity-backed spirits out there to choose from, we tasted a lot of them and constructed a list of our top 20, which only just scratches the surface when you look at the entire market. Each spirit included in this roundup is worthy of ordering at a bar or having at home, and each has an exciting story to go along with it. Whether you're a fan of the celebrity or just a fan of the spirit they're responsible for, we've absolutely found a celebrity-backed spirit to enhance your boozy routine.

Gin has been experiencing quite the renaissance in the spirits world, with the global gin market estimated to be worth $15.2 billion in 2022 and projected growth of almost 5% over the next several years, according to a 2023 report from SevenFifty Daily. And with classic gin drinks like the French 75 and the martini continuing to gain traction and popularity with consumers and bartenders alike, it makes sense to get into the market with a quality product and strike while the iron is at its hottest. With Aviation Gin, Ryan Reynolds has done just that, acquiring mass appeal worldwide for his American-made gin through humorous advertising. Lucky for him, the liquid inside is just as good as the commercials say.

Distilled using a propriety blend of botanicals including cardamom, coriander, French lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, juniper, and two kinds of orange peel,  Aviation Gin is sweet, citrusy, and juniper-forward on the nose, with a spicier, floral flavor on the palate. We love Aviation in a perfect martini, which allows the soft citrus notes to shine, or in a classic negroni where it mixes beautifully with the sweet vermouth and the bitter campari.

Unlike many of the celebrity spirits on this list, the celebrity Flecha Azul can now claim as one of its principal investors didn't start with the brand. Flecha Azul was launched in 2020 by co-founders Abraham Ancer, currently ranked the No. 1 Mexican golfer in the world, and Aron Marquez, CEO of Wildcat Oil Tools, while Mark Wahlberg joined the team in 2022 to support the brand's growth. In addition to having Wahlberg on board, Flecha Azul can flex another impressive claim, being one of the few Mexican-owned and operated tequila brands worldwide. The Flecha Azul portfolio has five varietals: blanco, reposado, anejo, cristalino, and extra añejo, all made from 100% Blue Weber agave.

We had the chance to try the Flecha Azul Reposado, aged for six months in American bourbon oak barrels. It's bright and oaky on the nose, with sweet notes of vanilla, caramel, and buttered nuts on the finish. We'd recommend this as something to sip on neat, or if you want to mix it with something, a splash of soda water will brighten it up and make it a refreshing summer sip.

Even if you know nothing about mixed martial arts or boxing, you probably know the name Conor McGregor. It seems logical that he would take his go-hard attitude out of the octagon and into a bottle of Irish whiskey — he is Irish, after all — with Proper Twelve. A blend of Irish grain and single malt Irish whiskey, the McGregor-backed spirit is named for the area where he grew up, Dublin 12, and is produced at the oldest whiskey distillery in Ireland.

A popular trope among many celebrity-backed spirits, McGregor says that his goal with Proper Twelve is to create a whiskey for everyone, and so far, he's hit the mark. Proper Twelve is easy to drink: It has a floral, vanilla nose and sweet, fruity notes on the palate with just a hint of spice. The finish is woody with some burnt caramel, making it easy to sip without too much burn. Proper Twelve is undoubtedly a cocktail lover whiskey, and we love it in the most Irish of cocktails, the Irish coffee.

Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri are kindred spirits from two different worlds — Hagar, a legendary rock and roller who is already a tastemaker in the food and spirits business with his renowned Cabo Wabo brand as well as Sammy's Beach Bar Rum and the Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill chain of restaurants, and Fieri, a spiky blonde-haired, convertible-driving chef known for his countless Food Network shows and portfolio of over 70 restaurants. Happily, they joined forces to create Los Santo in 2019 with a series of impressive tequilas and mezcals.

With the help of third-generation Master Distiller Juan Eduardo Nunez, Hagar and Fieri launched their Santo Fino collection, which includes a blanco, reposado, añejo, and mezquila. We had the chance to sample the añejo, an additive-free spirit aged 24 months and made with 100% Blue Weber agave. On the nose, the añejo is delightfully fruity and sweet, with notes of vanilla and caramel. A smooth sip, the flavor is spicy and herbaceous, with a fruity finish. We recommend this as a sipping tequila, but if you're craving a tequila cocktail, sub out whiskey for tequila in a classic old fashioned.

Famed for his Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill restaurant chain, Sammy Hagar is more than just the former lead singer of Van Halen, considering the success he's had in the hospitality industry. Launched back in 2012, the Sammy's Beach Bar Rum portfolio taps into the island and beach lifestyle that Hagar has lived for most of his life. (Fellow rocker Rick Springfield partnered with the Hagar on the project.) Distilled in Puerto Rico with all-natural ingredients and aged in American oak bourbon barrels, it's the kind of rum you can't help but mix into a tropical-inspired cocktail. The portfolio has three varietals: the Platinum, which is aged for one year and distilled four times; the Red Head, which is aged for one year and infused with a blend of natural flavors, fruits, and vegetables; and the Kola Spiced, which is made with kola nut extract.

The Platinum Rum is a well-balanced spirit that benefits significantly from using cane molasses and the barrel aging time. It's light and sweet on the nose, with slightly floral and grassy notes. The palate is a tropical paradise, with the flavors of the Caribbean coming through with creamy coconut, banana, and pineapple. We love this in a classic mojito to highlight the base spirit or in a piña colada to let those tropical fruit flavors shine.

Not everyone will get the opportunity to visit the French Riviera in their lifetime, but for a taste of its beauty and spirit, you have The Gardener gin. Founded by Brad Pitt, award-winning actor; Tom Nichol, former master distiller of Tanqueray gin; and Famille Perrin, the family that pioneered organic wine-making in France, The Gardener is a culmination of each of the elements that the founders bring to the table: sky, fire, and land. From the bottle design to the spirit, The Gardener embodies the French Riviera's art-de-vivre vibe.

The Gardener is a creation of Nichols' vision of a "perfect gin," distilling bitter orange bigarade, sweet orange, and pink grapefruit, all sourced from the French Riviera, into one elegant and subtle sip that is a twist on the traditional London Dry gin. The nose is herbaceous and well-balanced, with notes of juniper and dried berries. It's smooth and sippable on the palate, with the citrus flavors first and foremost and a smooth herbal finish. For a soft gin like this, we recommend treating it gently in a dry martini, a gin & tonic, or a negroni for some added flare.

There is something incredibly rock and roll about the process that Dave Pickerell, founding distiller of Blackened Whiskey, and master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich, used to make this whiskey. Created with the band Metallica, the original Blackened is a blend of straight whiskeys finished in brandy casks and sonically enhanced using the black noise process to extract more flavor from the wood. You read that right — co-developed by engineers at Meyer Sound, this process produces low hertz sound waves, which causes the whiskey to reverberate quickly, interacting with the barrel and releasing wood compounds and flavors.

Blackened has a variety of expressions in its portfolio, starting with the original Blackened, continuing to its limited editions — Rye the Lightning, Cask Strength, and Blackened 72 Seasons — and the Masters of Whiskey Series, which includes Blackened X Willett, Blackened X Wes Henderson, and Blackened X Rabbit Hole. We sampled the Blackened Cask Strength variety, the same blend as the original but bottled at cask strength and non-chill filtered. The resulting spirit has a creamy mouthfeel with nutty caramel notes and hints of vanilla and spice. The finish is molasses sweet, with hints of cinnamon and autumn spices.

It's hard to imagine vodka being a creative spirit, with its clear color and lack of discernible flavor, unless it's of the flavored variety. However, Crystal Head Vodka, launched in 2008 by legendary comedy actor Dan Aykroyd, managed to find a way. Starting with the skull-shaped bottle and ending with the liquor itself, which is crafted from Canadian corn, distilled four times, and then filtered seven times through semi-precious Herkimer diamonds, Crystal Head is an impressive spirit that has been making waves in the industry as it picks up awards for flavor and creativity year after year.

Available in five varieties — original, aurora, onyx, John Alexander, and pride — Crystal Head is a cocktail drinker's vodka in every sense. The original is a delicate sip with a citrusy aroma, sweet vanilla flavor, and a smooth and creamy finish. We love this in a sweeter vodka cocktail like a cranberry orange crush to let the flavor of the vodka shine.

Two bears, one cave, and now, one vodka. Made in Texas and launching in March 2024, Por Osos vodka is the brainchild of comedians Tom Segura and Bert Kreisher (The Machine, for those in the know), known for being occasionally shirtless but always hilarious best friends. The name Por Osos, meaning "for the bears" in Spanish because of Segura's Peruvian background, is a call out to their comedy podcast "2 Bears 1 Cave," as well as to their loyal fanbase, "the bears."

The premium vodka is gluten-free and crafted with premium ingredients, including non-GMO wheat and a patented finishing process from Persedo CRAFT (Controlled Removal and Finishing Technique) technology. The final result is a smoother product for a more approachable sip with less burn. On the nose, Por Osos is sweet with notes of vanilla, while the palate has notes of caramel, oak, sweet raisins, and a silky smooth finish. This vodka is ideal for a cocktail with sweet elements, like an old lace or a classic cosmopolitan.

Few celebrities are so closely associated with the term 'the bar' as these three. For anyone who's ever watched Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, and Charlie Day on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," it goes without saying that drinking and bar culture is an important part of daily life for a lot of people, and that is the mindset that went into the creation of Four Walls Irish American Whiskey. Four Walls is triple-distilled grain and malt Irish whiskey blended with American rye for what they believe is the best-tasting whiskey they've ever had. They want drinkers to know that the feeling you get when drinking Four Walls is like finding the perfect bar with all the best elements — a haven from all the nonsense outside.

For those who want to skip the slow sipping and jump straight to taking shots, Four Walls is ideal for your next round. Bottled at 80 proof, it has notes of vanilla and melon on the nose, with some citrus and cinnamon. The palate is enjoyable, with flavors of fresh fruit, vanilla, caramel, banana bread, and candied ginger. We love this in a simple whiskey and ginger ale but think it's better suited alongside a beer and a loud "Slainte!" before you throw it back.