Celebrity-owned liquor brands have been there for a while, but in recent times, due to increased consumer interest in high-end spirits, celebrity-affiliated brands have come into the limelight. As more drinkers seek out luxury distilled spirits, more celebrities are gravitating towards premium liquor brands and showing enthusiasm by using their star power and wealth to promote them; after all, consumers are ready to pay 73% more for celebrity spirits.
From George Clooney to Kendall Jenner, we have compiled a list of 13 celebrity liquor brands generating the most online hype.
Casamigos Tequila By George Clooney
Clooney is not only a stalwart in Hollywood but has also been among the first celebrities to branch into the liquor business with his popular Casamigos Tequila. Though Clooney sold the brand to Diageo in 2017 for a whopping US$1 billion, it hasn’t affected its popularity. The brand reported a 96.5% sales increase to 2.2 million cases in 2021 from only 1 million cases in 2020 and tops the most searched-for celebrity spirit brand on Google.
Aviation Gin By Ryan Reynolds
People know that Ryan Reynolds sold Aviation Gin to Diageo for US$610 million, but not many know the level of personal investment, brand participation, and creative involvement by the celebrity that made the gin so popular. Reynolds leveraged his persona, sense of humor, and huge social media presence to promote his gin.
Ciroc Vodka By Diddy
Like George Clooney, Diddy was among the first celebrities to enter the liquor business. Though Ciroc was founded in 2003, its popularity didn’t take off until 2007, when Sean Combs partnered with Diageo, Ciroc’s parent company. The rapper helped the company raise awareness and elevate its brand image. Diddy’s influence helped Ciroc attain its position as a premium vodka.
Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey By Connor McGregor
Produced by former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, Connor McGregor has natural apple flavoring that’s smooth to the palate. The whiskey brand made around US$1 billion in revenues in its first year of launch. Though the brand was sold by McGregor to Proximo Spirits in a US$600 million deal, Proper No. 12 remains popular in online searches.
Teremana Tequila By Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Winner of the Gold Medal at the USA Spirits Ratings, Teremana Tequila by Dwayne Johnson is also one of the most searched spirits online, with more than 285k average monthly searches on Google. It sold a million cases between 2022 and 2023, even surpassing Casamigos sales.
Haig Club Whiskey By David Beckham
David Beckham made his mark in the world of Scotch whiskey with the launch of Haig Club whiskey in 2016. The ex-soccer player’s passion and commitment to seeing the brand succeed were evident by the air miles he invested in attending events, launches, press conferences, and meetings with fans worldwide.
Jay-Z’s Armand De Brignac Champagne
Jay-Z turned D’ussé from the Château de Cognac into an iconic cognac brand known worldwide. However, Jay-Z is also associated with Armand de Brignac Champagne. He bought it in 2014 when it was virtually unknown and, in a span of a few years, helped the brand increase its popularity. Armand de Brignac was voted the No. 1 champagne in the world at a blind tasting.
Virginia Black American Whiskey By Drake
Virginia Black American whiskey by Drake is a selected collection of two-, three-, and four-year Bourbon whiskeys with the right touch of sweetness, smoke, and cinnamon. It evokes the glamor and decadence of the 1970s era nightlife. While Drake may not be the brains behind this whiskey, his face (Drake and his father appeared in a few ad commercials for Virginia Black) has definitely helped to put the whiskey in major markets across the globe.
818 Tequila By Kendall Jenner
For a brand launched only as recently as in 2021 and that too incognito, Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila is making headlines across the globe. 818 Tequila reported sales of 136,000 cases in the first seven months of business. It was also the sixth most searched, with under 10000 searches per month only after a month into its launch.
Des Hombres By Aaron Paul And Bryan Cranston
Des Hombres Mezcal by Breaking Bad actors Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston is the ninth most popular drink online. Drinkers appreciate its full taste of agave blended with hints of woody and fruit notes and smokiness.
Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Whiskey
An award-winning whiskey co-created by Bob Dylan, Heaven’s Door Whiskey is a collection of high-proof and session whiskeys that greatly appeal to the palate of American drinkers. Bob Dylan not only gave his name to the brand but has also invested his time and money into the creation of quality whiskeys. It is one of the most searched online spirits, with 257k monthly searches.
Avaline Wine By Cameron Diaz
Marketed as a brand of ‘clean wine,’ Avaline Wine, launched by actress Cameron Diaz and Who What Wear founder Katherine Power, brings a clean and delicious wine brand made from organic grapes. With no unwanted additives like sugars, colors, and concentrates, Avaline aims to be a healthy option for vino drinkers. It is one of the most famous online wine brands, with nearly 50k searches.
Danny DeVito’s Limoncello
In the market flooded with tequilas, gins, and bourbons, Danny DeVito filled a gap with limoncello made from legendary Sorrento lemons grown on the Amalfi Coast. Though DeVito uses his massive star power to move this spirit, drinkers love what’s inside the bottle, and the limoncello sells without the celebrity signature. Apart from the excellent quality of the bottle’s content, the bottle also comes with a cute scratch-and-sniff lemon logo label.