Around 1947, the legendary Frank Sinatra was bending elbow with actor-composer Jackie Gleason. Sinatra was soon faced with a question: “Have you tried Jack Daniel’s?” Somehow JD had escaped Ol’ Blue Eyes till then but the night was young enough to go on a discovery. Later, he had JD on his lips while singing on the stage, calling it the best booze in the world. And if Sinatra sneezed, the music world had to catch a cold. He sneezed JD and the likes of Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Slash, Mick Jagger, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen happily had runny throats.

Of course, many of these musicians had ambitions beyond drinking JD. Rhythm and booze? How could they say no, especially if it would make them reach the title of being booze connoisseur-entrepreneurs.

Musicians associating their names with booze brands is not new but it wouldn’t hurt to run through a short list.

Rod Stewart swears by Wolfie’s Whisky

Rod Stewart

The rock legend who always wears trousers one size too small, this year turned his attention to launching his own whisky brand — Wolfie’s Whisky, which obviously is a nod to his rock-and-roll lifestyle. “Wolfie’s is a rascal of a thing and with just a sip takes you back to the good old days. Fine-tuned and perfectly balanced, Wolfie’s is a delight both over ice and mixed into a favourite cocktail,” he has said. The man is enjoying his new favourite tipple with friends, celebrating a Celtic win or recalling his good times with family members. The strong stuff is distilled, blended and bottled by Loch Lomond Distillery while the packaging refers to the opening track — Rhythm of My Heart — of the hit album, Vagabond Heart.

Bob Dylan swears by Heaven’s Door


Bob Dylan

In 2015, a trademark application for the term “bootleg whiskey” had been filed under Bob Dylan’s name. The term wouldn’t cut the mustard obviously, so liquor entrepreneur Marc Bushala had to convince something that was smooth on the tongue and the oropharynx — Heaven’s Door. The collection of three whiskies was introduced in 2018 — a straight rye, a straight bourbon and a “double-barreled” whiskey — and since then it has made a lot of progress, like the introduction of The Decade Series last year, a limited-edition collection of ultra-premium whiskys, each aged for 10 years or more. “I’ve been travelling for decades, and I’ve been able to try some of the best spirits that the world of whiskey has to offer. This is great whiskey,” Dylan has said in a statement. In case you do manage to get a bottle, it would be best enjoyed listening to the Dylan song Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight).

Jon Bon Jovi swears by Hampton Water

Jovi water this one. Perhaps he ensures his mane remains lush by drinking the French rosé made with the help of the winemaker Gérard Bertrand. The singer and his son, Jesse Bongiovi, have been in the business for a few years now and success has not escaped them. The idea was distilled around 2016 when a joke got repeated, about rose being the water of the Hamptons. This was when the son and his friends were drinking rose all summer. The dad joined in and the ‘Hampton water’ bulb was turned on. “A bottle of pink wine with friends became a release and relief. I loved the taste, and the colour and it gave me joy. To me, the art of living is to remember that every day is a chance to make another great memory,” Jon has told Luxury Lifestyle Magazine.

Rita Ora swears by Próspero Tequila

Rita Ora

Rita Ora is ensuring ‘salud’ is heard around the room. She teamed up with Stella Anguiano to create Próspero Tequila and it launched in the UK in 2020 and is available at around £40 a bottle. She opted for tequila over whisky because of the mix of “savoury and sweet”. “What also drew me to launching this particular Tequila was the ability to work with Stella Anguiano. Obviously, I love drinking Tequila, but it was more about collaborating with someone who is so passionate about what they do. She is so inspiring and is one of the few female master distillers in the business. In whatever medium I’m working in, I want to surround myself with the best, and there is no better partner than Stella,” she has said in an interview with Wine Enthusiast.

Drake swears by Virginia Black Whiskey

Drake

Canadian rapper Drake has been in the hic-hic business for quite some years, launching Virginia Black in 2016 in collaboration with De Léon Tequila founder Brent Hocking. It’s a blend of two-, three- and four-year-old Bourbon whiskies.

Nick Jonas swears by Villa One Tequila

Music and Priyanka Chopra cannot keep Nick Jonas away from his passion for Villa One Tequila, which he started with John Varvatos. Produced in Jalisco, Mexico, using blue weber agave, Villa One bottles have been designed by the two founders. And last year, he made the debut of Villa One Tequila Garden, atop Theatre Box, an entertainment and dining complex in Fifth Avenue for patrons to unwind over you know what.

Nick Jonas