Opinion | Kendall Jenner, Elon Musk, Ryan Reynolds – celebrity-endorsed drinks are nothing new, but are any of them worth the hype?

It is easy to roll our eyes as another celebrity slaps their name on a liquor bottle – think Kendall Jenner, Elon Musk, Ryan Reynolds – but are they any good?

We explore how to pick out celebrity-backed alcohol brands that are worth a try, from how much they are invested in them to what reviewers have to say online

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Ryan Reynolds with a bottle of Aviation Gin. More celebrities are lending their star power to spirit brands, but how many of these creations are actually A-list worthy? Photo: Twitter/@AviationGin

Victoria Chow

Published: 4:45pm, 1 Apr 2023

Ah, celebrity booze – my favourite thing to quip on.

Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila, Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin, Elon Musk’s ridiculous lightning bolt-shaped also-Tequila … the list grows by the minute.

It is so easy to roll our eyes at yet another famous person jumping on the George Clooney bandwagon and slapping their name on a liquor bottle.

But instead of waxing poetic about how one should drink only “authentic” spirits produced by “craft” distilleries – neither of these terms being easily definable or a prerequisite for a tasty tipple – let us explore how to pick out celebrity-backed alcohol brands that are actually worth a try.

A promotional image of Kylie Jenner’s 818 Tequila. Photo: Instagram/@drink818

1. Consider the level of involvement that the celebrity has with the product.