Alcohol is a central pillar in the semiology and mythology of country music. Whether it’s drinking beer in neon-soaked dive bars, being fuelled up on bourbon after a rough breakup or getting rowdy with shots around a campfire after dark, country artists sure as hell love to drink.
Some singers have gone a step further by creating their own spirits brand or working with distilleries to develop unique products that communicate their love of heritage and craft. For the curious, here are six of the top spirit brands you should look into from your favourite country artists.
1. Traveller Whisky from Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton is well-known for having an eye for detail that extends far beyond his music, and every collaboration he does comes from a place of genuinely loving the history and resonance of a product. He’s about as far from the stereotypical cash grab celebrity as you can think of, and this is certainly true of his Traveller whisky.
Created in partnership with Buffalo Trace, Traveller was curated under the talent of master distiller Harlan Wheatley. He and Stapleton went through over 50 custom blends to arrive at the final product that has a heady combination of sweet, savoury and smooth qualities. I’ve personally enjoyed sipping Traveller while listening to Stapleton’s iconic rendition of Tennessee Whisky.
An interesting story about the creation of Traveller is that Buffalo Trace originally came up with a name for the whisky that Stapleton wasn’t keen on, so he suggested Traveller in honour of his album of the same name. It turned out Buffalo Trace already owned the trademark for Traveller and was using it for another of their whisky brands…but they decided to give it to Stapleton in the end.
Image credit: Duck Club bourbon.
Duck Club Bourbon from Riley Green
The period of 2023 – 2025 will forever be a marker for a major surge in popularity for Riley Green, and another way he’s bolstered his mainstream ventures is with Duck Club Bourbon. A keen outdoorsman and duck aficionado, Green has the moniker of Duck Man which has translated into his brand and continues with his partnership with the Tennessee-based spirits company Morningstar Brands.
There are two releases in the range. The first is the flagship 46% ABV four-grain blend of two whiskies. The blend is a 5-year-old at 88% with a mashbill of 67% corn, 23% rye and 10% malted barley. The remaining 12% is a 6-year-old wheated bourbon with a mashbill of 51% corn, 45% wheat and 4% malted barley.
The second product, Duck Club High Brass, comes in at 55% ABV and is a blend of two bourbons. The first is an 82% 5-year from Kentucky with a mashbill of 67% corn, 10% malted barley and 23% rye. The other 18% consists of an 8-year Kentucky bourbon with a mashbill of 75% corn, 10% malted barley and 15% rye.
Image credit: Dos Primos tequila.
Dos Primos Tequila from Thomas Rhett
Tequila has become one of the most popular and lucrative spirits of the 2020s and beyond, a fact many celebrities are aware of and have sought to jump on the bandwagon. Country artist Thomas Rhett released Dos Primos tequila in 2021 with his cousin Jeff Worn, not out of a desire to be a part of a trend, but because of his genuine love of the category and changing perceptions among music fans that tequila belongs in country as much as bourbon.
Rhett and Worn’s tequila is 100% agave-based and sourced from estates in Jalisco and Los Altos, and the brand literally translates to two cousins. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Rhett explained his appreciation for tequila and why he started the brand:
“In many ways, tequila is like bourbon, especially in the ageing process when dealing with reposado and anejo. I really started doing everything with tequila that I would’ve done with bourbon. A tequila old-fashioned is probably my favourite way to mix Dos Primos. Long story short, I definitely love wine and bourbon, but I just really enjoy how versatile tequila is…
I have always been a beer and whisky guy. It wasn’t until after I started drinking tequila that I found myself wanting to drink tequila in situations [where] I would have normally grabbed a beer or a glass of bourbon. For example, I’ve always associated bourbon with the outdoors or around a bonfire with friends, but now tequila is my go-to. I think I always associated tequila with a beach, and I still do, but now my views are different on the spirit. I think there are tons of country fans, and just people in general, that associate tequila with a shot or bad experience. To that I would say, you haven’t tried Dos Primos yet.”
Image credit: Bluebird Distilling.
Bluebird Days Whisky from Jordan Davis
In 2023, Jordan Davis released Bluebird Days whisky to celebrate the launch of his album of the same name. The collaboration happened through bonding with the founder of Bluebird Distilling, Jared Atkins, over what makes the perfect bluebird day of relaxation and good times.
The whisky is blended from the oldest barrels of four grain bourbon and American wheat whisky from the Bluebird Rack House. This combination birthed a 6 and a half year aged whisky. It’s certainly worth trying if you’re a fan of Davis.
Image credit: Wolf Moon bourbon.
Wolf Moon Bourbon from Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line
Sometimes, country artists pool their resources and are drawn together by a mutual love of drinking culture. This is the case with Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelly in the creation of Wolf Moon bourbon.
The trio have been collaborating for years and whisky was always at the centre of their rituals. Aldean confirmed this by saying, “there’s nothing like sharing a glass of whisky with my crew after a show…Tyler and Brian have been a part of that ritual and we wanted to create something to remind us of our favourite memories. Wolf’s Moon’s name is a nod to the pack – the friends that become family.”
The product itself is a 4-year-old bourbon with 40% ABV and won a gold medal at the 2020 Sip Awards.
Image credit: Blue Chair Bay rum.
Blue Chair Bay Rum from Kenny Chesney
Rum might not be the first spirit that comes to mind when you think of country music. Yet, Kenny Chesney has been passionate about the category for many years and has been promoting his love for rum and the Caribbean since 2013 when he founded Blue Chair Bay Rum.
From the start, Chesney was adamant about quality control and being involved in the creative process. COO Tim Huston told Forbes that Chesney didn’t want to use his celebrity persona to secure a licensing or imprint brand with a big spirits company:
“He was almost to the altar with a [ big-company partner] before he turned away. Ultimately, he cared more about the product than the dollars. He’s had the vision for this company since 2001, and when you spend more than a decade working on something you want to get it right.
“He was the sole investor. He insisted on premium juices and natural ingredients free of any artificial additives, even though the production costs are higher, because he cares about living a healthy, active lifestyle and wants to be authentic to that. And he convinced Mike Booth, who worked on Malibu for years, to come out of retirement to be his Master Blender.”
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