Matthew McConaughey, Blake Lively and More Go All-In on Agave: Rounding up Every Celebrity Tequila Release of 2023

Even among casual consumers, the monumental rise of celebrity-owned tequila has been hard to ignore. It is everywhere — competing spirits from Kevin Hart, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Eva Longoria, Bryan Cranston and Kendall Jenner have cropped up at liquor stores across the country, all clocking in at wildly different price points, flavors and popularity.

If 2023 is anything to go by, the craze shows no sign of slowing down. This year, Hollywood’s biggest stars cashed in on pre-mixed cocktails, non-alcoholic spirits, summery mezcal blends and more. Sorting through the madness, we’ve rounded up eight of the most buzzed-about celebrity agave spirits launches in 2023. Buckle up.

Starting from Scratch

Matthew McConaughey – Pantalones Tequila

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Heartthrob, proud Texan and catchphrase guru Matthew McConaughey recently made an unexpected venture into the world of agave spirits with Pantalones Tequila.

The brand’s marketing campaign — centered around footage of Camila and Matthew McConaughey riding pantsless through the agave fields of Mexico — is clearly intended as a tongue-in-cheek response to spirits trends. The Pantalones website proudly reads: “No. The world doesn’t need another celebrity Tequila. But goodness gracious the Tequila industry sure could use a shot of fun. ”

Pantalones is hitting liquor store shelves with three expressions retailing in the $45-$55 range, positioning it as a moderately budget-friendly alternative to the celebrity competition. 

Danny Trejo – Trejo’s Spirits Tequila Alternative

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Beloved character actor Danny Trejo celebrated 50 years of sobriety with the launch of a non-alcoholic tequila alternative. According to Trejo, it’s the first of many to come — his new imprint Trejo’s Spirits is already sketching out plans for a zero-proof rum, gin, mezcal, American whiskey and more.

Amidst the trending popularity of mocktails and initiatives like Dry January and Sober October, the venture seems like a lucrative no-brainer. Retailing for $36, Trejo’s Tequila Alternative is said to balance “rich, grassy and oaky” flavors without the boozy bite.

Erin Lichy – Mezcalum

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At this point, it’s hard to deny that celebrity tequila has reached its overcrowded summit. But what of celebrity mezcal?

Real Housewives of New York star Erin Lichy handily changed up the trend with Mezcalum, a new zero-additive mezcal distilled from a combination of agave Espadin and wild-grown agave Cuishe. The unexpected collection of investors behind the brand includes Erin and her husband Abe Lichy, “curator of pop culture” Deuxmoi, New York Jets Wide Receiver Randall Cobb and co-founder Chris Roth.

The brand’s image centers around sunny beaches, tropical memories and an ode to self-proclaimed “wellness warriors.” If that sounds like your cup of tea, Mezcalum is now available for $49.99.

Cocktails Galore

Canelo Álvarez – VMC (Viva Mexico Cabrones!)

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As hard seltzers like White Claw and Truly gradually wane in popularity, a new generation of spirits-based canned cocktails is filling the void. Naturally, tequila is front and center. Even more naturally, celebrity investors are aplenty.

Here enters world champion boxer Canelo Álvarez. Paying homage to his hometown of Guadalajara, Álvarez’s new brand VMC (short for Viva Mexico Cabrones, or, Long Live Mexico Bastards in English) hit liquor store shelves in the US over the summer. Decked out with the colors and iconography of the Mexican flag, the 6% ABV trio comes in Margarita, Paloma and Jamaica (hibiscus) flavors.

Blake Lively – Betty Booze

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Years after the debut of her non-alcoholic tonic brand Betty Buzz, Gossip Girl alum Blake Lively is foraying into tequila and bourbon cocktails with the aptly named “Betty Booze.”

The lineup emphasizes unconventional, organically sourced flavors; a Sparkling Tequila with Oak Smoked Lemonade, Sparkling Tequila with Lime Shiso (an Asian herb with a basil-like flavor) and a Sparkling Bourbon with Apple Ginger Sour Cherry. Frankly, each of the names is a bit of a mouthful, but maybe that’s exactly what you want from a fully-flavored canned cocktail.

Why the change of pace from Betty Buzz? Depending on who you ask, it’s all in the family — in 2020, Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds managed to sell his brand Aviation Gin to Diageo for a cushy $610 million. Suffice it to say, there’s big money to be made.

Jennifer Lopez – House of Delola

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Certain brands have sought to premiumize the canned cocktail concept with full-sized, 750ml bottles that can be placed right alongside your favorite spirits. With her latest venture House of Delola, Jennifer Lopez aims to do exactly that.

The first trio of releases, dubbed “Delola Spritz,” comes in Bella Berry Spritz, Paloma Rosa Spritz, and L’Orange Spritz flavors, containing vodka and hibiscus, tequila and elderflower, and amaro and passionfruit respectively. “It has this combination, which I think is very me, where it’s kind of down to earth … but also super glam,” said Lopez in a press release. “Jenny from the block meets the Italian coast.”

Bottles can be picked up for around $20 each.

Old Brand, New Spirit

Casamigos Cristalino

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Since launching in 2013, George Clooney and Rande Gerber’s Casamigos has risen to dominate the alcohol landscape. When the brand was acquired by spirits giant Diageo for a record $1 billion in 2017, it single-handedly inspired the celebrity tequila craze that we know (but perhaps don’t love) today.

Despite the rabid fanfare, Casamigos has kept it relatively simple over the years, releasing only a Blanco, Reposado, Añejo and oft-forgotten Mezcal. In June, the brand finally expanded its portfolio with Casamigos Cristalino, a charcoal-filtered rendition of its flagship Resposado. If aggressively smooth Cristalino tequilas are your thing, this release can be picked up for around $60.

Guy Fieri & Sammy Hagar – Santo Añejo

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“Mayor of Flavortown” Guy Fieri and Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar recently teamed up for their fifth release under the Santo Tequila imprint. Aged for 24 months in ex-American whiskey oak casks, Santo Añejo dials it up big with flavors of peppery cedar, dried desert sage and green melon.

Considering Fieri’s notoriety for unabashedly sweet and salty American food, it may come as a surprise that his brand is a bonafide hit with tequila enthusiasts. Retailing for $85, the new confirmed additive-free añejo is far more a solo sipper than a cocktail mixer.

Read More:

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