The ultimate celebrity booze brand stress test

Plus: Maybe Starbucks is just salty it got salted?

🥃 SPIRITS

Celebrity-backed drinks brands only work if the celebrity backer, y’know, drinks. I think? Right? Maybe not? This week, ageless queen of stage and screen Jennifer Lopez announced the launch of a new “ready-to-enjoy”¹ spirits-based spritz brand called Delola with minority investment from Beam Suntory and co-founder Ken Austin, the “celebrity spirits whisperer” behind Avión tequila (Entourage), Proper 12 Irish whiskey (Conor McGregor), and Teremana tequila (The Rock.) It’s a can’t-miss project, except for one detail: J.Lo has been very public about the fact that she doesn’t really drink. Also she’s married to Ben Affleck, a recovering alcoholic. So two details, really. I actually love this, because Delola will fascinating stress-test of the celebrity-spirits industrial complex: