Boozy Brits spent more than ever on lockdown drinking – and celebrities are cashing in with their own bespoke brands.
Alcohol sales shot up during the pandemic with supermarkets reporting a 10 per cent increase in sales and online purchases rising by 22 per cent.
Industry experts say the celebrity drinks market has gone from being a “trickle to a flood”.
Adam Leyland , Editor In Chief of food and drink industry bible The Grocer, said: “ Coronavirus has helped the growth of celebrity wines in particular.
“While the restaurant trade has been hammered, sales in supermarkets, off-licences and subscription-based and online operations have boomed.
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“The success of celebrity alcoholic drinks tie-ups started as a trickle and has become a flood.”
He said British stars and following in the footsteps of American celebrities, becoming shareholders in brands.
Adam said: “What’s in no doubt with these celebrity drinks brands is their success in securing shelf-space. And among a whole bunch of bog standard brands, celebrity-backed wines command higher prices too.”.
Read our essential guide to the top 10 celebrity-backed tipples you can buy.. And we even taste tested absolutely all of them (so you won’t have to!).
Phillip Schofield (£24.99 for a 2.25 litre box - equivalent to three bottles)
DRINK : Benevento Falanghina (Italian White wine)
WHAT THEY SAY: After my family, wine is the biggest passion of my life without question.
WHAT WE SAY: Strong flavour and bitter aftertaste. Not bad if served cold (with plenty of melted ice in it) but only if you are absolutely parched. Stick to daytime TV, Phil.
SCORE : 2/5
Prince Charles (£39.95)
DRINK : Highgrove Organic London Dry Gin.
WHAT THEY SAY : A truly Regal creation inspired by the Royal Gardens at Highgrove, the private residence of HRH The Prince of Wales.
WHAT WE SAY : Intense flavour. Bursting with citrus and rosemary notes. Perfect for a tall icy G and T sundowner if a bit overpriced.
SCORE : 4/5.
Kylie Minogue (£7 to £9 )
DRINK : Rosé (French)
WHAT THEY SAY : It’s beautiful, it’s pretty. It’s summer in a bottle
WHAT WE SAY : Tastes a bit like a very bog standard rose wine you might find on tap at an average British boozer. And it feels like it might give you a hangover. Avoid. Not cheap either.
SCORE : 1/5
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (£12)
DRINK : Studio by Miraval rosé wine
WHAT THEY SAY : This new rosé will be the common thread linking a location, a legend, a legacy, and, above all, a love of art. It’s intended to evoke the spirit of the French Riviera.’ The couple still jointly own this French vineyard despite their split.
WHAT WE SAY : Lightly fragrant on the nose. A pleasant wine which feels expensive and complex. You could happily quaff this with fruits de mer Club 55 in St Tropez.
SCORE : 5/5
Sir Ian Botham (£7.99 )
DRINK : Botham the all-rounder (South eastern Australian Chardonnay).
WHAT THEY SAY : This is a medium to full bodied wine with a rich fruit profile and weight. On the palate, flavours of grapefruit, citrus and peach are combined with a well balanced acidity to produce an elegant style of Chardonnay with a good length and finish.
WHAT WE SAY : Strong-flavoured, slightly peachy and acidic. Not a big-hitter, rather a standard Chardonnay.
SCORE : 2/5
Graham Norton (£9.50)
DRINK : Pink by Design (New Zealand rose)
WHAT THEY SAY : What a stunner! Created on a perfect summer’s afternoon, balanced flavours and the perfect shade of pink combine to create my favourite Rosé to date. Enjoy!
WHAT WE SAY : Inoffensive, quaffable with a naff label. A light fruity, sunny afternoon treat. In case you forget, his name is written on the bottle eight times! Perhaps a bit of a vanity project.
SCORE : 2/5.
Heston Blumenthal (£25)
DRINK : Lazy Espresso Martini.
WHAT THEY SAY : Chef Blumenthal has created a pre-made cocktail that combines British Chase Vodka and the same Ethiopian Worka speciality coffee as served in the Michelin-starred restaurant.
WHAT WE SAY : Ready-mixing this particular cocktail is very hard to get right. This one isn;t a bad effort but it is too sweet - a bit like Tia Maria - and needs more of a caffeine punch.
SCORE : 3/5
Ryan Reynolds (£29)
DRINK : Aviation American Gin.
WHAT THEY SAY : I’ve tried every gin on the planet and Aviation is, hands down, the best. Also, I don’t recommend trying every gin on the planet. Stick with this one.
WHAT WE SAY : This kind of strength gin (it’s 42% but feels more like 50%) is the kind you might need a suck on before taking on a hairy wartime bombing raid. It really makes your eyes water. Its botanicals are complex and hard to define. This is a very popular gin but perhaps more of a Christmas treat than a regular go-to.
SCORE : 4/5
David Beckham (£25)
DRINK : Haig Club Clubman Scotch Whisky.
WHAT THEY SAY : Haig Club is all about making your own rules, I love that we are breaking the stereotypes associated with drinking scotch.
WHAT WE SAY : Looks like a cheap bottle of aftershave. Not very sophisticated at all in flavour. Tastes like an ordinary mass produced blended whisky. Save your money.
SCORE : 1/5.
P.Diddy (£38.50)
DRINK : Ciroc Snap Frost Vodka.
WHAT THEY SAY : Lusciously smooth, playfully sophisticated Ciroc is a commitment to superior taste, quality and a fun-loving lifestyle.
WHAT WE SAY: Reassuringly strong with a pure taste. Citrus undertones. This one isn’t a shooter. Perfect for a long icy cooler-style drink at the poolside this summer.
SCORE : 4/5.
Spencer Matthews (£16)
DRINK : Clean Co. Clean G. (Very low alcohol gin - 1.5%).
WHAT THEY SAY : Crisp juniper, balanced with botanicals - delicious.
WHAT WE SAY : This is actually really refreshing! But perhaps only because it tastes a lot like undiluted lemon squash. Hard to see where the money goes. Chemical aftertaste. Why not just buy a bottle of lemon squash and add water. Delicious if you’re actually craving a soft drink and money is no object.
SCORE : 3/5.
