When legendary performer Frank Sinatra died in 1998, he paid alcoholic beverages maker Brown-Forman Corp. (BFB)the highest compliment: he was buried with a flask filled with their Jack Daniel's whiskey.
Mr. Sinatra, according to Brown-Forman and the family estate, was a devoted fan of Jack Daniel's for decades during his lifetime. He was first introduced to the whiskey in the late 1940s, and Brown-Forman credits Mr. Sinatra's unofficial endorsement as an important factor that propelled Jack Daniel's to become a nationally recognized brand.
Brown-Forman, which currently sells just four versions of Jack Daniel's, recently began to sell a special edition called "Sinatra Select" in honor of the artist's close ties to the brand.
"This really honors what he meant to the brand," Jack Daniel's Master Distiller Jeff Arnett said.
With a suggested retail price between $150 to $175 for a standard 750 milliliter bottle, Sinatra Select is among the priciest American whiskeys. Though super premium spirits like Sinatra Select make up just 8% of total U.S. spirits volume, growth for the pricier beverages outpaced more affordable spirits last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
Mr. Sinatra's impact on the Jack Daniel's brand was immense, according to Brown-Forman. Jack Daniel's in 1955 sold roughly 150,000 cases, a figure that doubled the following year, after Mr. Sinatra began to refer to the whiskey as "the nectar of the gods" while on stage for various performances. Jack Daniel's popularity has since exploded, with the black and green label products selling 10.9 million cases globally last year.
John Hayes, senior vice president managing director for Jack Daniel's, said one of the brand's first salesmen, Angelo Lucchesi, developed a friendship with Mr. Sinatra and ensured the singer had a steady supply of the whiskey. At a time when it was hard for other consumers to get a hold of Jack Daniel's, cases would be delivered to Mr. Sinatra's home and even airports while he was traveling.
For now, Brown-Forman is planning a limited release of Sinatra Select, citing a maturation process and limited barrel supply that prevents a wider distribution. The whiskey is only sold at duty-free stores in a handful of major international airports, as well as in limited supply at the company's distillery in Lynchburg, Tenn., as well as in some outlets in that state. Brown-Forman is broadening Sinatra Select to more states late in 2013.
Mr. Hayes said Sinatra Select has been in development for over two years, and the whiskey sold under that brand is a 90 proof product, slightly stronger than 80 proof for the Jack Daniel's black label.
Tying celebrities to alcoholic brands isn't exactly a new concept, in fact, the practice has been used for decades. Director Woody Allen appeared in Smirnoff vodka ads in the 1960s. More recently, rapper P Diddy has been linked to Ciroc vodka while reality TV star Bethenny Frankel founded the Skinnygirl brand.
Mr. Sinatra also isn't the first deceased celebrity to be resurrected to promote a product. Actress Audrey Hepburn, for example, has been used in ads for Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) and Galaxy chocolate. Other iconic figures, including Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, and Cary Grant, have appeared in ads for cars, perfume, chocolate bars and diet soda.
But unlike many of those endorsements from the grave, often to brands the celebrities weren't known to love during their lifetime, Mr. Sinatra was a Jack Daniel's enthusiast.
"Sinatra Select is an extension of Dad's love of living life to its fullest shared with family and friends," Tina Sinatra, Frank's daughter, said. "The packaging and refinement of 'his Jack' would definitely please him."
