The NBA already has its fair share of player (and ex-player) backed booze brands—LeBron James’ Lobos 1707 Tequila, James Harden’s J-Harden Wines, Michael Jordan’s Cincoro Tequila, and CJ McCollum’s Heritage 91 wines are a few of note. Now it looks like superstar Warrior Stephen Curry has entered the whiskey world, and while the details are scarce we have a few tidbits to share.
The news about Curry’s new whiskey arrived via Instagram account Coming Whiskey, which posted a picture of the label that was submitted to the TTB for approval. Here’s what we know so far based on that information. The whiskey is a straight bourbon called Gentleman’s Cut Game Changer that was distilled, aged, and bottled in Boone County, Kentucky. The mashbill is a pretty standard high-rye formula of 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and 4 percent malted barley, and the whiskey was aged for a minimum of five years and bottled at 85 proof.
There’s a quote attributed to Wardell Stephen Curry (the all-star’s full name) on the back label that says the following: “I’ve learned over the years that life is best enjoyed in the close company of others. It’s those moments of celebrating a milestone, enjoying endless laughter into the evening, or simply an unpredictable night of carrying on that makes for a memory you can always reflect on. I’ve long found that these unforgettable evenings are often best enjoyed with a rich and nuanced bourbon in hand, which is why I’m proud to have helped carefully craft a new signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon.” It seems that Curry has a bit of a whimsical streak, assuming these are actually his words.
The DSP (or distilled spirits producer) number listed on the back label is for Boone County Distilling Co., so that is presumably where the whiskey was distilled and not just sourced given the information on the label. But, of course, this is all very preliminary at the moment. Boone County has been up and running since 2015, so it’s entirely possible for it to have bottled a five-year-old bourbon. And the mashbill is extremely close to the one listed at the distillery’s website—74 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and 5 percent malted barley—so the one detailed on the label could be an error, or it could just be a slightly different recipe. Lastly, the address listed on the back for the “Game Changer” company is the same as Boone County Distilling’s.
There’s still no information as to when this bourbon might be released. But with the Warriors chances of making the playoffs this year looking pretty good, maybe we’ll see a couple of bottles of bourbon being sprayed in the locker room instead of Champagne. Just no open flames, please, because whiskey has a much higher ABV than bubbly.
