❒ Around 2006, Portland, Oregon was having a lovely evening. Huddled around a copper still, a group of distillers is creating what they expect to be the next major gin trend. Little did they realise that their product would one day grab the attention of a certain smart-cracking Canadian actor, launching their modest attitude into the stratosphere of celebrity alcohol.

Before Reynolds’ magical touch, Aviation Gin was a modest spirit born in Portland, Oregon—a city noted for its hipster culture, craft breweries, and supposedly artisan gin. The gin itself is special; it’s more about a balanced mix of botanicals that produces a smoother finish than it is about the classic juniper-heavy taste. This was a gin for the modern day, one that would appeal to a new generation of gin lovers, Gen Z baddies, searching for something different than what your grandfather’s gin was.

➪ In 2018, I am seated on a barstool in New York City seeing none other than Ryan Reynolds personally seated behind the bar. The man who once donned red spandex to play the “Merc with a Mouth” is now waxing poetic about juniper berries and botanical blends.

How did we get here? Buckle up, folks – get ready for a gin trip into the galaxy of Aviation American Gin.

Ryan Reynolds’s road to gin guru was not quite straightforward. Years of keen wit and chiselled good looks illuminating the silver screen had Reynolds at a crossroads. I overheard him say, “I’ve played superheroes, romantic leads, and even a talking Pokemon,” to a starstruck customer. “But nothing equipped me for the lifetime job: Gin Daddy.” It all began when Reynolds sampled Aviation Gin at a hip Vancouver bar. As he relates it,

It was love at first taste. Though it meant selling my soul—or at least a large portion of my financial account—I realised I had to get involved.

__ Ryan Reynolds | Gin Guy & Part Time Actor

Reynolds bought a share in Aviation Gin in February 2018 and became owner and creative director of the business. But this was more than just another instance of a famous person effacing their name on a bottle. Oh no, Reynolds entered the world of spirits headlong with all the fervour of a frat kid at his first keg celebration.

It became evident as I watched Reynolds deftly mix drinks that evening that his participation with Aviation Gin was more than just a vanity endeavour. Using his typical comedy and social media expertise to flip gin marketing on its reverse, the actor had evolved into a real brand ambassador.

Gone were the stuffy, pinky-raised commercials of days. Reynolds released a slew of funny advertisements and viral videos with the internet in stitches in their place. Who could forget the legendary Peloton spoof, with the “Peloton Wife” drowning her grief with Aviation Gin? Alternatively, the period Reynolds paid Gordon, his “twin brother,” to question him about the brand?

 

Leaning conspiratorially, Reynolds said, “It’s all about the botanicals, baby.” “Seven of “em, exactly in balance. Like the Gin world’s Avengers, but with less spandex and more juniper.” 

 

Indeed, Aviation Gin distinguishes itself from conventional London Dry gins with its own flavour signature. Designed by distiller Christian Krogstad and bartender Ryan Magarian, the gin combines cardamom, coriander, French lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, juniper, and orange peel. The outcome is a smooth, adaptable spirit that performs equally in a basic martini as in more daring concoctions.

I couldn’t help but wonder at the path of both the man and the brand as the final call drew near and Reynolds got ready to hang his symbolic bartender’s apron. Aviation Gin had really flown from a little Portland distillery to a worldwide powerhouse.

Diageo, a spirits behemoth, paid a cool $610 million for Aviation Gin in August 2020, demonstrating again how wise Reynolds’ investment was. But even with this massive payday, the actor shows no signs of stepping away from his beloved brand.

Reynolds thought of “Aviation Gin as like my child,” wiping down the bar. ” Except it’s composed of booze, which I suppose makes me a rather horrible parent. Still, it will never ask to borrow the car!”

Pleasant, intoxicated and well amused, yet as I staggered out into the New York night, I couldn’t help but mentally salute Ryan Reynolds and his energetic trip. Among celebrity-backed alcohol companies, Aviation Gin distinguishes itself not just for its quality but also for the real passion and humour its well-known owner adds to every bottle.

Consider a bottle of Aviation Gin the next time you’re looking over the liquor shop shelves? As Reynolds himself may remark, “It’s not just a gin – it’s a gin with a Hollywood ending.