The Smooth Tennessee Spirit Frank Sinatra Called The 'Nectar Of The Gods'

Celebrities who endorse or own liquor brands are a dime a dozen today. It seems like the next step for those in the spotlight after a hit movie or public scandal is to stamp their seal of approval on a strong drink and film a commercial about it. Back before this was common practice, Frank Sinatra (who demanded his dressing room be stocked with Coca-Cola) became an ambassador for none other than Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey.

Jack Daniel's is one of the most popular and recognizable spirits on the market. The label is so iconic you can find it on everything from t-shirts to Christmas tree ornaments. In the 1950s, the Lynchburg, Tennessee-based company was moderately successful, but not nearly the powerhouse brand it is today. The brand's public popularity catapulted in 1955 when Sinatra uttered a single sentence on stage during one of his performances. With a glass of whiskey in his hand, he proclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Jack Daniel's, and it's the nectar of the gods" (via Tales of the Cocktail Foundation).

After this, Jack Daniel's did the best thing it could to make sure Ol' Blue Eyes kept on sipping its whiskey (and hopefully get photographed doing so). It also made sure the singer was stocked with the spirit whenever he performed. As for how he took his whiskey, Sinatra was particular, preferring a two-finger pour in a rocks glass over exactly three ice cubes with a splash of water, which can reduce the alcohol burn. As for Sinatra's martinis, he liked them dry and cold with a lemon twist.

Jack Daniel's didn't set out to gain Frank Sinatra's praise. Rather, the singer discovered the whiskey on his own, sort of. In the 1940s, Sinatra met with his friend and fellow entertainer Jackie Gleason at a New York City bar when he told the comedian he wanted a 'serious' drink, to which Gleason responded, "Jack Daniel's! That's a good place to start" (via Scotchwhiskey.com). So began a lifelong preference for the American distilled spirit. 

When enjoying a drink, it was rare for Sinatra to choose anything but Jack Daniel's. His fondness for it was so large that he would hoist a Jack Daniel's flag outside of his Palm Springs home to signal to his neighbors it was time for cocktails. He sometimes wore the label logo on his clothing. When he died in 1998, Sinatra was buried with a bottle of his favorite whiskey.

Frank Sinatra was instrumental in bringing recognition to the Jack Daniel's brand. To pay homage to the legendary singer, the company released a special Sinatra Select edition in 2012. Aged in barrels that brought extra exposure to oak, it was blended to be bold, the way Sinatra would have liked it. Additionally, the company released Jack Daniel's Sinatra Century in 2015, the year in which Sinatra would have turned 100 years old.