As the first whiskey distillery to grace Manhattan’s streets since Prohibition’s veil lifted, Great Jones Distilling Co. is getting into the spirit of art. It has partnered with the estate of the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, a luminary of the art world, in a limited-edition release that bridges the worlds of booze and creativity.
Situated just steps away from Basquiat’s former residence and art studio, which previously was put up for rent. From Basquiat’s archives, three distinctive works were cherry-picked. These artistic pieces now grace two limited edition bottles, one cradling its classic 4-year Straight Bourbon and the other, a distillery-exclusive release.
The limited-edition bottles don the iconic Pez Dispenser dinosaur graphic and two untitled works from 1982, Skull and Crown.
Fans of the artist can toast a glass of bourbon in his name at a new pop-up bar called ‘Basquiat’s New York’. The experience features the specially-made bottles, menu, and a VIP Tour of the barrel room set against a backdrop of nostalgic 1980s New York memorabilia in honor of Basquiat.
The bottles can now be bought online for US$39, alongside other merch such as hoodies, t-shirts, and caps.
Great Jones isn’t the only company to hit up the treasured works of Basquiat. In fact, Bombay Sapphire released its own line of liquor inspired by the artist last year.