A$AP Rocky has unveiled Mercer + Prince, a new blended Canadian whisky created and developed in partnership with Global Brand Equities and E. & J. Gallo. Aged in American white oak barrels and influenced by Japanese Mizunara oak, this whisky is presented in a two-cup bottle design created to stand out on any surface.
“I’m so excited and grateful to finally introduce Mercer + Prince to the world,” said founder A$AP Rocky. “I have wanted to launch a whisky for a few years, but it was difficult to find partners willing to innovate to the level I envisioned. Fortunately, I found those partners in Global Brand Equities and Gallo. I have been learning about whisky from all over the world for the past decade and wanted to defy the rules to create something unique, while honoring and respecting industry traditions. The bottle I designed is made to connect with the contemporary consumer. Mercer + Prince is smooth in taste, disruptive in packaging and close to my heart in name. It’s accessible to all and appeals to a diverse audience, which was very important to me.”
Mercer + Prince represents two of A$AP Rocky’s favorite cross streets in New York City, where people from all walks of life with different backgrounds intersect and come together, embodying the zeitgeist of the city’s energy at the convergence of the fashion and cultural spheres. A$AP Rocky’s taste and style are reflected in the bottle design, a direct result of a napkin-sketch-turned-reality. When ideating on what he wanted the bottle to look like, A$AP Rocky knew he wanted to create something functional that was also sleek and boundary pushing. The bottle is encased with two cups on either end, giving consumers the opportunity to immediately open the bottle and pour a drink for themselves and a friend. Additionally, the bottle can sit vertically or horizontally on a bar or table.
“Rocky has been a friend and someone I have always shared a creative connection with, so when he wanted to create a whisky, it was a no-brainer for us to create this partnership,” said James Morrissey, Founder & CEO of Global Brand Equities. “Rocky and I have always shared a vision to push the boundaries of innovation across genres and communicate with each other on the same frequency. Rocky is an intentional creator with a proven track-record to innovate and I knew he would have the inventiveness to build a consumer product that is sophisticated yet disruptive. We went from him showing me a napkin sketch, to what later became the Mercer + Prince bottle, to bringing on board the best partner for this project, global leader, E. & J. Gallo. They helped make this vision a reality and Britt West, the Vice President and General Manager of the spirit division at Gallo, has provided the tools for us to create an incredible whisky. It has been an honor to work alongside Rocky and Gallo on this project for the past two years and I am thrilled to continue to see Mercer + Prince grow in the years to come.”
Mercer + Prince is aged over four years in American white oak barrels and blended in Canada. On the nose, the whisky offers fruit aromas along with brown sweet whisky undertones that come from the ex-Bourbon barrels used in the aging process. Mizunara oak adds complexity and creates smooth dark caramel and vanilla notes layered with intense hints of baked apple and cinnamon, ultimately allowing the spirit to be easily enjoyed neat, over ice, or in a variety of cocktails.
“Bringing Rocky’s vision to life has been a terrific opportunity for Gallo and we appreciate his commitment,” said West. “It’s been an exciting process, helping him source the right whisky, finding partners capable of producing the package and ultimately getting it to the market effectively. With Mercer + Prince, Rocky wants to shake things up for the long term and we are fully on board.”
Mercer + Prince will be available online for exclusive pre-release through ReserveBar in participating states on March 24th and available in retail later this summer for $29.99.
For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
