Tattoos and Spirits

It may be stereotypical to assume that a bartender in a dive bar will serve you a drink with an ink-adorned forearm, but the parallels between tattoos and alcohol have been drawn for generations, from drunken pirates to beer-slinging bikers. 

After all, the rebellious nature of knocking back libations and rocking permanent body art often go hand in hand. And for some spirit companies, tattoos are now a major component of the brand ethos. 

In an oversaturated beverage industry where everything has been seemingly done before, there are a handful of businesses that have gone above and beyond, both past and present, to challenge marketing norms and redefine the connection they have with consumers, especially those who value the creativity and authenticity that transcend the liquor itself. 

These are the three that continue to lead the pack, one sip and tattoo at a time.  

A Spirited History

One of the earliest and most iconic examples of symbiosis between tattoos and alcohol can be traced to Sailor Jerry rum. 

Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins, known as the “Father of Old-School Tattooing,” cemented the foundation of American tattoo style with the creation of over 200 flash iterations, the development of his own pigments, and the utility of single-use needles. The spirit with his namesake was founded in 1999 by Ed Hardy and the late Mike Malone, two of Collins’ proteges.

“The rum was crafted in honor of Sailor Jerry and the brand honors his legacy while embodying his way of life,” confirms Eliza Conrad, manager of commercial brands at William Grant & Sons. “We continue to utilize Sailor Jerry flash tattoo designs in our branding and consumer communications.” 

Two of Collins’ flash designs are featured on the Sailor Jerry bottle: a hula girl inspired by his studio on Hotel Street in Honolulu, as well as swallows on the back label. The trailblazer’s famous anchor, panther, eagle, and ship are also woven into the company’s marketing materials. 

“Throughout the brand’s history, we have sought to connect with the tattoo community around the world. We pride ourselves on our work with tattoo artists at brand events, both highlighting great talent within the community and bringing Sailor Jerry’s tattoo art to our rum fan,” Conrad adds, revealing that tattoo aficionados from all over the world continue to upload and share their beloved Sailor Jerry ink on social media. 

This commitment to embracing and celebrating tattoo culture has also resonated among leaders in hospitality. 

“If you have tattoos, you might be a bartender. If you are a bartender, you most likely have tattoos. These two misfit cultures have found a way to thrive side by side, showing resilience in a life that was always looking down at them,” says Adrai Ramos, bar manager of Employee’s Only in Los Angeles. 

“I think something that Sailor Jerry rum has done is help support the normalcy of tattoos and people with them,” she adds. “It’s taking this hand-in-hand stride to help make a safe space for those in the tattoo culture and the ones behind the stick.”

Labels That Inspire

France-based L’Encantada Armagnac brandy took tattoo appreciation in a unique direction by commissioning artists to replicate their intricate sketches in label form. 

Nicolas Palazzi, owner of PM Spirits and L’Encantada’s U.S. importer, championed the idea and partnership after getting his first tattoo, which memorialized his daughter Jane’s health struggles with epilepsy. This evolved into other symbolic designs and subsequent ink sessions, which then inspired the entrepreneur to extend this art form to the bottle through an annual tattoo series that features up-and-coming talent.

“Tattoos are very important to me. They are also, in my mind, a very ‘American’ thing. Here, it felt like we were bridging both cultures: making old-school French spirits cooler by bringing it some American flavor,” Palazzi says, adding, “From a packaging standpoint, I associated the American flavor with tattoos.”

This artistic endeavor has resulted in collaborations with the renowned Matt Adamson, who completed Palazzi’s first tattoo, as well as Laura Leonello, who concocted a “Beacon of Hope” label in 2021 to capture life after the peak of COVID-19. 

Sky’s the Limit

Though Patagonia-based TRAKAL doesn’t incorporate ink into its everyday business model, tattoo culture has become embedded in the company’s DNA. Every year, the brand flies a handful of distinguished mixologists to a mountainous region for an adventure-packed “Tribe,” which is often commemorated with a tattoo that nods to the crabapple, pear, berry, and herb-based spirit and its natural surroundings. 

“Our TRAKAL Tribe trips are incredibly unique. We take bartenders off the grid for a week, lead them into the woods, and let them have an authentic experience in Patagonia,” explains TRAKAL Founder and Master Distiller Sebastian Gomez.

“TRAKAL was created to capture the aromas of the Patagonian Forest in a bottle, and these trips are our way of showing bartenders the ingredients, while also helping them understand our mission.” 

“Just like a good story, you share it,” he adds, which is why many participants choose to permanently document their trips with ink to serve as both a fond memory and a talking point for curious bar patrons. 

Previous designs have included the TRAKAL logo, Diez Minutos — a mountain range with 10 dots — a volcano, tepa leaves, and tepa leaves with volcanoes, symbols of the region where all of the one-of-a-kind liquor’s elements are sourced, blended, and distilled. 

Ink Again

As tattoos continue to be detailed, meaningful, and popular forms of self-expression, these are the qualities that liquor companies aim to associate with their own brands. Thus, it should come as no surprise that tattoos and spirits will continue to thrive in tandem as a relationship for the ages. 

Art In A Bottle

The unconventional world of Orin Swift

Orin Swift doesn’t play by the rules, and that’s the point. Founded by Dave Phinney in 1998 after falling in love with wine during a semester abroad in Florence, the brand is as much about storytelling as it is about bold blends.

Each bottle merges expressive design with striking flavor, creating an experience that feels more like art than wine. “Papillon,” a Bordeaux-style blend, features a haunting black-and-white image of tattooed hands and delivers deep notes of cassis, cedar, and boysenberry. “Advice From John,” an edgy take on merlot, leads with a blazing neon sign and finishes with flavors of blackberry pie, lilac, and espresso.

Influenced by his years in Los Angeles, Phinney designs labels that feel like street art: raw, personal, and impossible to ignore. Even the brand name is a story in itself, a tribute to his parents — Orin was his father’s middle name, Swift his mother’s maiden name.

With Orin Swift, what’s inside the bottle is just the beginning. From the vineyard to the label to the tasting room in downtown St. Helena, everything about Orin Swift is meant to evoke feeling, spark conversation, and defy expectation.

The Whiskey That Doesn’t Play by the Rules

Smoke Wagon Breaks Bourbon Tradition and Brands Itself into Legend.

Before launching a whiskey brand, Smoke Wagon Founder Aaron Chepenik was immersed in the world of film and Hollywood production. That background helps explain the brand’s flair for the dramatic. From its name (a slang term for a six-shooter) to the embossed bottle design that evokes a spaghetti Western, every detail feels carefully crafted.

What’s inside is just as intentional. The high-rye mash bill offers serious spice, but a blend of younger and older vintages expertly tempers it. The younger barrels keep it lively and fruit-forward. The older ones lend a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and sweet complexity that only comes with years spent moving in and out of level four charred oak.

Visually, Smoke Wagon is tattoo-worthy in every detail. The antique glass glows like desert sand under bar light, and the gold filigree wraps around two crossed six-shooters. This is the kind of bottle you don’t just drink from — you display it.