Johnny Depp Launches Three Hearts Rum Brand

Rum has had a splashy role in Johnny Depp’s career.

First, there was the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise — “Why is all the rum gone?!” — and then came the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation The Rum Diary. Depp has now written another chapter, or poured another shot, with the launch of Three Hearts Rum, a premium Caribbean-inspired rum founded in partnership with his longtime friend Bobby DeLeon.

It’s not just another quick hit celebrity spirits brand. Depp and DeLeon have been swirling the idea around for years with the intent of creating something with meaning that honored their bond as well as the heritage of rum from the Caribbean, a place where Depp has spent considerable time across two decades (on his own private island in the Bahamas named Little Hall’s Pond Cay). Their creative process gained traction in the wake of the devastation caused by hurricanes across several Caribbean islands in recent years as they sought ways they might be able to support and spotlight local communities. Depp poured a bit of his heart into the bottle by designing it himself and incorporating symbolism inspired by his tattoos, personal philosophy and the three loves of his life.

The bottle is embossed with the flag of his island, made up of the tattoos on his body like a skull to serve as a reminder to live fully, a lightning bolt to symbolize enduring friendship, the number three to represent new beginnings and three hearts represent the loves of his life. The base of the bottle features the brand’s motto: “No Fear. No Malice. No Envy.” The top of the bottle features a bracelet-style charm.

“Rum holds the history of the islands,” Depp said in a statement. “It’s shaped by the hands of the people who grow the cane, ferment the spirit and age it over time. Bobby and I wanted to create something that honored that tradition and the friendships that inspired it.”

Added DeLeon: “We didn’t want to rush something into the world. This rum represents years of patience and collaboration. Our goal was to create something that respected the heritage of Caribbean rum while sharing the spirit of the friendship that started it.”

Per today’s news, the founders say they intend for Three Hearts Rum to mark the first chapter in what they plan as “a broader exploration of Caribbean rum traditions in the years ahead.” In an interview with Forbes, DeLeon described Three Hearts Rum rum as sticky toffee in flavor with aromas of wood, spices, candied orange and vanilla. It was made in a distillery in the Dominican Republic which aged the liquid in ex-bourbon barrels for five years and re-casked it for two more years in former cognac barrels resulting in a seven-year-aged rum.

See below for bottle details and behind-the-scenes images of Depp’s creative process at work.