Licensing your name out to a Japanese beverage may have, at one point in the free and easy, idealistic 1960s and 70s, seemed sacrilegious to fans of bands like the Rolling Stones.
That is what has happened, and you wouldn’t need to be eagle-eyed to have noticed if you live in Japan and have been in a convenience store lately… It’s doubtful that Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood or Charlie Watts will be sipping these drinks on their next (how many more can they cope with?) world tour but if they were thirsty, they would have options. (Ronnie Wood is reportedly a recovering alcoholic so we assume he’ll steer clear…)
The range was launched on June 19th by Suntory to mark the Stones’ 50th anniversary and includes Rolling Hop Beer (beer…), Rolling Gold Cocktail (er… with “Energy Taste”, according to the bottle – it’s got gin in it), and a Citrus Highball (guess that’s whisky and lemonade, then…). According to Suntory, the packaging incorporates gold flames and a zip at the neck of the bottle that is “reminiscent of the band’s 1971 album Sticky Fingers.” Or, any other zip ever.
Rolling Stones endorsed booze may not be here to stay but licensing out the iconic lips and tongue logo, designed by Jon Pasche in 1970, is not the only 50th anniversary special – it has been given an updated design, too.
Whether or not these will form part of your konbini buying habits or summer drinks repertoire, surely at least one of them is worth a try?
