Johnny Depp Reveals Three Hearts Rum—a Bottle Fit for Captain Jack Sparrow

“Why is the rum always gone?” It’s a recurring question posed by Captain Jack Sparrow across the five-film Pirates of the Caribbean mega-franchise. It even made for an enduring internet meme. 

Now, the actor who breathed life into that iconic role is finally tackling the issue head on. This week Johnny Depp launched Three Hearts Rum—a brand of Caribbean-sourced cane spirit that leans heavily on small batch production and creative barrel finishes. 

The inaugural expression comes from a family-owned distillery in the Dominican Republic. It absorbed “a hint of Oloroso” sherry influence before a primary five year maturation in barrels that previously held bourbon. Then it was aged a second time in casks that previously held  Cognac for an additional two years. This special aging process results in a confection-like sipper, robust in mouthfeel and awash in maple syrup and sticky toffee pudding tonalities. And yet an ever-so-slight leathery dryness emerges in its slow-bobbing retreat. 

As such, the 80-proof elixir hits a sweet spot in the market, for lack of a better term. It offers a degree of sophistication that eludes lower shelf spiced rums, most of which use sugary additives to arrive at something overly saccharine. But it maintains a level of approachability missed by many un-aged rums, which can seem too boozy for casual consumers—or for Three Hearts’ co-founder, anyway. 

“I was never a big fan of white rum and the sort of cocktails that would take the top of your head off,” says Depp. “I’ve always enjoyed dark rum because it’s something you don’t slam back. It’s something to sip. In the early days, I was messing with Havana Club and Myers’s. I sort of understood the pivots between them. But they never really got me.”

So he decided to get a rum that did. It certainly didn’t happen overnight. Depp’s connection to the Caribbean stretches back more than two decades. Principal photography on the original Pirates of the Caribbean began in late 2002 on St. Vincent island. And the idea to launch a rum brand with his longtime friend, entertainment executive Bobby DeLeon, began percolating shortly thereafter—accelerated, no doubt, when he starred in a 2011 movie literally called The Rum Diary. 

But it turns out, even before either of these projects, Depp had long been captivated by the category’s maritime lore. 

“When you think back hundreds of years ago on the British sailing ships, they would grab anybody out of a bar and throw them on board and they wouldn’t come back for two years,” he says, referring to the ghoulish practice of impressment, prevalent in the Royal Navy from the 17th to the early 19th centuries. “When they were on those ships, the water was filthy. Water was death. So what they drank mostly was rum. Rum was the way to kill disease. You’d drink it with lime and fight off scurvy. It was something that was really quite necessary—just get to this huge ladle and barrel. That’s how I was raised 200 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

Indeed, there is something of a pirate aura surrounding the star. Being in his presence leads you to believe that the onscreen depiction of Sparrow could be a bit more autobiographical than most realize; that the line between actor and role is one drawn in beachy sand. Perhaps the conception of Three Hearts is something of a birthright—even if that means the birth of a previous life. 

At any rate, this is a liquid that feels markedly intentional, particularly for a celebrity-backed brand. Depp spent seven years working with the distillers to make sure the liquor was where he thought it should be. “I wanted burnt caramel; I wanted this after note that could feel like a carnival,” he explains. “And they delivered with flying colors.”

It comes packaged in a wholly unique, cork-topped decanter that holds vintage appeal: embossed with the eponymous trio of red hearts—alongside a skull and crossbones, with charm bracelets fastened to its neck. The base of the bottle (which can also be presented on its side) is inscribed with a motto: “No Fear. No Malice. No Envy.” The fact that it all feels like a projection of Depp himself is hardly a coincidence. The Academy Award-nominated actor designed the bottle, using hand-drawn sketches. All of the embossed elements are taken from personal tattoos, each with their own deeper meaning. 

If a quick cash grab was the motivation here, a simpler, more straightforward bottle would have been preferred. And a category such as tequila would offer far friendlier margins. As would, say, a Kentucky bourbon—which could be a natural fit, considering that Depp hails from the Bluegrass State. He’s a fan of that category as well but wouldn’t dare encroach upon the realm of Heaven’s Door and its celebrity owner: “There is nothing in my being that wants to go into competition with Bob Dylan,” he says sternly. 

As for Three Hearts’ future, Depp promises a portfolio expansion across other islands of the Caribbean. Subsequent releases will highlight and celebrate the various traditional techniques unique to specific regions—while also introducing a potentially lucrative revenue stream to the small family-run distillers he partners with.

“I have no expectations,” says the refreshingly earnest superstar. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with this. Of course everything that you put your heart into creatively, you hope it resonates.” He then draws a direct correlation to acting, “If they haven’t bought my character in the first three minutes, I’m dead. Then you’re just going to watch a bunch of baggage being dragged around.” 

In its inaugural expression, Three Hearts is quite a character in its own right. After years of preparation, it’s time to see if rum drinkers are willing to buy in. It’s on shelves now at $70 a bottle.