Skip to main content

NBA Great Scottie Pippen Does Bourbon and Tea

Perhaps best known as the reliable teammate of some guy named Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen is now making a different name for himself in the worlds of tea and spirits. Pippen, the Arkansas native who went on to win six titles with the Chicago Bulls, remains one of the best small forwards the NBA has ever seen. Turns out, the seven-time All-Star is interested in bourbon as well, running his own brand called DIGITS. That project recently intersected with another one of his passions in tea and — as the new enterprise suggests — the two play well together.

DIGITS launched in early 2021, a collaboration between Pippen and Dave Phinney of Napa Valley wine fame. The current offering is predominately corn-based, aged in barrels sourced from Indiana and Tennessee and assembled at Savage & Cook in California. It’s part of a giant wave of premium bourbon that has come out of American distilleries over the last decade.

Scottie Pippin holding a tea cup.
Brent A. Miller

Pippen’s latest collaboration is with Steven Smith Teamaker in Portland. Appropriately named Blend No. 33 (the number he wore on his jersey), the barrel-aged tea is crafted from Pippen’s own bourbon barrels. It mixes up three black tea blends, aged for five months in the barrel before being hit with coconut, cinnamon, and vanilla. The result is a complex tea that’s enjoyable on its own but equally good with bourbon or as the base for a Hot Toddy. It incorporates Assam, Ceylon, and Keemun tea types. The latter is a traditional Chinese variety considered by many to be the whiskey of the tea world, often showing woodsy, malty, and stone fruit notes with floral aromatics.

Recommended Videos

The move is savvy, as it covers a couple of bases. First, it honors the growing number of consumers looking for non-alcoholic options, perhaps while still pursuing some of those flavors and experiences (the tea sips like a complex whiskey). Second, it meshes well with his spirits brand and is a bit of an homage to something he grew up drinking.

Like a lot of NBA players, current and former, Pippen has an appreciation for wine but simply prefers spirits and tea. “When you grow up in the south, you grow up drinking tea,” he admits. “It was iced when I was younger and now, I like hot tea after dinner.”

Pippen says tea was always in his fridge growing up in Arkansas. “You throw a little ice in that and it’s a great way to beat the southern heat,” he says. “The older I got, and the further north I lived, I started to drink more hot tea.”

The collaboration works on a lot of levels, not only the complementary flavors of the tea and the bourbon but also Pippen’s connection to Portland where he played for four years as a Trailblazer. “Smith embraced me and it was truly a collaboration from start to finish,” Pippen adds.

As for bourbon, Pippen has grown to appreciate the spirit over the years, especially a good pairing. “I spent most of my NBA career in Chicago and it’s a city with several world-class steakhouses,” he says. “The combination of a perfectly-cooked steak and a smooth bourbon to sip on is tough to beat. I definitely kept that in mind as DIGITS became a reality.” When the label did drip its maiden bourbon, Pippen’s team managed to move 5,000 cases of it in the first two months alone.

Pippen credits his current teammates for the growth of his spirits brand and the new collaborative tea. “My biggest takeaway is that I couldn’t have done it myself,” he admits. “I’ve been fortunate to have a team that is experienced and intelligent. They know about the industry, how to introduce a new product, and how to grow it. I’ve appreciated getting a chance to understand everything that takes place throughout the process.”

As for the future, Pippen isn’t entirely sure but he’s looking forward to it. For him, it’s as much about ethos as the brand itself. “Do what’s right, operate with honesty, and act in a way that makes you and your team proud,” he says.

Mark Stock
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
Pineapple cocktails are this summer’s hottest trend — these recipes are must-try
Tropical is the way to go for summer cocktails
A glass of pineapple Tiki style cocktail.

Over the last few years, the cocktail world has seen a number of massive trends. From espresso Martini recipes galore to the return of fun flavors like banana, there's been a lot of action behind the bar. After chatting with some industry folks, we're convinced one of the big cocktail flavors of summer 2025 is going to be pineapple.

Call it escapism or that long-standing love for all things tropical, whatever it may be, pineapple seems to be coming back yet again. Recently, it's shown up not just in the form of intriguing cocktail recipes but infused into liqueurs and even injected into beer. Looks like pineapple might just find a way into your favorite glass this summer.

Read more
Flashy Independence Day cocktails from Deep Eddy Vodka
Red, white, blue, and refreshing
Festive Deep Eddy shot.

The Fourth of July is tomorrow and if you don't have a signature cocktail in order yet, fear not. We've got two festive recipes from a vodka brand worth trying out at home. They're cold, colorful, and refreshing, meaning they're more than welcome on a long summer weekend.

Deep Eddy set us up with pair of cocktails befitting of the weekend, each with a trio of colors and flavors. In the end, you're set up with a beverage that can handle even the hottest afternoon as you try out some easy grilling recipes. And you can dress them up any way you like, adding cool straws or garnishes.
Declaration on Ice

Read more
The ultimate holiday weekend drink: Good Guys’ Frozen Fernet & Coke
Bitter, sweet, cold, and cola-driven
Amaro

Fernet is amazing stuff. The iconic Italian amaro adds a smack of bitterness and herbaceous goodness to your favorite cocktails, balancing out the drink at large and making it oh so tasty. And the liquid goes especially well with Coke, preferably frozen.

In the spirit of summer, we reached out to Good Guys in NYC for an optimal hot-weather cocktail. You know, the one that's the equivalent of playing in front of a gushing fire hydrant in New York City on a sweltering day. And I believe we have the drink.

Read more