Ja Rule Holds Back 238-Store Whiskey Rollout To Build His Team

Ja Rule held off on a 238-store push for Amber & Opal while his team sought $5 million to $7 million to grow the whiskey brand.

In an interview with Inc., the rapper said the business could make that leap now. But the four founders chose to focus on seven markets they could visit to help stores sell the product.

Co-founder Herb Rice said a nationwide launch would leave them stretched too thin. Tastings and bar visits take time, and stores can drop bottles that stop selling.

“It’s 17 hats to go around,” Ja Rule said. “We’re trying to figure out how to split that up four ways.”

The hands-on work grew from a much different plan. Ja Rule and Rice started their whiskey venture in 2021 as investors in barrels they hoped to sell once the liquor had aged.

When other members of their investment group began making bottles for themselves, the pair saw a chance to build a brand. Ja Rule teamed with Rice, Sandy Sandiford and Kelvin Barton to launch Amber & Opal.

The whiskey they bought for that first investment was separate from the rye used in their blend.

Distillers advised them to keep the older bourbon out of the honey recipe, so they bought Maryland rye for the brand instead.

Ja Rule’s lack of whiskey expertise also shaped what they made. He told InsideHook in July 2025 that he wanted a drink he could enjoy as a newcomer. His more seasoned partners cared about details such as a smoky finish.

The team tested honey, spices and tea to find that balance. Their blend used orange blossom honey along with fig, ginger, cinnamon and lapsang souchong black tea.

Those choices gave the rapper a product to bring directly to his fans. In early 2025, he visited a Miami Beach store to sign bottles, take photos and let people try the whiskey.

He also saw store visits as a way for fans to get to know him beyond his music. “I really love getting out and touching the fans whenever I can,” he told iHeartRadio at the time.

The next step would be to add staff beyond the four founders. Ja Rule said the planned funding would help hire people to support the brand in more markets over the next year or so.