Joe Montana Talks Whiskey, Coolest NFL Players, & Sneaker Commercials

Joe Montana applies his effortlessly cool style to a partnership with Gold Bar Whiskey.

Joe Montana is leading the San Francisco 49ers and Gold Bar Whiskey. | Gold Bar Whiskey

Earlier this week, Gold Bar Whiskey, the Official Whiskey of the San Francisco 49ers, launched its first-ever ready-to-drink cocktail in collaboration with legendary Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana - the Gold Bar Whiskey 'Double Gold.'

The 12-oz can of Double Gold features a unique QR code unlocking a complimentary vintage Joe Montana t-shirt. Fans can #ScanTheCan and visit the Gold Bar Distillery on Treasure Island to claim their exclusive shirt.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 49ers' historic 1985 Super Bowl title, Gold Bar Whiskey is also releasing a Retro Edition 85-proof straight bourbon finished in wine casks. Each bottle comes with an innovative "Necker Koozie" - a detachable drink sleeve designed to keep Double Gold canned cocktails ice cold.

The Double Gold is now available at retailers across Northern California and for nationwide delivery at goldbarwhiskey.com. The Gold Bar Whiskey Retro Edition bottle launches in stores and online this September.

As part of the exciting announcement, Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI spoke with Montana about whiskey, the upcoming NFL season, and his iconic footwear commercials during his playing days.

Joe Montana holds the limited-edition Gold Bar Whiskey shirt. | Gold Bar Whiskey

What made you want to partner with Gold Bar Whiskey?

Well, it was a lot of things. It was something that had a connection to the 49ers. The other was, I don't always call myself a whiskey aficionado. But my friend has a crazy 3,000-bottle collection, so I got to taste a ton of things.

This was just a fun thing where everything came together. Making the double gold cocktail, the retro edition of the Bourbon in commemoration of the 1985 Super Bowl. Plus, there's a little koozy that comes with it. Plus, fans can scan the QR codes on the back and get a retro t-shirt.

Did they get the retro packaging and marketing right?

Yes, they have done a very good job. They did it right.

Switching gears to football, do you have any big predictions for the upcoming NFL season?

Well, I think you're going to see a lot of the same faces when it comes down to the end. Obviously, they'll probably be, like every year, like a Washington team that pops up out of nowhere that one's expecting.

But for the most part, I think you're going to see them back. I think you'll see Philly back. Kansas City, the 49ers got a good shot to get back into there, and I still like Buffalo if they could just get out of their own way.

Joe Montana debuts the Gold Bar Whiskey koozie. | Gold Bar Whiskey

And the other team, which I always thought would be better, is the Chargers. I always thought they would be up in there a little bit more, but they seem to fade away there towards the end for some reason.

You earned the nickname "Joe Cool." Are there any current players that you think meet the high bar you set for coolness?

Well, you got to throw Joe Burrow in there. I really like Josh Allen and Justin Herbert. We've got a lot of young guys, that all are fun to watch.

Joe Montana for Gold Bar Whiskey. | Gold Bar Whiskey

You had some epic LA Gear commercials starring alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Karl Malone. Do you have a favorite commercial?

I think the one that was a play on White Men Can't Jump. That was a fun day. Those guys were great to be around. It always amazes me that those guys are like a head and a half taller than me.

Of course, there is a connection between LA Gear and Skechers. You were in the Skechers campaign. Are you still wearing Skechers these days?

I wear a little bit of everything. My wife is trying to get me out of tennis shoes. She is a fashion person, and I mean, she dresses extremely young and fashionable, and she goes, 'Can you please not wear tennis shoes?'

But they're in and everybody's wearing them. I don't care. So, I still kick around and the tennis shoes a little bit here and there. You can't get me out.

Last question: You did plenty of winning in your career. Which would mean more for you as a fan, a Notre Dame championship or a San Francisco Super Bowl?

Well, they're so different. Winning the National Championship, probably at that point in time, was the most exciting thing that happened to me. So it's very fresh in my mind. And you can't pick one of the Super Bowls in San Francisco because they're all so different.

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