Is It Worth Paying $5,000 For A Star Wars-Themed Cocktail?
It's safe to say there are a lot of "Star Wars" fans out there — and according to the Global Web Index (GWI), an estimated one in four internet users are enthusiasts of the more than $68 billion intergalactic enterprise. As GWI noted, the "Star Wars" fanbase isn't restricted to older generations, most likely thanks to Disney's purchase of the Lucasfilm franchise in 2012. Tellingly, GWI's data shows that as a whole, "Star Wars" fans are spread pretty evenly across generational divides, from Gen Z-ers to Baby Boomers. So, by that logic, there are clearly tons of people who'd love to have a mysteriously alluring "Star Wars"-themed drink, one that costs $5,000, right?
Indeed, it's far from unheard of that "Star Wars" fans will pay quite a bit to own a collectible from the Empire. Consider, for example, how much Carrie Fisher's discourse-heavy bikini costume from "Return of the Jedi" sold for at auction: $96,000 for what is technically just two pieces of rubbery, painted dense urethane (via the BBC). Or how an autographed custom leather jacket worn by Harrison Ford's Hans Solo went to one lucky fan willing to pay $191,000 for a piece of wearable "Star Wars" memorabilia, per TIME. (To be fair, it's worth noting that many of the auctions held for "Star Wars" collectibles fundraisers for various charities and nonprofits.) Regardless, diehard fans of any genre are forking over their hard-earned money for something that it's really difficult to put a price tag on: They're buying a feeling.
What's the deal with the $5,000 Star Wars-themed cocktail?
In July 2022, Disney announced the launch of their new Disney Wish cruise, "where fantastical worlds and beloved stories from Disney, Marvel, 'Star Wars,' and Pixar are brought to life like never before," according to their website. As anticipated, their $5,000 "Star Wars"-themed Kaiburr Crystal cocktail, which is available exclusively on their cruise liner, is dished up in an appropriately galactic setting: The ship's luxuriously appointed Hyperspace Lounge.
Danny Handke, a senior creative director of Walt Disney Imagineering, told the official Star Wars website blog in 2021 that the lounge features a breathtaking "window" behind the bar that displays live landscapes such as the planet Tatooine and skirmish scenes of the Resistance and the First Order. The Kaiburr Crystal is served in a camtono container (pictured above), a reference to a receptacle in which precious metals and explosives are stored in the "Star Wars" movies. The cocktail itself emits steam as the camtono's miniature space doors open, revealing a treasure trove inside.
It's these rare kinds of settings that fans are willing to save up for months, or even years, in order to immerse themselves completely into their favorite story. With a hefty price tag, fans probably wish the cocktail actually contained Kaiburr Crystals from the movie franchise. While that doesn't appear to be the case, it also seems that customers who purchase the drink might not be aware of what the contents of their $5000 cocktail actually are, either; Disney refuses to share the ingredients of their expensive aperitif.
It's a wookie mistake to assume you're paying for a single cocktail
Despite Disney's decision to keep their list of ingredients for their $5,000 Kaibur Crystal cocktail in a camtono of their own, it seems that at least a few people who've ordered it might have cracked the code. In a post for the website WDW Radio, blogger Beci Mahnken shared her experience of purchasing and imbibing the "Star Wars"-themed drink, and relayed, per her account, that it contained Camus cognac, Grand Marnier Quintessence, Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 23 Year bourbon, Watenshi gin, and Taylor's Fladgate Kingsman Edition Very Old Tawny Port.
But that's not all you get when you order the Kaibur Crystal. According to Mahnken, the rare cocktail is served in expensive Christophle BeeBee silver-plated cups, which you get to keep. Scott Gustin, a writer and self-described Disney aficionado who also had a chance to order the drink, shared on Twitter, that he also received a "Star Wars" backpack, a bottle of sparkling wine from Skywalker Ranch, room decorations, and other gifts while on the cruise. (He also stated that "yuzu and kumquat" were elements of the cocktail, which Mahnken did not.)
Why is Disney so elusive about what goes into their "Star Wars"-themed, once-in-a-lifetime cocktail? Maybe we'll never know — but honestly, sometimes mystery is exactly what you need to make an experience so uniquely unforgettable.