James Bond's 007 Malt Liquor 12 Oz Tab Top Can

007 Special Blend Malt Liquor Can

Produced in the late 1960s by The National Brewing Company from its Phoenix, Arizona plant, this 12-ounce straight steel tab top can represents one of the most intriguing pop-culture crossover promotions in American breweriana history. Capitalizing on the international craze surrounding the James Bond spy franchise, the brewery marketed a hybrid beverage described on the front label as "A MALT LIQUOR blended with PREMIUM BEER".

National Brewing rolled out an entire series of pictorial cans showcasing glamorous "Bond-style" models posed against famous London landmarks. This specific version prominently features a brunette woman superimposed over a blue-toned photograph of Tower Bridge. Overhead, the bold white typography displays the title "James Bond's 007 SPECIAL BLEND," with the iconic "007" rendered in large, stylized stencil lettering.

Despite the elaborate marketing push—which included promotional giveaways such as agent pin-back buttons—the brand had an extremely brief commercial run. National Brewing launched the product without securing proper licensing agreements from Ian Fleming’s estate or the franchise holders. Once the trademark oversight was challenged, distribution was halted and the cans were quickly pulled from store shelves. Today, examples from this short-lived, unauthorized run are among the most celebrated mid-century tab top crossover collectibles for both beer can hobbyists and James Bond memorabilia enthusiasts.