Sharp Dressed Cigar: Billy Gibbons Of ZZ Top Releases New Brand
If Metallica’s James Hetfield can have a cigar brand, then why not Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top? A longtime cigar smoker, Gibbons now has a cigar called Virtu, which is made in the Dominican Republic by Debonaire Ultra Premium Cigars. Virtu debuted today at the TPE trade show in Las Vegas.
The cigars are offered in five different options: Belicoso in Ecuador Habano or Nicaraguan maduro wrapper; Toro in Ecuador Habano or Nicaraguan maduro wrapper; and Robusto in Nicaraguan maduro wrapper. For now, the cigars are only offered in five-count humidors, each with a numbered Zippo lighter showing a portrait of Gibbons. This humidor, however, is not a sampler. Each set contains one size and has a suggested retail price of $300 each. Only 5,000 humidors are being produced, with the first 500 being signed by Gibbons.
The project is a collaboration of many minds and entities, including ZZ Top vocalist and guitarist Gibbons; BandKandy, a brand activation company that produces projects such as this one; Debonaire, which makes the Virtu cigar in the Dominican Republic and finally Global Tobacco, the distributor of the brand.
Those who’ve been to a ZZ Top concert know that Gibbons lights a cigar on stage during just about every show. BandKandy tells Cigar Aficionado that there are plans to perhaps release the cigars for sale individually later in the year. It all depends on whether or not the brand has any legs.
