Diddy is moving from vodka to tequila. Sean “Diddy” Combs has partnered with spirits giant Diageo to take over DeLeon Tequila, a luxury brand known for its high price tags and Hollywood following.
The deal sets up a 50/50 venture between Diageo and Combs’ company, Combs Wine & Spirits, and it builds on the partnership the two have had since 2007 on Ciroc vodka. Instead of signing on as a paid spokesman, Diddy took a profit sharing stake in Ciroc and helped turn it into one of the best selling premium vodkas in the country, and the new tequila deal follows the same model.
DeLeon was founded in 2008 by Brent Hocking and arrived in the United States on Cinco de Mayo in 2009. The 100 percent blue agave tequila is made in Guanajuato, Mexico, and its bottles start at well over $100 and climb into the hundreds of dollars for its top expressions. The brand gives Diageo a second high end tequila alongside Don Julio.
The deal caps a busy year for Combs. In 2013 he launched his cable network REVOLT TV and became an investor in and the face of AQUAhydrate water. He is expected to introduce DeLeon to his circle at his annual New Year’s Eve party on Star Island in Miami.
