Superstar Sips

The latest celebrity-backed spirit has arrived, and it’s a big one. Enter Chicas Divertidas, a new tequila brand from three-time Grammy-winning artist and entrepreneur Megan Thee Stallion. Timed to coincide with the artist’s 30th birthday, Chicas Divertidas is a bold new step for a superstar on top of the world. Available in blanco and reposado offerings, this tequila is made from single-source Blue Weber agave from Jalisco, Mexico. Chicas Divertidas is made in partnership with distillery Casa Centinela, and the region’s volcanic soil and cooler temperatures yield a sweeter agave, giving the tequila a distinctive flavor all its own. The colorful bottle design draws inspiration from the deadly Angel’s Trumpet flower, known for its striking appearance, as well as the bold colors of the agave plant. Megan’s three words for her tequila are “smooth, sultry, and premium,” and we’d expect no less from one of music’s biggest headliners. $70+, chicasdivertidastequila.com

ASHES TO ASHES

A relative newcomer on the cigar scene, Vie Deluxe made waves at the TPE 2025 trade show with the release of the Vie Deluxe Carbon Fiber ashtray. Coming off the heels of the company’s first cigar release last year, a lancero extra vitola packaged in a carbon fiber tube, this ashtray demonstrates the company’s commitment to carbon fiber as a primo material in the cigar space. Known for its ultra-light strength and sleekness, carbon fiber is a welcome departure from the heavy glass ashtrays of yore. The ashtray measures 12.5 inches in diameter and can fit up to five large (and we mean large) cigars in its rests. A unique metal grill catches ashes and is removable for cleaning. A leather base keeps the ashtray in place on any surface. The Vie Deluxe Carbon Fiber Ashtray is a swanky choice for home smoking, and light enough to come with you on the road. $1,000, viedeluxecigars.com

A CLASSIC RETURNS

In 2015, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust arrived on the scene with its debut cigar, the Sobremesa Cervantes Fino vitola. That cigar put the company on the map, and ten years later, Dunbarton is returning to its roots with the Sobremesa Solita Red, a reimagining of that original cigar. The Solita Red is billed as a stronger varietal of the original seven-tobacco core recipe, including a dark rosado grade one Ecuadorian habano wrapper, a Mexican San Andrés Negro binder, and a filler that includes four varietals of Nicara guan tobacco and a filler from Pennsylvania. Notes include cinnamon, cocoa, and anise. Called an “intricate blend” by founder Steve Saka, the Solita Red retains the nuances of the original while adding a little more body and depth to the cigar. To distinguish the Solita Red from other releases in the Sobremesa line, the iconic crown band will be decorating a fittingly bold red. $17.95 per cigar, dunbartoncigars.com

Light The Way

The TPE trade show is an annual opportunity for manufacturers to show off the latest and greatest in cigar accessories. A highlight of this year’s show was the revamped Fuego Fire, an updated version of the company’s 2017 Fuego Robusto USB Lighter. The original Fuego Robusto debuted an exciting electric coil system to light cigars, and the Fuego Fire improves on that original technology. The coils heat a metal grate, which can then be applied to the cigar to light it. Because there is no flame, the lighter is exceptionally windproof. The Fuego Fire is larger (to accommodate larger cigars) and includes two heat settings as well as a replaceable battery, and has a premium, substantial feel. While butane may still be king in the lighter world, there’s no doubt that the Fuego Fire represents a strong contender for those seeking alternatives, and points to even more butane alternatives in the future. $99.95, fuegolighters.com

TIME IN A BOTTLE

Aged whiskey is a time capsule, a chance to travel through years of history in a single sip. Bulleit Frontier Whiskey’s latest release, Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond, takes bourbon enthusiasts back to spring 2017, when the company opened its state-of-the-art distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Aged for seven years, this bourbon is distilled under the strict standards of the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act, which at the time ensured the production of high quality, single-distillery aged bourbon. Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond features the company’s signature high-rye mash bill, which gives it rich ness and a layered depth, from aromas of spice and toasted oak to a palate of maple sweetness and nutmeg warmth, and a smooth, lingering butterscotch finish. Currently a limited-time release, Bul leit Bottled-in-Bond celebrates the Shelbyville distillery and the story of American whiskey, in which Bulleit has long loomed large. $54.99, bulleit.com