James Harden invests in Tequila Gran Diamante

Professional basketball player James Harden is the latest star to join the agave spirits category after buying a minority stake in Tequila Gran Diamante.

The NBA player and Olympic gold medallist made an investment in the ultra-premium Tequila brand for an undisclosed sum.

“James is a great match for us because he is truly a Tequila aficionado,” said Rafi Hannouche, co-founder of Tequila Gran Diamante.

“We were looking for someone who would not only invest in the company, but also be passionate about the products.”

Produced by Royal Ventures Group, Tequila Gran Diamante is made with 100% blue agave grown in the rich volcanic soil of the Jalisco Highlands in Mexico.

The Tequila Gran Diamante range includes an añejo, aged for 18 months in French oak barrels; a reposado, aged for eight months in the same barrels; and a plata (silver) expression, which was rested for 23-25 days in stainless steel sealed vats.

The brand is distilled and bottled by Compañia Tequilera De Arandas (NOM 1460), a distillery in Arandas, Jalisco, under the supervision of master distiller Gilberto Jasso.

The añejo is priced at RRP US$94.99 per 750ml, while the reposado carries a price tag of US$64.99 and the plata costs US$59.99.

The news comes a day after comedian Kevin Hart revealed his new Tequila brand, Gran Coramino, created in partnership with the company behind Jose Cuervo.

A raft of famous faces have entered the Tequila category in recent years, including actor Mark Wahlberg, who recently purchased a stake in Flecha Azul.

George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila brand was bought by Diageo in 2017 in a deal worth up to US$1 billion. In 2020, Casamigos became a million-case-selling brand.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson also established Teremana Tequila in March 2020, which sold more than 600,000 nine-litre cases in 2021.

Meanwhile, model Kendall Jenner created the 818 Tequila brand last year, which recently came under fire for promoting irresponsible drinking on Instagram.