One of Michael Jordan’s brands could be on the threshold of becoming one of those ‘false advertising lawsuit’ stories. Unless His Airness has something to say about it. Cincoro was founded by Michael Jordan  when he still owned the Charlotte Hornets with a group of NBA governors, Jeanie Buss (Los Angeles Lakers), Wes Edens (Milwaukee Bucks), Wyc Grousbeck and his wife, Emilia Fazzalari (Celtics). Six years in, they added more celebrity friends like Serena Williams and Derek Jeter to the ownership. But at the core, Cincoro has maintained its identity as a premium, traditionally crafted celebrity-owned tequila brand. Now that’s under threat.

Cincoro has been hit by a class action lawsuit that alleges it is not made from 100% Blue Weber agave. The complainant is Florida resident Nabil Haschemie who is suing the parent firm, Cinco Spirits Group, on 27 August 2025 in the US District Court, South District of California. Another tequila brand, Diageo is facing similar lawsuits.

The lawsuit alleges that the brand falsely marketed its tequila as being made from “100% Tequilana Blue Weber agaves” when it actually contained other types of ethanol. The lawsuit claims that the company, Cinco Spirits Group, defrauded consumers who paid premium prices for the product, believing it to be pure agave.

The primary claim is that Cincoro tequilas are not pure 100% Blue Weber agave as advertised. Lab tests and the lawsuit contend that Cincoro tequilas are adulterated with other types of ethanol, such as cane alcohol. Cinco is not taking this lightly. A statement from the brand said: “Cincoro is, and always has been, crafted exclusively from 100% Blue Weber agave. We stand firmly behind the integrity of our brand and will vigorously defend it both in court.”

Haschemie claims violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment. If successful, the brand will end up paying a huge compensation. Cincoro’s blends and its bottles were made to Michael Jordan and his co-founders’ specific tastes. The billionaire NBA legend-turned-businessman is no strangers to a tough legal battle either, and it appears that MJ is prepared to wage war to defend what he created.

Cincoro reflects Michael Jordan’s tastes

According to the lawsuit, a laboratory test of Cincoro Tequila uncovered that it contained ‘material amounts of ethanol’ that did not come from Blue Weber agave. The co-founders spent almost three years with experts before launching their brand. Emilia Fazzalari revealed they taste-tested at least a thousand blends till Michael Jordan was satisfied with the taste and finish. Not wanting to limit themselves to just one part of Jalisco, the five founders decided to source a variety of the Blue Weber agave from the highlands and lowlands.

The tequilas are crafted by the Destiladora del Valle de Tequila in the town of Tequila, one of the largest producers of tequila in Mexico that works for a 100 different brands. What’s fascinating about this distillery is the variety of tequila creation methods it offers. For Cincoro, it’s a blend of traditional processes that include a traditional clay oven, artisanal autoclave methods, and copper-pot alembic stills. Fazzalari described, “We then slow cook the agave in a small batch process. We ferment and distill the highlands and lowlands tequilas separately then blend the distillates together.” 

Cincoro has won several awards in a crowded celebrity-owned spirits market. They recently signed on as sponsors for AC Milan and the Lakers (where Jeanie Buss is no longer majority owner). They also inked a deal with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits that will take their Anejo and Reposado to 43 markets.

But Haschemie alleges Cincoro’s tequila is adulterated with cane alcohol. The lawsuit cited a past case where cane alcohol was used as a substitute when agave prices were too high. He is seeking a jury trial and injunction to stop Cincoro Tequila from ‘continuing to engage in false, misleading, and deceptive advertising and marketing practices’ as per court documents.

It’s not Jordan’s first legal rodeo. He’s fresh off the NASCAR lawsuit filed by his racing team, 23XI. Even his texts were revealed during the court proceedings. After the most recent hearing, Jordan himself had publicly declared his intent when he said, “I look forward to going down firing. If I have to fight this to the end for the betterment of the sport, I will do that.” If that’s his sentiment for 23XI, we can assume he feels just as passionately about Cincoro.

Haschemie won’t have it easy. It appears that Cincoro is determined to clear its name and remain as a premium tequila made from ‘100% Blue Weber Agave.’