Celebrity-branded cigars can sometimes be little more than a familiar blend wrapped in a famous name. The V3RSA VII from Kingmakers Cigars takes a somewhat different approach. The cigar was developed in collaboration with NBA legend Carmelo Anthony and is intended to reflect not only his career but also the evolution of his life beyond basketball.
The project first appeared publicly as VERSA during NBA All-Star Weekend in February 2025. The name draws on the idea of versatility, adaptability and evolution—concepts that certainly fit Anthony’s journey from collegiate standout to NBA superstar and, eventually, entrepreneur. Anthony played 19 seasons in the NBA, earning 10 All-Star selections along the way. Before his professional career, he led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA National Championship as a freshman. His career eventually culminated with induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025.
Between its initial introduction and commercial release, VERSA evolved into V3RSA VII, complete with its distinctive reversed “3.” The Roman numeral VII is a nod to Anthony’s No. 7 jersey, a number closely associated with the latter part of his NBA career. The broader concept behind V3RSA is one of evolution, reflection and legacy.
This was also more than Anthony simply lending his name to a cigar. According to Kingmakers, Anthony was involved in developing the project around his own flavor preferences and had input extending from the blend into the branding and overall presentation.
There is another interesting connection within Anthony’s expanding lifestyle portfolio. V3RSA VII was developed with the idea that it could pair with Anthony’s VII(N) The Seventh Estate wine, bringing his interests in premium cigars and wine together under a broader lifestyle concept.
The cigar itself also went through some changes before reaching consumers. The original VERSA was reported as using a Habano 2000 wrapper over a Sumatra binder with Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania fillers. By the time the cigar reached commercial production in September 2025, the blend had been modified to feature a Habano 2000 wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.
Production takes place in Estelí, Nicaragua, although the factory has not been publicly disclosed.
For this review, I sampled the V3RSA VII Toro, which has an MSRP of $22.50.
V3RSA VII Specifications
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Production: Estelí, Nicaragua
- Factory: Undisclosed
- Vitola: Toro
- Length: 6 inches
- Ring Gauge: 54
- Wrapper: Habano 2000
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan
- Box Count: 10
- MSRP: $22.50/cigar — $225.00/box
Pre-Light Examination
The V3RSA VII presents with a silky-smooth, medium-tan wrapper leaf carrying a decent oily sheen. The cigar was well packed and rolled, with a solid feel from head to foot, and was finished with a well-applied double cap.
The V3RSA VII is adorned with a distinctive die-cut band that uses a subdued charcoal gray and metallic emerald-green color scheme. The background features a repeating embossed geometric pattern that gives the band additional texture and depth. Dominating the center is a large, highly stylized metallic green “V”, extending vertically through the face of the band. Above it sits a rounded crest containing a four-pointed starburst motif, also highlighted in metallic green. A thin green foil border follows the angular contours of the band, providing contrast against the darker background.
The overall presentation is modern, understated, and somewhat mysterious. There is very little immediately visible text or traditional cigar-brand ornamentation; instead, the design relies on the prominent V, geometric texture, and reflective green foil to establish its identity.
Running the barrel along the nose, I picked up light spice notes, while the foot offered an earthy aroma complemented by an enticing pear-like fruit note.
I sliced the cap cleanly across the shoulder and gave it some cold-draw puffs. The draw offered that same fruit character I detected from the foot, along with a very subtle and refined pepper note that gently lingered on the palate.
With the pre-light examination complete, it was time to fire up the V3RSA VII and see what Carmelo Anthony and Kingmakers had created.
The Cigar Journey
I used my single flame torch to warm the foot and draw in the first puffs. The V3RSA VII opened with a peppery, savory spice, particularly noticeable on the retrohale. A white ash quickly began developing on top of a medium-thick char line. Smoke production was excellent, with the cigar delivering a full volume of smoke on every puff.
As the burn worked its way through the first third, the initial pepper began to settle into the background. Deeper into the section, a pleasant creamy note developed, smoothing the profile and providing a nice contrast to the savory spice. The ash eventually dropped in a solid chunk, revealing a decent burn cone underneath.
Moving into the second third, the profile took a darker turn as dark chocolate entered the mix. This added some richness to the experience without overwhelming the cream and spice that had developed earlier.
Around the midway point, a very mild citrus note began to emerge. This developed quite nicely and provided a mouth-watering quality to the profile. At the same time, the foot began wafting a light maple syrup aroma, adding another sensory element to the experience. The burn had been excellent to this point, requiring no meaningful intervention.
There was, however, one construction-related issue worth noting. When it came time to remove the band, it proved extremely difficult to get off the cigar. Unfortunately, removing it damaged the wrapper leaf underneath. Thankfully, the damage did not immediately interfere with what had otherwise been excellent burn performance, but it is something that should not occur on a premium cigar carrying this price point.
Deeper into the second third, a dry fruit note joined the profile. Near the end of the section, a refined spice component developed, adding another layer without overpowering the other flavors.
The V3RSA VII continued to evolve as it entered the final third. Espresso began making an appearance, moving the profile toward a somewhat richer character. A mild cashew note followed, adding a subtle nutty quality that worked nicely alongside the espresso.As the cigar approached its conclusion, the spice increased somewhat, bringing the experience full circle from the peppery, savory spice that greeted me at the start.
The V3RSA VII finished mild to medium in strength, making this much more about flavor development and balance than delivering a heavy dose of nicotine.
Total Smoking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Final Analysis
The Kingmakers V3RSA VII turned out to be an enjoyable and nicely evolving cigar. The journey started with savory pepper and transitioned through cream, dark chocolate, citrus, dry fruit and refined spice before finishing with espresso, cashew and an increase in spice. I particularly enjoyed the citrus note around the midway point, which provided a mouth-watering quality and helped brighten what could otherwise have become a fairly dark flavor profile. The light maple syrup aroma coming from the foot was another pleasant aspect of the experience.
From a performance standpoint, the V3RSA VII did quite well. Smoke production was full, the draw performed as expected, and the burn remained excellent throughout the journey.
My primary criticism involves the band. It was simply too difficult to remove and ended up damaging the wrapper underneath. While the damage fortunately didn’t derail the smoking experience, that is something Kingmakers should address, particularly on a cigar positioned at a $22.50 MSRP.
Flavor-wise, however, the V3RSA VII delivered. There was enough transition to keep my palate engaged throughout the 90-minute experience, while its mild-to-medium strength should make it approachable to a fairly broad range of cigar enthusiasts.
At $22.50, the V3RSA VII sits firmly in the premium price category. Based on this sample, however, Kingmakers and Carmelo Anthony have created something considerably more interesting than simply another celebrity-branded cigar.
The V3RSA VII offered an evolving and balanced 90-minute experience with excellent burn performance and a surprisingly approachable strength level. Fix the overly aggressive band application, and there isn’t much to complain about here. Definitely worth picking up a few to experience. Fans of medium-bodied Nicaraguan cigars who appreciate nuanced flavor transitions should find the V3RSA VII particularly enjoyable.
