Feature Story: Spotlight on Caldwell Cigar Company at the 2018 IPCPR

2018 marked the fifth IPCPR for Caldwell Cigar Company. The company has evolved its portfolio into a combination of core lines, limited editions, and collaborations. Over the past five years, Caldwell has worked with factories in three different countries (Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua). It has also established a strong distribution company with Down & Back LLC that not only handles the distribution for the brands, but also for La Barba, Room 101, and Porsche Design cigar accessories (the latter was on display at the Caldwell booth).

Cigar-wise, there were three new launches that spanned the Caldwell portfolio. Two are new blends, and one is a slight refresh of an existing one.

The Caldwell Collection has become the foundation of Caldwell’s regular production. Two of the three lines under the Caldwell Collection have new blends. First up, Long Live the King now has a maduro offering called Long Live the King MAD MF. It’s the third blend to be released in the line following the original Long Live the King release and 2016’s limited edition Savages releases.

Long Live the King MAD MF was described as a limited production release. The blend uses a Mexican San Andres wrapper over an Indonesian binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and the U.S. (Pennsylvania). The cigar is available in four sizes: Corona (5 3/4 x 43), Belicoso (5 1/2 x 52), Super Toro (6 x 54), and Magnum (6 x 60). Each size is presented in 10-count boxes.

Eastern Standard now has a Sungrown Habano offering called Eastern Standard Habano. It’s a unique offering that uses a Mexican San Andres Sungrown wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder and a blend of Dominican and U.S. Pennsylvania filler. The cigar will be available in four sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Double Robusto (5 1/2 x 56), Toro Extra (6 1/4 x 54), and Magnum (6 x 60). It is presented in 20-count boxes. This cigar was one of the standout cigars I smoked at IPCPR.

The Eastern Standard Habano is the fourth blend under the Eastern Standard line to be released. Previous installments include the Eastern Standard Dark Connecticut, Eastern Standard Midnight Express (Maduro), and the limited edition Eastern Standard Dos Firmas.

Finally, Anastasia, a limited edition collaboration done with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr’s Tabacalera La Alianza is back. The cigar was originally released in 2016. The 2018 version uses a higher priming tobacco because of limited availability of the 2016 version. The 2018 edition is distinguished by a blue colored secondary band as opposed to the green colored one found on the 2016.

Blend details of Anastasia are not being disclosed. The 2018 version is available in the same four sizes as the 2016: Caspia (5 3/4 x 43), Kartel (5 x 49), Mercure (7 x 47), and Opera (6 x 52). Each size is presented in 20-count boxes.