For all as long as I have been coming to the IPCPR Trade Show, Esteban Carreras has been a mainstay. Over the years I’ve watched owner Craig Cunningham move his brand from the new kid on the block to a mainstay in humidors nationwide – supported by vertical integration where the company controls its own production and distribution. There were a few constants at each year’s trade show. First, the company doesn’t showcase a ton of new releases – it focuses on one line or brand. Second, the company doesn’t tip its hat in terms of what it’s going to release at the show.
The past couple of years the company has featured its Mr. Brownstone line, a Connecticut Broadleaf offering. The line made its debut in 2017 and this year, it rebranded the Broadleaf Mr. Brownstone as Mr. Brownstone Maduro while unveiling the new Mr. Brownstone Natural.
Mr. Brownstone has been somewhat controversial because while the name is a satirical poke at heroin, a few retailers have taken it a little seriously. The blends of Mr. Brownstone had a distinct purpose. The 2017 Mr. Brownstone Maduro introduced the first Connecticut Broadleaf cigar into the Esteban Carreras portfolio. 2018’s Mr. Brownstone release introduced what Cunningham calls his first Cubanesque cigar into the portfolio.
The Mr. Brownstone Natural consists of a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder from Jalapa and a combination of Nicaraguan fillers from Condega, Estelí, and Jalapa. It has been launched in four sizes: Boolit (4 3/4 x 46), Toro (6 x 52), Chuchy (7 x 49), and Sesanta (6 x 60). Three of the sizes are presented in 20-count boxes with the exception being the Boolit which is presented in a 32-count box.
One other packaging change is that the Mr.Brownstone Maduro cigars will now feature black ribbons while the Mr.Brownstone Natural will still have a brown ribbon.
2018 Product Reports
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
