Fred Rewey, owner and founder of Nomad Cigar Company has announced he has sold his company to Ezra Zion Cigar Company.

Ezra Zion Cigar Company is owned by Kyle Hoover and Chris Kelly. For several years both the Nomad and Ezra Zion brands were both distributed by House of Emilio, then Boutiques Unified. Last May Ezra Zion departed Boutiques Unified and took control of its own distribution. For the most part, Ezra Zion has been focusing on direct to consumer, small batch releases.

As for Nomad, the company stayed in Boutiques Unified and has, for the most part, maintained a brick and mortar presence.

The following letter was sent by Rewey explaining his departure:

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When I started Nomad in 2012, I had no idea where it would go. I was just another cigar enthusiast with an eagerness to learn more about the process in a hands-on fashion.

In my case, with an extensive marketing background, the creation of Nomad was never about money, it was a labor of love and passion for cigars. It meant checking the ego at the border and spending time in the fields and factories learning all I could.

In seven years Nomad grew to a level beyond my expectations. What started with one blend and one size has grown to 16 blends and 46 SKUs.

With that growth came numerous areas of responsibility.

Instead of an exclusive focus on marketing, first-hand interaction with consumers, and blending cigars (the parts I love), it turned into bookkeeping, sales projections, and government compliance.

Frankly, the company grew to a point that my attention was pulled in different directions and wearing unlimited ‘hats’. Which, in the back of my mind, could someday equate to something being missed.

I never cut any corners with Nomad. I never left anything on the table and kept quality as the highest priority…well below bottom line profits.

Working with some of the best factories and true Master blenders took my knowledge to levels I never would have predicted. Along the way I have made friends that will last a lifetime.

Over the last several years, there were numerous inquiries into my willingness (or not) to sell Nomad. If I was to ever entertain the idea, it had to be to someone that not only understood the brand, its un-sacrificing core beliefs, but also the responsibility that comes with being boutique.

I have known Chris and Kyle with Ezra Zion for several years. Worked side-by-side with them when we were together at Emilio Cigars [now Boutiques Unified]. Although there will be many more details coming out over the next several days, I can say that I feel confident not only in them taking Nomad Cigar Company to the next level, but also preserving what has brought it to this point.

I thank all the Nomad retailers, consumers, and other manufacturers that have been so supportive all these years – I couldn’t have done it without you.

All in all it has been an amazing seven years and I look forward to what the future will bring.

As for me, my commitment and dedication to the cigar industry has not changed. I plan on remaining in some capacity that not only fits my skill set but also my passion to smoke cigars.

Sincerely,

Fred Rewey

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Rewey told Cigar Coop he is evaluating what his next step is going to be in the Cigar Industry. “I think, for the most part, I am at the end of the Nomad chapter of my life. It’s time for someone else to take it to the next level. It has been an amazing experience to build a cigar company from the ground up…then sell it.”