In addition to Altadis U.S.A. returning to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show in 2023, the brands of Boutique Blends – the company co-owned by Rafael Nodal and Hank Bischoff – also made a return. Back in 2017, Boutique Blends entered into a strategic partnership where Altadis U.S.A. would take over distribution for Boutique […]
PCA 2023: Black Star Line Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Black Star Line Cigars, Feature Story, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game
One of the rising boutique companies we have seen over the past few years has been Aric Bey’s Black Star Line Cigars. Coming into this year’s Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Bey, and Black Star Line would introduce two new cigars. While Black Star Line is best known for working with the Aganorsa Leaf […]
PCA 2023: Forged Cigar Company
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Forged Cigar Company, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, STG
The presence of Forged Cigar Company at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show marked the return of at least part of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) to the show. The last time STG had participated at a trade show, the focus was mostly on the General Cigar brands. Since then, STG has spun several […]
PCA 2023: Matilde Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Feature Story, Matilde, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Pre Game
For the third consecutive year, Matilde Cigars was a part of the Sutliff Tobacco pavilion. During this time, Sutliff has provided distribution services for many companies, including Matilde. It had been almost 6 1/2 years since Matilde Cigars has released a new regular production line, but earlier this year, Matilde released the Matilde Serena Maduro. […]
PCA 2023: Bolivar
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Bolivar, Forged Cigar Company, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, STG
The return of Forged Cigar Company brought back many iconic brands to the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. One of those brands that is making a return is Bolivar. While Bolivar has been an iconic brand out of Cuba, when it comes to the U.S. market, it’s been a little hit or miss. […]
PCA 2023: La Palina Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Feature Story, La Palina, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game
In 2009, Bill Paley decided to resurrect the brand his grandfather created, La Palina Cigars. That year La Palina would attend its first IPCPR Trade Show, and since then, La Palina has been a staple of IPCPR/PCA Trade Shows. If I count correctly, La Palina would now have displayed at 14 IPCPR/PCA Trade Shows. La […]
PCA 2023: Powstanie Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Feature Story, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game, Pospiech Cigars, Powstanie
Pospiech Cigars is an operation run by Mike and Greg Szczepankiewicz out of Deltona, Florida, where they also have their Cigar Hustler retailer operation and Hustler Universe Podcasts. Pospiech is best known for the Powstanie Cigars made at RoMa Craft Tobac’s Nica Sueño factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. This year, they were a part of the […]
PCA 2023: Luciano Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments ATL Cigar Co, Dalay Zigarren, Feature Story, Luciano Cigars, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game
Luciano Cigars is a company that has undergone some significant changes. Last year, the company was known as ACE Prime, but since then has taken on the name of its CEO and blender, Luciano Meirelles. As a part of that rebranding, the company has also made significant changes, setting up a new factory in Estelí, […]
PCA 2023: Freud Cigar Co.
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Agape Lifestyle Inc, Feature Story, Freud Cigar Company, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game
The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show would be the second one for Freud Cigar Company. Freud Cigar Company is the main brand from Agape Lifestyle Inc, a company started by Luis Torres and David Stadnyk. The Freud brand pays homage to Dr. Sigmund Freud who is considered the father of psychoanalysis, but also […]
PCA 2023: La Galera Cigars
William Cooper Feature Story, PCA 2023 No Comments Feature Story, IndianHead Cigars, La Galera, PCA 2023, PCA 2023 Post Game
This was the seventh Premium Cigar Association (PCA)/IPCPR Trade Show For Jochy Blanco’s La Galera line. Blanco first came to the IPCPR Trade Show back in 2016 when he would launch his own premium cigar brand, La Galera Cigars. Since then, La Galera has been at every Trade Show the PCA/IPCPR has covered. At the […]