Two years ago, E.P. Carrillo overhauled its entire portfolio. This saw most of the existing lines undergo either packaging and/or blend changes as well as the additions of some new lines. The past two years have been quieter compared to 2016, but the company has had no problem showcasing some newer offerings. This year E.P. […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on Viaje Cigar Company at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments Feature Story, IPCPR 2018, Viaje, Viaje White Label Project
When it comes to the IPCPR, the Trade Show is a little different for Andre Farkas and Viaje Cigar Company than others. For the most part, Viaje’s business model is built on small batch releases that are sent to its retailers on (almost a) monthly basis. As a result, the trade show isn’t a place […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on JRE Tobacco Co at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments Aladino, Feature Story, IPCPR 2018, JRE Tobacco Co, Tatascan
For the second year in a row, JRE Tobacco Company had its own booth at the IPCPR Trade Show. The booth was in a very similar place to where it was the year before, located toward the rear and side of the trade show floor. Like the previous year, the location didn’t matter as the […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on AJ Fernandez Cigars at 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments AJ Fernandez Cigars, Feature Story, IPCPR 2018, Ramon Allones
While AJ Fernandez Cigars made most of its announcements prior to the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show, it didn’t dilute the visit to the booth one bit. Led by the Ramón Allones and Bellas Artes Maduro, it might have offered the best 1-2 punch the company put forward in its existence. In recent years, AJ Fernandez […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on Illusione Cigars at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 3 Comments Feature Story, Illusione, IPCPR 2018
The retro-theme of Illusione Cigars booth made it one of my personal favorites at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show. While the retro-theme is nothing new for Illusione Cigars, it was very appropriately this year as owner Dion Giolito revived the OneOff brand. It was the featured cigar for Illusione at this year’s IPCPR. OneOff was […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on La Galera Cigars at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments Feature Story, IndianHead Cigars, La Galera
For many years, Jochy Blanco built his reputation as a highly acclaimed grower and blender. In 2015, he decided to enter the market with his own brand. He would acquire IndianHead Cigars from Bill Bock (who had decided to retire). At the time IndianHead Cigars was mostly focused on value-priced cigars, so concurrently Blanco added […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on Southern Draw Cigars at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments Feature Story, IPCPR 2018, Southern Draw
The track record for companies who opt to skip an IPCPR Trade Show is not good, but for Southern Draw Cigars they went against all odds. They returned to the IPCPR Trade Show in 2017 and the consensus was they had an excellent IPCPR. The company returned in 2018, and they knocked it out of […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on Kristoff Cigars at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Cigar News, Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments Feature Story, IPCPR 2018, Kristoff
Glen Case and Kristoff Cigars showed up with a Vengeance – literally. For 2018, Kristoff Cigars’ signature release was the Kristoff Vengeance. At one time, Vengeance was a brand produced by Case that did not have the Kristoff name on it. In 2011, the Vengeance line was rebranded as the Kristoff GC Signature Series. However, […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust at 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments DTT, Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust, Feature Story, IPCPR 2018
When Steve Saka and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust did their first IPCPR in 2015, the company showed up with no samples of their inaugural cigar, Sobremesa. That didn’t prove to be a problem as the company sold out of the cigar, and it became the hottest cigar that nobody had tried. Since then, it’s […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on SeiBel Distribution (MLB Cigar Ventures and Matilde Cigars)
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 No Comments Feature Story, IPCPR 2018, Matilde, MLB Cigar Ventures, SeiBel Distribution
This past spring, Mike Bellody’s MLB Cigar Ventures and the Seijas family’s Matilde Cigars announced they were ending their distribution agreement with Quesada Cigars to form their own distribution company known as SeiBel Distribution. At this year’s IPCPR Trade Show, the two companies partnered together for booth space to showcase their offerings. While the companies […]