If you follow Cigar Coop, you have probably noticed we have greatly reduced coverage of single-store and event-only cigar releases. While I understand the importance of these releases in terms of manufacturer and retailer relationships, the interest levels simply have not been there with our audience. There still are some attractive candidates to cover, and […]
The E.P. Carrillo Pledge of Allegiance is the fifth installment of the Perez-Carrillo series. It is also the first limited-edition installment of the series. The name is derived from the third and fourth installments of the Perez-Carrilo line, the Pledge and Allegiance, respectively. The idea for the name is credited to former E.P. Carrillo Chief […]
Over the past couple of years, Room101 Cigars has been resurrecting some of the brands it had on the market from the days when Davidoff was handling production and distribution. This year at the Total Product Expo 2023 Trade Show, Room101 Cigars (now a part of Forged Cigar Company) showcased a new iteration of the […]
Christian Eiroa, Tom Lazuka, and the entire C.L.E. cigar family had a big year in 2022. It would mark the tenth anniversary of C.L.E. Cigars and the tenth anniversary of Asylum Cigars (it also would mark the 50th birthday of C.L.E. President Christian Eiroa). Milestones usually call for a special celebratory cigar, but in Asylum’s […]
In 2022, Plasencia Cigars quietly started telling retailers of an ultra-premium limited edition offering known as the Plasencia Ehtëfal. The release of the Plasencia Ehtëfal was meant to coincide with the 2022 FIFA World Cup that was taking place in Qatar in November 2022. Plasencia Cigars made it clear that this was not a commemorative […]
In May 2023, South Florida retailer Smoke Inn announced that Aganorsa Leaf would deliver the 19th installment of its exclusive MicroBlend Series. The cigar would be dubbed the Aganorsa Leaf Rare Fusion, the first installment of the series from Aganorsa Leaf, and the cigar would have three signature tobaccos that Aganorsa Leaf grows: Corojo ’99, […]
Celebrity Restauranteur turned cigar-brand owner Guy Fieri wanted a special cigar to commemorate his 55th birthday and turned to Espinosa Cigars, who handles both his production and distribution for his Knuckle Sandwich brand, to make such a cigar. The result was a cigar known as the Knuckle Sandwich 55. Fieri was initially given 55 ten-count […]
If there is one cigar company that has made the best use of its Ambassador group, it would have to be Micallef Cigars. Micallef used input from its Ambassador group to develop its previous new release, the Micallef A and continues to rely on feedback from its Ambassadors. One thing that Micallef heard over and […]
Back in 2017, Boutique Blends Cigars entered into a strategic agreement with Altadis U.S.A. where Altadis would handle the company’s distribution and co-owner Rafael Nodal would become the Director (now Vice President) of Product Capability at Altadis U.S.A. One could easily say this has been one of the most successful strategic partnerships in the cigar […]
Back at the 2022 Trade Show, Luciano Cigars, then known as ACE Prime, would introduce an exclusive cigar to retailers attending the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) known as Maria Lucia. The cigar is named and pays homage to company co-founder and blender Luciano Meirelles’ late mother. In blending Maria Lucia, Meirelles drew inspiration from his […]
