Joya de Nicaragua Launches TAA Retailer Exclusive Cuatro Cinco Edición Americana

Monday, August 23, 2021 — Since its founding in 1968 as the first premium cigar company in Nicaragua, Joya de Nicaragua has enjoyed strong ties with American cigar lovers and their retailers. During the administration of Richard M. Nixon, Joya de Nicaragua’s Clásico was even the official cigar distributed to guests attending functions at the White House. In 2021, the United States continues to be one of Joya de Nicaragua’s most important markets and the company is celebrating its strong ties to America by releasing Cuatro Cinco Edición Americana, the second regional edition of its legendary Cuatro Cinco cigars, which will be available exclusively at Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) member retailers.

Since its original release to celebrate Joya de Nicaragua’s 45th anniversary in 2013, the limited edition Cuatro Cinco cigar has been one of Joya de Nicaragua’s most popular cigars and it has consistently been one of the company’s highest rated cigars as well. The highly acclaimed blend features a Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper and select Grade A Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The finished cigars are aged inside vintage white oak barrels that were used by a world-renown rum distillery for at least one year. The Cuatro Cinco Edición Americana TAA Exclusive is a 6 x 54 Belicoso.

Casa 1910 is changing the premium cigar industry in Mexico. Inspired by the revolution and maintaining the highest quality standards, Casa 1910 is here to stay.

Brand message: Casa 1910®️ is a premium cigar and lifestyle brand that captures the national pride and spirit of the Mexican Revolution through exclusive high-end products. Our aim is to revolutionize the industry by creating a cigar that perfectly embodies two faces of Mexico: its deep traditions and its unrivaled dynamism. We take pride in ensuring top quality standards, combining locally sourced tobacco with the unparalleled knowledge of our team of experts. The unique conditions of the San Andres Valley in the state of Veracruz, which combine optimal sunlight, humidity, and volcanic terroir, make it the ideal site for the creation of a truly exceptional cigar.

Cigar description: Cuchillo Parado, our first edition, is a Robusto-shaped cigar (5” x 50) made from an exclusive blend of the finest Mexican tobacco, aged for a minimum of 5 years. Its name commemorates the first battle of the Mexican Revolution, a moment that changed the course of history and defined the nation’s character. We are inspired by doing things in a captivating and meaningful way, creating memorable experiences for cigar enthusiasts. Embrace this new chapter in Mexico’s cigar history, where passion meets excellence and everyday moments become unforgettable victories.

Fort Lauderdale, FL – August 20, 2021. Alec Bradley Cigar Company announced today that the popular Black Market Filthy Hooligan Barber Pole and Black Market Filthy Hooligan Shamrock limited edition cigars will be returning in Spring 2022. With the resounding success of the limited edition green cigars, the Filthy Hooligan duo have cemented themselves as the cigar industry's equivalent to the Spring Equinox.

2022 marks the tenth release of the Filthy Hooligan project, which has become fluid over the years. 2013, 2014 and 2015 saw the original Filthy Hooligan iteration, which was a straight Candela wrapped cigar. From 2016 and on, Alec Bradley has issued the Filthy Hooligan Barber Pole, featuring dual wrappers: Nicaraguan Habano and Candela. In 2019, the triple wrapped Filthy Hooligan Shamrock was added to the line, showcasing natural Nicaraguan Habano, maduro Nicaraguan Habano and candela wrappers.

AMENDOLA FAMILY CIGAR CO. TO MAKE PCA DEBUT THIS JULY 

(Miami, Florida) July 1, 2021—Amendola Family Cigar Co. announces that they will make their first appearance at this year’s PCA (Premium Cigar Association) taking place this July 9-13 at the Sands Expo. This announcement follows recent communications announcing a distribution deal with Illusione Cigars and the launch of the Signature Series Cannoli Green and Cannoli White cigar brands.

Since its humble beginnings in 1840 as a cigar created for export to the United Kingdom, Punch has been a stalwart brand that has weathered many storms and withstood the test of time. It has captured the palates and hearts of generations of cigar enthusiasts, most notably discerning American smokers who continually turn to Punch for its expert craftsmanship, indulgent flavor and confident branding.

To commemorate the momentous occasion of the brand’s 180^th anniversary, Punch is proud to release its most limited offering to date with “Aniversario,” a spectacular cigar befitting the Punch legacy.

COHIBA LAUNCHES WELLER BY COHIBA

LIMITED EDITION RELEASE CREATED TO PAIR WITH FINE SPIRITS

On July 1, 2021, Cohiba® will launch Weller by Cohiba, the first Cohiba cigar to be created expressly for pairing with a fine spirit.

Developed in partnership with Weller Bourbon, the limited edition Cohiba cigar was blended to complement Weller Bourbon, a rare and highly-coveted wheated bourbon prized by connoisseurs for its sophisticated, moderately sweet taste and intensely smooth finish.

The world’s first Vintage cigar was created by Macanudo nearly 40 years ago to spotlight an exceptional wrapper developed in part by Mother Nature herself. Today, the Vintage tradition continues with Macanudo Vintage 2010, thanks to ideal climatic conditions, meticulous curing and precise maturation techniques perfected by the artisans of Macanudo.

The 2010 growing season saw the highest temperatures in 25 years in the Connecticut River Valley, with high humidity and optimal rainfall that yielded an exceptionally silky shade-grown wrapper tobacco. Cured and aged for an entire decade to bring forth an array of pleasing notes on the palate, this singular tobacco makes its debut in Macanudo Vintage 2010.

Ernest Gocaj who oversees the Connecticut growing operations for Macanudo said, “We could not have asked for a better growing season than we had in 2010. Yet this is only part of the story. After such a beautiful crop is harvested, the hard work begins again because the most critical process for growing tobacco is curing. Given how unique and special this crop was, we were obsessive in monitoring the tobacco throughout the eight-week curing process, and ultimately brought its very best attributes to life.”

Springfield, VA (June 24, 2021) – Fratello Cigars is pleased to announce the Fratello Camo Sweet as part of the Fratello Camo line introduced in 2020. “When your customers speak you listen. We moved from a 15-count bundle to a 25 count bundle because of our customers feedback. With the addition of the Camo Sweet we expand our offering to our customers while continue to deliver on a great quality product. Said de Frias.

The Fratello plans to ship the Camo Sweet August 15^th 2021. Produced by La Aurora in Santiago, Dominican Republic, the Fratello Camo Sweet will be released in a 5 x 50 Robusto

and a 6 x 50 Toro. Details of the blend are not being released.

The great gravy-sauce debate has been hotly contested for decades. Run a search and you’ll find more than 68 million results. You read that right: 68 million. Now, Diesel’s getting into the fray with its newest collection, called “Sunday Gravy,” launching in August.

Sunday Gravy will be a full-time line under Diesel, and will feature seasonally-released, Nicaraguan-forward smokes, blended and handcrafted through Diesel’s winning partnership of AJ Fernandez and Justin Andrews. Blends will be released quarterly, sold until their limited supply is deleted and offered at an unbelievable SRP of less than $5.00 per cigar.

Protocol Cigars is pleased to announce a 6 x 60 Gordo line extension in the Protocol “Blue” Line debuting at the 2021 PCA Trade Show. The Protocol “Blue,” which it has unofficially been referred as, was the first release for Protocol Cigars back in 2015. As it stands the original Protocol line comes in a 6 x 52 Toro, a 7.5 x 38 Lancero, and a 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda. This is Protocols first 6 x 60 cigar and we are planning on doing more Gordo line extensions in the future if this goes well. “The demand for a 6 x 60 has steadily been increasing over the years from our supporters, so we decided to feed that demand.” Said Kevin Keithan co-owner of Protocol Cigars.

The M by Macanudo portfolio will welcome its third expression in August with “M by Macanudo Espresso,” an infused cigar inspired by the luscious flavors of café con leche and café macchiato.

M by Macanudo Espresso joins M Coffee and M Bourbon which debuted in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

“M by Macanudo Espresso delivers a rich and indulgent smoking experience for cigar lovers seeking departure from their everyday smoke. M Espresso, like the rest of the M line of flavored cigars, defies the conventional notions of a flavored cigar in that it smokes like a premium Nicaraguan cigar, but is enhanced with the perfect touch of coffee and cream. With its unique wrapper and nuanced flavor, it’s wonderfully unique and will most definitely be a staple in my humidor,” said Laurel Tilley, brand ambassador of Macanudo.

A new, full-time addition to the Macanudo portfolio, M Espresso blend intertwines two contrasting wrappers: an Indonesian shade grown and Indonesian Maduro, to create a barber pole effect. The blend features premium, hand-selected long-filler Nicaraguan tobaccos surrounded by a Philippine binder.

Offered in two sizes, this new flavored line is the perfect accompaniment to coffee and easily stands alone as an experience unto itself, thanks to its unique balance of tobacco, espresso and cream flavors.

Presented in bold black 20-count boxes, the line will feature two frontmarks and is slated to ship to retailers on August 3.

Belicoso (6 x 54) – SRP per cigar $8.79

Toro (6 x 50) – SRP per cigar $8.29

Protocol Cigars is proud and honored to announce the third installment in the Lawmen series that will debut at the 2021 PCA Trade Show, The Protocol Bass Reeves. The Protocol Bass Reeves, like the other installments in the Lawmen Series, is being offered in both in natural and maduro. The Lawmen Series is a more classic, traditional, refined, and regal look Protocol Cigars has been offering since it’s launch of the Protocol Sir Robert Peel. The Lawmen Series is the company’s concept where they pay homage to the men and women of law enforcement who spend hours working tirelessly to catch the bad guys. 

CAO is about to put the pedal to the metal with a souped-up follow-up to the wildly-popular V-19 blend. Called CAO Flathead V21, this new release was created by Rick Rodriguez and the CAO blending team in Nicaragua to kick the Flathead franchise into high gear.

Rick and the team selected a Mexican San Andres wrapper for the blend which also includes a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and a bold selection of Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero tobaccos. They then gave each of the filler leaves an abbreviated fermentation to lock in the tobacco’s native characteristics and added a secondary aging process to the filler to bring everything together. The result is a cigar with a medium to medium-full profile brimming with distinctive molasses and leather notes, this time with even more depth and complexity.

“For Flathead V21, we wanted to give our fans a cigar that’s bold and complex, and still perfect for any smoking occasion,” said Rick Rodriguez. “We see this as the ultimate cigar for the CAO smoker who wants to experience the complexity of each tobacco with every draw. I’ve personally enjoyed V21 on its own and with a drink and have experienced different notes every time I smoke it. To me, that means we’ve done our job.”

Bethlehem, PA (June 17, 2021) – Cigars International (CI) recently opened CI Superstores in Tampa and Lutz, FL, marking the company’s first stores in Florida and its sixth and seventh retail locations in the U.S., and the company is celebrating with an exclusive new cigar.

The new stores are centered around Ybor City, a national landmark district in downtown Tampa, recognized as the birthplace of handmade cigars in the U.S.

Sarah Santos, president and senior vice president of Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s North America Online and Retail Division said, “Florida is one of the most dynamic markets for handmade cigars in the country, and with its rich history, Tampa represents the epicenter of premium cigar culture. My team and I are proud to bring our new locations to life in the greater Tampa area. With our expansive walk-in humidors, and our indoor and outdoor bars and lounges, we’re here to provide a destination-type experience that complements the traditional cigar shop. We look forward to welcoming cigar lovers to our stores and to helping to deepen their passion for handmade cigars with our unique brand of hospitality and engagement.”

(Miami, Florida) July 10, 2021- Plasencia Cigars, a world-leading premium tobacco grower, established in 1865, announces the release of the Plasencia Cosecha 149 cigar brand. The blend will first appear at the 2021 PCA (Premium Cigar Association) taking place this July 9 through July 14 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Spanish word cosecha translates to harvest.  The Plasencia Cosecha 149 commemorates the Plasencia family’s 149th yearly tobacco harvest which took place in 2014. The Plasencia family felt that the aged tobacco from the 149th harvest had reached perfection this year, and thus the Plasencia Cosecha 149 was created.

Springfield, VA (June 17, 2021) – Fratello Cigars is pleased to announce the Fratello Arlequin Gordo.

This Arlequin Gordo will be released in 6 x 58 Box Pressed format, joining the 5 ½ x 52 Robusto and a 6 ½ x 54 Toro.

Arlequin was first introduced June 2019 as a 6 x 50 Parejo with the release of the Space Fresh Pack. Arlequin was later box pressed and released with minor tweaks to the blend on June 2020.

Details:

Manufactured at Joya de Nicaragua in Esteli.

MSRP: 11.00 P/C

Box: 20 Count.

Wrapper: San Andres Mexico

Binder: Ecuador Habano

Filler: Peru and Nicaragua

Fratello plans to ship Arlequin September 2021.

Fort Lauderdale, FL – July 9, 2021. Alec Bradley Cigar Company announced today that they have moved production of the Cigar Aficionado #7 "Cigar of the Year," Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper, from Ernesto Perez-Carrillo's (EPC) Tabacalera La Alianza in Santiago, Dominican Republic to Tobacos De Oriente in Danli, Honduras. The hard, yet mutually beneficial decision came soon after Perez-Carrillo's EPC Pledge Prequel received Cigar Aficionado #1 "Cigar of the Year" concurrently with Gatekeeper's #7 accolade.

With production at a premium, due not only to the two cigars' impressive rating, but also due to the "Covid-19 Cigar Boom," Alec Bradley and EPC agreed that moving Gatekeeper's production, while keeping the exact blend, would protect Gatekeeper's integrity and allow for expedited delivery to the marketplace.

"Bradley and I want to assure our brand advocates that absolutely nothing has changed with the Gatekeeper blend," said second generation cigarmaker Alec Rubin. "Our relationship with Ernesto is everlasting and he will still be very much involved in the process, ensuring only the highest quality standards."

FRATELLO CIGARS REPACKAGES THE FRATELLO CAMO TO 25 COUNT BUNDLES

Springfield, VA (June 10, 2021) – Fratello Cigars is pleased to announce the repackaging of the Fratello Camo into new 25 Count Bundles.  The Camo originally debuted at the TPE trade show back in 2019 in 15 count bundles.

“The Fratello Blu, Fratello Rosso and Fratello Verde are all long filler premium bundles that were intended to approach a new segment of the market; after a great response in the industry and high ratings our customers feedback was for more cigars per bundle.” said de Frias.

Produced by La Aurora in Santiago, Dominican Republic, the Fratello Camo are featured in two vitolas per blend a 5 x 50 Robusto and a 6 x 50 Toro.

Fratello plans to begin shipping the 25 Count bundles in August 2021.

Springfield, VA (July 6, 2021) – Fratello Cigars is pleased to announce the Fratello Fuoco, that means Fire in Italian. This new release will be made using the three Fratello Core blend, the Classico, Bianco and Oro.

“We released the Fratello Fuoco in Europe in 2019 as it is very popular size in the European Market. Following its success, we are now bringing this special size to the consumer in the US.” – Said the Frias.

The Fratello plans to ship the Fuoco August 15^th, 2021. The Fuoco Oro is produced by La Aurora in Santiago, Dominican Republic and the Fuoco Classico and Bianco by Joya de Nicaragua. The Fratello Fuoco will be released in a 3 ½ x 50 and will retail $7.50.

Fuoco Classico Blend: Nicaragua Wrapper, Ecuador Binder, Nicaragua and Peruvian Filler.

Fuoco Bianco Blend: Mexican Wrapper, Dominican Republic Binder, USA, Nicaragua, and Peruvian Filler.

Fuoco Oro: Ecuador Wrapper, African Binder, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Nicargua Filler

Blanco Cigar Company would like to announce the addition of Mr. Ken Mansfield as the National Sales Director, effective 01 June 2021. “We are excited to add such a dynamic personality and manager to our team and feel Ken will provide immense value to the company, enhancing customer service policies and procedures in addition to developing the sales force throughout the Continental U.S. We would like to welcome him and his family to Blanco Cigars as we look forward to a long and prosperous future together”, says David A. Blanco, President and Founder of Blanco Cigar Company.

Mr. Mansfield has been smoking premium cigars since he was a teenager and has been in the Premium Cigar Industry at the Retail and Wholesale level for over 30 years. Starting as a retailer in the late 1980s and becoming the Northeast Regional Sales Manager for Gurkha Cigars before moving to the Atlanta area, taking over as the Southeast Regional Sales Manager for 11 years.