Cigars International recently launched a Super Store in the suburbs of Dallas-Fort Worth, marking Cigars International’s fourth retail store and the first outside of its home state of Pennsylvania.

The store was built in just six months and is located in a sprawling, mixed-use development called Grandscape in The Colony.

Craig Reynolds, president of Cigars International said, “Given that the handmade cigar category was built on the kinds of personal interactions that can only be had in-store, our new location gives cigar lovers a unique venue for experiencing the camaraderie of fellow smokers. Our stores are meant to complement the traditional cigar shop experience and enhance the cigar lover’s appreciation for handmade cigars.”

The Cigars International Super Store at the Colony encompasses more than 7,000 square feet including an outdoor smoking lounge.  A 2,500 square foot, glass-enclosed humidor anchors the space, which also includes a bar, a Club Macanudo lounge, 32-foot-high ceilings and an impressive array of handmade cigars and accessories.

The design of the Super Store mimics that of a curing barn. The rectangular shape and shades on the sides of the building represent the characteristic look the Northeast’s iconic tobacco sheds, and the truss work is a design element that was carried over from two of Cigars International’s other stores.

The grand opening took place on Saturday, September 22. Cigars International estimates that more than 1,000 cigar enthusiasts visited the Dallas-area Super Store that day. While in-store, cigar lovers had the chance to purchase a limited edition Macanudo Inspirado cigar, available only at the Colony location. Made with aged tobaccos, the cigars are presented in individual coffin boxes, selling for $17.99 for the Toro Grande, and $19.99 for the Double Corona.

Paul Joyal’s Ocean State Cigars debuts a Double Robusto addition to the J. Grotto

Anniversary boutique premium cigar line. The 5-1/2" x 54 cigar is offered in box-pressed configuration, sought after for its comfort in the mouth and fingers.

The Anniversary line is hand-made with 100% long-filler tobacco. The Double Robusto shares the same blend and construction details as the four original Anniversary shapes. Its double-capped wrapper is a naturally fermented maduro Connecticut-grown broadleaf, while the binder is a Dominican-grown Habano. Joyal is guarded about the special blend the factory has provided, saying only that it is Dominican and “other Central American tobaccos.” The Anniversary line is blended and manufactured by Phil Zanghi, whose Dominican operation shares factory space with the Reyes’ family of tobacco producers, who supply 70% of all the

tobacco used by Dominican cigar makers. One can expect the Anniversary to use some of these top-quality tobaccos.

Like all Anniversary shapes, the Double Robusto is a medium-bodied cigar, departing from

all other J. Grotto cigars, which are medium-full to full-bodied. Joyal, with decades of premium cigar experience, notes that, “Although many cigar lovers rave about full-bodied cigars, most buy medium-bodied brands. Make no mistake, Anniversary’s rich flavor is the full equal of highly-touted full-bodied cigars … many of which actually lack flavor, despite their power.

“Anniversary has earned the term ‘succulent,’ with a classic Connecticut broadleaf sweetness, plus some subtleties like cocoa, coffee and nuts. For smooth smoking, all tobaccos are aged at least 3 years; the finished cigars another 3-4 months.”

The high-quality Spanish cedar box holds 10 cigars and bears artwork that reflects the special nature of the Anniversary name. The line’s 2014 debut marked a year of wedding anniversaries for Joyal’s family … his parents’ 65th and Joyal and his wife’s 30th. Gold coins in the box art also bear the initials of several immediate family members. Joyal describes what he thinks is Anniversary’s most appealing feature … “superpremium quality and performance at a consumer- friendly price … $8.50.” Like all J. Grotto cigars, the Anniversary Double Robusto is available only to brick-and- mortar tobacco shops … not Internet and mail-order discounters.