La Gloria Cubana will debut “Medio Tiempo,” a distinctive, three-cigar collection shipping to retailers on May 4. Medio Tiempo is a full-time addition to the La Gloria Cubana lineup, and comes on the heels of “Spirit of the Lady,’ a limited-edition release that launched in March.

Steve Abbot, senior brand manager for La Gloria Cubana said, “The artisans of El Credito set out to highlight a rare tobacco leaf with ‘Medio Tiempo’ and ultimately delivered another fine example of their masterful blending techniques. All of the tobaccos that comprise this new collection are interwoven to perfection, and together, they tell a memorable story.”

This new collection is named for the “Medio Tiempo” leaves of a bold, sungrown Connecticut Havano tobacco plant. This leaf-type is a rare occurrence that happens when two additional leaves sprout above the highest priming, capturing the lion’s share of sunlight, nutrients and taste characteristics.  The Medio Tiempo adds layers to the smoking experience, peppering the blend with deep, rich complexity. So unique is the Medio Tiempo leaf that it can be easily identified by its stand-out brownish-black color which is visible at the foot of the cigar prior to lighting. 

The blend of Medio Tiempo also consists of hand-selected Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos, with a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and a rich Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. 

The smoking experience of La Gloria Cubana Medio Tiempo delivers cascading notes of leather, coffee, nuts and butter. 

La Gloria Cubana Medio Tiempo is a medium-bodied blend made at the El Credito Cigar Factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The brand will launch with these three sizes, each packaged in boxes containing 25 cigars.

Robusto (5” x 54); SRP per cigar $6.99

Toro (6.125” x 50); SRP per cigar $7.49

Churchill (7.25” x 54); SRP per cigar $7.79

La Gloria Cubana and its new Medio Tiempo collection are distributed by The Forged Cigar Company.

Cohiba today announces the launch of Cohiba Serie M, the first collection of Cohiba to be handcrafted by artisans in the U.S. for sale in the U.S.

General Cigar’s Cohiba Serie M is the result of a collaboration between its Cohiba team and the family-owned El Titán de Bronze Cigar Factory, with each cigar handmade in Miami’s Little Havana district. The limited edition collection is crafted by Cuban expatriate cigarmakers. 

This exquisite collection will be available through fine cigar shops across the U.S. starting on April 12. Only 5,000 boxes have been made.

Cohiba Brand Ambassador Sean Williams said, “Cohiba Serie M has been a passion project for all of us on the Cohiba team. To take a brand as iconic as Cohiba and make a cigar in the U.S. in collaboration with a boutique, family-owned factory has been an honor for all of us. Serie M gives a nod to our long-standing commitment to craftsmanship, our focus on innovation and alludes to the exciting releases that we are planning in the future.”  

Sandy Cobas, owner of El Titán de Bronze said, “I am honored that we were chosen to craft the first American-made Cohiba cigars. For this important collaboration, we created a cigar using only the most exquisite tobacco, working together with the Cohiba team at General Cigar. Unlike in other countries where cigar makers work in teams, our cigarmakers at El Titán de Bronze personally create each cigar from start to finish, and we put their name on every single box they make. Our team of rollers have achieved the highest skill level that a cigarmaker can achieve, with only a select few having the dexterity and artistry required to meet our stringent qualifications. Every cigar represents the very best of each of our rollers and is an opportunity for us to share their artistry with the entire country. The buzz for Cohiba Serie M is building in Miami and based on what I’m seeing, these cigars will sell out as soon as they hit the cigar shops.”

Crafted according to old-world techniques and featuring a double binder, closed foot and triple cap with a signature fan,  Cohiba Serie M is a medium-to-full-bodied cigar of depth and character. Made with exquisite, aged tobaccos, the cigar is enveloped in a lustrous Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, a first for Cohiba. The binder is Nicaraguan and the blend features hand-selected Nicaraguan Jalapa and Esteli and Dominican Piloto Cubano tobaccos. 

The Cohiba Serie M smoking experience is rich, creamy and bold, layered with subtle spice notes and nuances of roasted coffee beans. 

Cohiba Serie M is available in a 6” x 52 Toro which will sell for a suggested price of $29.99 per cigar or $299.90 for a box containing ten cigars.

Thursday, April 1, 2021 — Drew Estate is introducing a Herrera Estelí exclusive cigar for Vintage Cigar Lounge in Rhode Island. The new Herrera Estelí Tienda Exclusiva will be available at both Vintage locations beginning on April 16th and will be launched during an exclusive virtual event hosted by Willy Herrera.

The Herrera Estelí Tienda Exclusiva for Vintage Cigar Lounge features a blend of rich and toothy dark, air-cured tobaccos that offer a medium- to full-bodied smoking experience with peppery notes and hints of earthiness. The cigar, available only in a Toro (6 x 52) vitola, is wrapped in an oily, luscious and flavorful higher priming Connecticut Broadleaf capa with an Indonesian binder and a complex blend of Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

According to Drew Estate’s Master Blender Willy Herrera, “Vintage Cigar Lounge has been a huge supporter of Drew Estate and the Herrera Estelí brand, and I wanted to create a unique blend for them. The Indonesian binder allows the wrapper and filler tobaccos to shine. Rich but not overpowering, sweet and complex, the Herrera Estelí Tienda Exclusiva for Vintage Cigar Lounge is a real flavor bomb.”

Jonathan Drew, Drew Estate’s founder and president, adds, “Herrera Estelí Tienda Exclusivas are created on a small batch, specialty cigar platform, similar to the Subculture editions that Drew Estate is known for. This burner is straight fire, brilliantly crafted to melt all the snow in Rhode Island. Spring is here. Rejoice, ya’ll.”

Vintage Cigar Lounge’s owner, Greg Williams says, “It’s an incredible honor to work directly with Willy and the Drew Estate team to craft this special limited-edition Herrera Estelí cigar for Vintage Cigar Lounge. Since we first opened Vintage in 2016, Drew Estate has brought us under its wing and has always treated us like family. We’re proud to have our own exclusive Drew Estate cigar and we know that our customers are going to love it!”

The Herrera Estelí Tienda Exclusiva for Vintage Cigar Lounge is packaged in 18-count boxes with an MSRP of $192.75/box or $10.71/cigar. The cigars will be available exclusively at Vintage Cigar Lounge’s two Rhode Island locations in Westerly and Charlestown, or their website(www.vintagecigarlounge.store)  beginning on April 16th.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 — Estelí, Nicaragua & Miami, USA – From the beginning, Joya de Nicaragua has had close ties with the United States. The US was the first market Joya de Nicaragua explored and during the early 1970’s, became the official cigar of the White House. The United States continues to be one of JDN’s most influential markets, gaining many amigos and partners, several of whom are part of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA). Today, Joya de Nicaragua and Drew Estate proudly present the Cuatro Cinco Edición Americana TAA Exclusive; the third TAA exclusive product, as a token of appreciation to some of the most exclusive retailers in the country.

The Cuatro Cinco Edición Americana was selected to be JDN’s newest TAA exclusive because of its outstanding performance and the resemblance to the original Cuatro Cinco limited edition. “When we were deciding what the next TAA product should be, we knew it had to be special. And when the team proposed the Belicoso, the decision was made, there’s no other vitola in the Cuatro Cinco family that smokes closer to the original limited edition than this one,” said Juan Ignacio Martinez, Executive President.

Cuatro Cinco Edicion Americana TAA Exclusive is a limited batch of five hundred, 10ct boxes in a Belicoso vitola (6 x 54). This highly acclaimed blend features a Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper and select Grade A fillers. The cigars are aged for a minimum of one year within vintage white oak barrels, used in a world renowned rum distillery. 

 Cuatro Cinco – Edicion Americana TAA Exclusive is the second regional edition of one of JDN’s highest rated blends. “These are some of the best cigars that come out of our factory. The stories we tell with them need to be special. We have selected the Bald Eagle because of what it represents to our American friends, an example of stamina, power, and freedom. In 2021, JDN is celebrating Nicaragua’s independence bicentennial, and what a better symbol to connect us both than the symbol of freedom, ” said Daniel Barrios, Global Commercial Manager.

The Cuatro Cinco Edicion Americana TAA Exclusive will be formally presented to the trade during the TAA Virtual Conference on March 23^rd and will be shipped out to stores over the summer.  “It has been an exciting experience being on this side of the industry. Talking to friends and customers to evaluate this project has been a great experience. I’m excited to see how this continues to foster the partnership between TAA and Joya de Nicaragua,” said Sarah Hearton, recently appointed as US Field Market Manager at Drew Estate.

We invite cigar lovers around the US to join the online celebration and share their Joya de Nicaragua experience using

#CUATROCINCOAMERICANA

#SUPERBMILESTONE

#JOYADENICARAGUA

ABOUT JOYA DE NICARAGUA

Joya de Nicaragua is a family owned tobacco grower and cigar factory. Established in 1968, it is the first and most authentic premium handmade cigar manufacturer from Nicaragua. Base in Estelí, many regard JDN as the patriarch creator of the Nicaraguan cigar industry, and its cigars are sold in more than 55 countries around the world.  The company’s commitment to quality along with its skillful and resilient people, have awarded it the industry recognition of Cigar Factory of the Year 2018 &  2019.  For more information, please visitwww.joyacigars.com

For more information, please visit www.joyacigars.com

For additional information please email Daniel Barrios at [email protected]

Diesel proudly presents its first TAA-exclusive cigar called Disciple. 

Blended by AJ Fernandez, handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua and developed in collaboration between AJ and General Cigar’s Justin Andrews, Diesel Disciple is a robust and balanced cigar, blended in AJ’s signature style. 

The blend is made with a Mexican San Andrean wrapper, an Ecuadoran Sumatra binder and its filler is exclusively comprised of Nicaraguan Habano from Esteli. 

An unexpected layer of sweetness lends balance to Disciple’s bold and peppery smoking experience.

Justin Andrews said, “Diesel Disciple is the first Lancero that AJ and I worked on together and it also marks the first exclusive offering for Diesel. That would have been exciting on its own. But when you look at where we started with Diesel as an internet/catalogue brand and how we built the brand in partnership with retailers, you’ll see why it’s big news that Diesel Disciple is part of TAA. To make a cigar for the top 80 retailers in the country shows that Diesel is a true retail brand and it speaks to our ongoing commitment to the brick and mortar community.”

Available exclusively for TAA members, Diesel Disciple comes in a Lancero (7” x 38) and will sell at retail for an SRP of $8.99 per cigar or $89.90 per ten-count box.

Diesel Disciple will be available at retail this July and will be sold through The Forged Cigar Company.

The Macanudo Inspirado White line is expanding with two new sizes created in response to demand from retailers and cigar lovers. 

Steve Abbot, senior brand manager of Macanudo said, “The Macanudo Inspirado White portfolio had consisted of six popular sizes, yet our retailers and cigar smokers wanted more. We responded by creating a Corona and Cigarillo and are confident that the new sizes will become fast-selling additions to this highly successful brand.”

Introduced in 2017, Macanudo Inspirado White is counted among the top-sellers in the Macanudo portfolio. The blend spent several years in development and features tobaccos that have been refined and aged to perfection. This creamy, alluring smoke is known for its complexity and mellow, smooth-smoking qualities.

Macanudo Inspirado White is made with a proprietary Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper developed by General Cigar’s agronomists to deliver an aesthetic quality like no other.  Aged for six years and refined to a creamy shade of gold, the wrapper crowns an Indonesian binder. The blend features Nicaraguan Condega and Mexican San Andres leaves, each aged for four years and Nicaraguan Jalapa aged for two years. All told, the blend delivers a layered smoking experience with subtle notes of earth and spice. 

Both new formats have begun shipping to retailers. The Corona is handcrafted at HATSA in Danli, Honduras and the Cigarillo is made at General Cigar Dominicana in Santiago, D.R.

Macanudo Inspirado White Corona (5.5” x 42) – SRP per cigar $5.49; 20 cigars per box

Macanudo Inspirado White Cigarillo (4 3/16” x 32) – SRP per 10-cigar tin $15.99.

La Gloria Cubana, the original boutique brand, has created a special five-country blend that celebrates the masterful artisans of the El Credito Cigar Factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. 

Called “Spirit of the Lady,” the limited edition collection will be available exclusively at U.S. cigar shops beginning on March 2 and includes two box-pressed vitolas made from the finest aged tobaccos.

La Gloria Cubana and its Spirit of the Lady collection are distributed by The Forged Cigar Company.

Steve Abbot, senior brand manager for La Gloria Cubana said, “The artisans of El Credito are passionately committed to their craft, and it shows in every single cigar they make. Through their unwavering commitment to creating exquisite cigars, this dedicated team embodies the assured spirit of Lady La Gloria, the brand’s iconic marque. It is truly a pleasure to celebrate these talented men and women, and to honor their artistry through this special offering.”

Featuring hand-selected tobaccos from around the world, the El Credito blending team has selected a dark and lustrous, seven-year-aged wrapper from the Olancho San Agustín region of Honduras. It envelopes a Cameroon binder and dimensional blend of Mexican, Nicaraguan, and Dominican tobaccos.  The result is an elegant, medium-to-full-bodied smoking experience with notes of cocoa, dark fruit, cedar, toast and a hint of cinnamon.  

Spirit of the Lady will be available in two classic sizes and just 600 boxes of each size will be released.

Spirit of the Lady Toro (6” x 50); SRP per cigar $12.99

Spirit of the Lady Churchill (7” x 50); SRP per cigar $14.99

About The Forged Cigar Company 

Developed to deepen support for the brick and mortar channel, The Forged Cigar Company launched in 2021 as an independent national cigar distribution network. Bolstered by independent marketing and customized programming, The Forged Cigar Company’s portfolio includes a curated mix of established and cult brands such as Partagas, La Gloria Cubana, Bolivar Cofradia, Diesel and Chillin’ Moose. The Forged Cigar Company’s mission includes leveraging relationships with its proprietary network of cigar factories to deliver product innovations uniquely timed to meet retailer and consumer needs.

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CAO announces that Zócalo will return, this time as a full time addition to the CAO lineup. 

CAO Zócalo, named for a celebratory city square in Mexico, was a limited edition blend released in just one size in 2018 and at that time marked the first CAO cigar to be made with a Mexican wrapper. Today the blend returns with three classic frontmarks.

CAO’s Blender/Ambassador Rick Rodriguez said, “Two years ago, we tested a blend with a wrapper from Mexico, launching Zócalo in a 6 x 60. The response was very positive. The only negative feedback we received was that the blend came in just one size. Our fans told us that they would definitely support Zócalo if we had more sizes to offer. Fast forward to 2021 and here we are launching Zócalo as a permanent, three-cigar line.”

CAO Zócalo features a special Morron wrapper leaf grown in the San Andrés Valley, with a Cameroon binder and a filler of entirely Nicaraguan tobacco. The blend delivers earthy spice and subtle sweetness. 

Zócalo will be presented in boxes styled with the vibrant colors of the Mexican flag, each containing 20 cigars.

Robusto (5” x 52); SRP per cigar $7.99

Toro (6” x 50); SRP per cigar $8.49

Gigante (6” x 60); SRP per cigar $8.99

CAO Zócalo is made at STG Esteli and ships to retailers on March 5, 2021.

CAO is launching a new series called “Arcana” which will highlight the secrets and traditions of old-world tobacco processing methods, passed down from generation to generation to bring out the best in native tobaccos from across the globe. 

The first release in the CAO Arcana series is called “Mortal Coil,” a single cigar that resurrects “Andullo,” the oldest tobacco fermentation method of the Dominican Republic.

Andullo tobacco is made following the time-honored methods of cultivation and curing sungrown Habano-seed tobaccos. Instead of traditional bulk fermentation, Andullo tobacco is wrapped tightly in handcrafted palm tree pods known as “yaguas” that are compressed with rope coiled around the pod.  This old-world process of fermentation takes approximately two years and transforms the tobacco into rough, leathery-looking leaves with a characteristically thick texture and earthy sweetness.

Rick Rodriguez, CAO’s blender/ambassador said, “With the Arcana series, as we did with Amazon Basin and its Bragança leaf, we are once again shining a light on original tobacco fermentation methods to bring excitement to the fans of CAO. When it came to developing our first Arcana blend with Mortal Coil, we had the choice to go big or go home and as we always do, we decided to go big. The Andullo leaf in the blend shows the length the team and I are willing to go to deliver a unique taste experience, and it gives us a chance to show once again that CAO is a brand that stays true to its passion for tobacco.” 

Wrapped in Connecticut Broadleaf, with a Connecticut Shade binder and a filler made with Dominican Andullo surrounded by Honduran Jamastran, Nicaraguan Esteli and Dominican Piloto Cubano, CAO Mortal Coil has a deep aroma that brings forth pre-light notes of sweetness and spice. The full-flavored, medium-bodied cigar opens to reveal nuttiness and a creamy, earthy sweetness.  

Called Mortal Coil Toro, the 6 1/8” x 50 cigar will sell for an SRP of $10.99 per cigar. The singular frontmark will be packaged in 20 count boxes and only 5,000 boxes will be made, reserved solely for the U.S. market.

CAO Mortal Coil is handcrafted at STG Esteli and ships to retailers the week of February 1,

Punch will kick off The Year of The Ox with the launch of a limited-edition smoke called Punch Kung Pow!, the third release in the brand’s highly successful Chinese New Year Series. Kung Pow! is a follow up to 2020’s Punch Chop Suey and 2019’s Punch Egg Roll. 

Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager of Punch and the creator of Kung Pow! said, “The Chinese New Year Series for Punch has become a new tradition and for the 2021 release, we took a page from the Szechuan cookbooks. The medium-to-full-bodied blend is vaguely sweet with an undercurrent of spice, just like the popular Chinese food dish of the differently-spelled name. We put a new spin on the takeout container for this year’s release, and we’ve once again hit the post-holiday sweet spot for cigar lovers with a per-cigar price of just $5.99. My advice: get your hands on this one fast because it’s coming in hot!”

Handmade at HATSA in Danli, Honduras, Punch Kung Pow! is a five-country blend. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper sits over a Honduran Habano binder and the blend features long filler leaves from Brazil, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. It will be available in just one size, a 6” x 52 Parejo and ships to retailers on February 15, 2021.

The cigars come in 20-count bundles placed inside a takeout-style box with a shout out to the Year of the Ox.   

“Chinese astrology tells us that The Year of The Ox is a year of hard work, determination and rebuilding,” said Ed Lahmann. “Our ‘No Bull’ motto on the lid says it all.” 

King Pow! will be available at brick and mortar locations across the country and will be limited to 4,500 boxes, up from the 3,650 “takeout containers” released last year.

Punch King Pow! (6” x 52) – SRP per cigar $5.99

National Distribution Network Premieres Top-Selling Internet/Catalog Brand at Retail

Richmond, VA (January 22, 2021) – The Forged Cigar Company, an independent national cigar distribution network that launched on January 13, 2021, announced today that the company will begin selling the legendary Honduran brand El Rey del Mundo to brick and mortar locations across the U.S. starting in February, 2021.

El Rey Del Mundo was previously available exclusively through JR Cigars and Santa Clara Wholesale and rose to become a top-selling, top-rated brand for more than 20 years. The brand has been handcrafted at Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s HATSA factory in Honduras since. Under The Forged Cigar Company, El Rey Del Mundo will debut at retail as a full-time line featuring six frontmarks.  

“El Rey Del Mundo is exactly the type of brand that will flourish under The Forged Cigar Company. By introducing this established brand to brick and mortar retailers nationwide and supporting it with customized programming to drive interest among cigar lovers, my team and I will take a brand with great potential to the next level. We look forward to generating a lot noise at retail for El Rey Del Mundo, our first brand to debut under Forged,” said Sean Hardiman, national sales manager of The Forged Cigar Company.    

Handcrafted at the HATSA factory in Danli, Honduras, El Rey Del Mundo is a medium-bodied, Cuban-style smoke with rich notes of cocoa, coffee bean and a kick of spice.  The Honduran-forward blend is available in a natural version with an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper and a Connecticut Broadleaf-wrapped maduro, each featuring a Honduran-grown binder and filler. 

El Rey Del Mundo will launch with a curated selection of one natural and five maduro offerings, representing El Rey del Mundo’s all-time best-sellers:

Café au Lait (4.5” x 36); SRP per cigar $4.80; available in 24-count boxes

Café Noir OSC (4.5” x 35); SRP per cigar $4.80; available in 24-count boxes

Robusto OSC (5: x 54); SRP per cigar $5.40; available in 20-count boxes

Robusto Larga OSC (6” x 54); SRP per cigar $5.80; available in 20-count boxes

Robusto Supremo OSC (7.25 x 54); SRP per cigar $6.80; available in 20-count boxes

Ronco OSC (6” x 60); SRP per cigar $7.00; available in 20-count boxes

About The Forged Cigar Company 

Developed to deepen support for the brick and mortar channel, The Forged Cigar Company launched in 2021 as an independent national cigar distribution network. Bolstered by independent marketing and customized programming, The Forged Cigar Company’s portfolio includes a curated mix of established and cult brands such as Partagas, La Gloria Cubana, Bolivar Cofradia, Diesel and Chillin’ Moose. The Forged Cigar Company’s mission includes leveraging relationships with its proprietary network of cigar factories to deliver product innovations uniquely timed to meet retailer and consumer needs.