RoMa Craft Tobac is giving aficionados a glimpse into its blending process with its new “CRAFT Maquette” series. Drawing inspiration from the world of sculpture and architecture, the series presents consumers with the evolving taste of a blend.
Leading the series is “Il Nonno,” which translates from Italian as “grandpa.” This 5 x 52 robusto is at $15, offered in a limited run of only 125 packs of 10 cigars. Riverside Cigar Shop in Jeffersonville, Ind., will exclusively stock the blend starting mid-September.
Skip Martin, co-founder of RoMa Craft Tobac, shared the motivation behind the series in an Instagram post: “Artists use maquettes to explore shapes and poses of sculptures, while architects turn to them during the design process. Similarly, maquettes help creators refine their ideas efficiently. In the world of cigars, blending samples serve a similar purpose.”
Drew Estate, a prominent name in the cigar industry, is gearing up to release an exclusive new variant of Liga Privada 10. This distinct expression is scheduled to be unveiled at the Intertabac Show in Dortmund, Germany, on September 14, 2023.
The “Liga Privada 10 Selección de Mercado,” which translates to “Market Selection,” pays homage to the time-honored practice of selecting wrapper leaves based on color for specific national markets. Sized at 6 x 52 (Toro), the cigar stands out due to its Connecticut Criollo capa leaf. Notably, this leaf, known for its unique characteristics, is cultivated solely for Drew Estate by a single farmer in the renowned Connecticut River Valley. To enhance the luxury quotient, only the finest rosado Connecticut Criollo leaves are chosen for the Selección de Mercado.
Jonathan Drew, the Founder and President of Drew Estate, emphasizes the global nature of this product launch. “Liga Privada is renowned for its intense, full-bodied, and earthy flavor, synonymous with the Connecticut River Valley’s terroir. However, Selección de Mercado is conceived differently, aiming to offer an unprecedented Liga Privada experience tailored for the international palate. The uniqueness of the blend can be summarized as an authentic non-Cuban cigar that encapsulates similar flavor depths,” states Drew.
Despite its robust flavor profile, the Selección de Mercado is crafted to be medium-bodied. The featured rosado capa is paired with a mix of Mexican capote and tripa tobaccos sourced from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. This intricate combination produces a cigar that is not only richly balanced but also possesses refined espresso undertones, harmonizing with the earthy notes from the Connecticut Criollo. In terms of design, the cigar exhibits an unfinished foot and a distinct Cola de Pescado (fishtail) head, a touch by the craftsmen responsible for the Liga Privada 10 Aniversario. Connoisseurs can expect the Selección de Mercado to be available in boxes containing ten pieces.
Since 2015, French accessory manufacturer Les Fines Lames (LFL) has lived by two words “creation and innovation.” At the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Expo and Tradeshow, Les Fines Lames continue its journey of merging the worlds of wearable fashion accessories and the cigar world. The accessory manufacturer made a significant splash by being a tradeshow sponsor and gifting 500 LFL PCA VIP Exclusive Punch Bracelets to the “Pay To Play” members at the expo. They also showcased the prototype of the La Tag, a wearable guillotine necklace, and announced a distribution partnership with Oliva Cigar Company.
“We are coming from the fashion and jewelry worlds, so we create cigar accessories with French ideals of practicality at the forefront of our minds. Functionality is important to us. The company’s motto is fashionable and functional. We are proud of every item being “Made in France,” said Fabien Boliver, Les Fines Lames Brand Content Manager.
Les Fines Lames exhibited a few new items, such as their reimaged one-size-fits-all punch brace released earlier in 2023, a couple of new iterations of their famed La Petit Cigar Cutter, and the La Tag, a prototype of the guillotine necklace that will come to market in the fall.
“Many people have been asking us to make a double guillotine cutter, so we listened to our people. We decided to design a guillotine as a necklace,” said Fabien. “Even though this is the prototype and there are some details, we are still working out. We ultimately brought the prototype to get retailers’ feedback on the necklace, and thus far, the feedback has been extremely positive.”
Les Fines Lames designed the La Tag to resemble a set of military dog tags and come in two variations, the T100 & T135. The T100 has two tags; the first is crafted with gold and stainless steel. The gold plate is 100% customizable, allowing consumers to add their brand logos, motto, or patterned design. The second tag is a stainless steel guillotine cutter that can cut cigars up to a 7×70 ring gauge. The MSRP of the T100 is $250. It’s wonderfully fashionable and functional.
Les Fines Lames’ approach to the T135 is minimalistic. It is significantly larger than its sibling, comprising only a guillotine cutter on a chain. The selling point of the T100 is its ability to cut cigars up to 100-ring gauge, like the recently released JFR Lunatic Madora (10×100) by Aganorsa Leaf. The T135 is more affordable than its counterpart, with an MSPR of $80.
“With the La Tag, you can cut your cigar in three movements,” said Fabien, “You can cut your cigar and go on with your life. There is no way you can lose your cutter.”
The other groundbreaking news Les Fines Lames announced during the expo was their distribution agreement with Oliva Cigar Co. The partnership allows Oliva Sales Representatives to offer Les Fines Lames products to retailers, thus expanding the manufactures footprint in the United States. Oliva’s parent company, Vandermarliere Cigar Family, has also invested in the accessory company.
“Vandermarliere is from Belgium, and we are from France. It was simply a good fit for us. We have been friends for many years, and our entire team is happy about the partnership,” Fabien said.
It’s mid-afternoon on the third day of the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Tradeshow and Expo, and the tradeshow floor is still abuzz with retailers hustling for last-minute deals in a sea of booths. The permeate haze of cigar smoke is still thick in the air.
At the heart of the Freud Cigar Company booth, the distinct clattering of shuffling dominoes accompanied by a lively conversation breaks the drone of the tradeshow. Eladio Diaz, cigar master blender and the former Head of Production and Quality Control at Davidoff of Geneva, moves the dominoes around the one-of-a-kind Freud Cigar Co. table with the tenderness of a man who has rolled tens of thousands of cigars in his lifetime. At that moment, you’d first notice the genuine love the entire team has for each other and the unifying power of tobacco.
“Eladio Díaz is as fierce a competitor at Dominoes as he is a skilled, renowned, and singularly talented master blender. The trash talk and laughs are unforgettable,” said Luis Miguel Torres, co-founder of Freud Cigar Co. Luis gracious steps away from the lively game to share about the new Freud cigar, their core line, and the soft launch of a new line, Carlos & Maria.
“Well, we’ve got the Sigmund: Chapter One — The Disruptor we launched about five weeks ago or the latest limited edition, double Corona, blended by the Eladio Díaz. It comes in a Beautiful Tiffany blue, commemorating the birthday, May 6, of Sigmund Freud. Our core collection is Super Ego, Alter Ego, and Agape. And for the first time, we’re talking about Carlos and Maria, a new brand that we very soft launched here at the show, blended by Wiber Ventura of Tabacalera William Ventura, and we’re really proud of that. The first line is called Amorío and will come in four sizes, Corona Gorda, Robusto, Churchill, and Toro. Amorío is blended by my dear friend Wiber, and we are having a good show,” said Torres.
Freud Cigar Co. has created a compelling narrative over the past couple of years, with Master Blenders Eladio Diaz and Wiber Venture crafting their cigars, impactful packaging, and the Sigmund Freud namesake that has captived consumers. The brand is currently working on AGAPE 2023, which will launch in December and will be limited to 3,000 boxes. Freud Cigar Co. also announced at PCA 2023 that Sigmund would be a yearly limited release with 3,5000 10-count boxes.
“What I love most about our newest blend, Sigmund: Chapter One — The Disruptor, is it a journey. It’s a medium-bodied blend that is complex, harmonious, and easy to smoke. It has notes of cocoa, walnut, and leather. It’s simply a delightful blend, and we are so proud of it,” said Torres.
General Cigar Company has introduced the CAO Flathead V23, extending the motorsport-themed Flathead series. The V23 is inspired by the iconic Ford GT40, a racecar known for its triple consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1960s. The V23’s packaging mirrors the GT40’s distinct color scheme and even incorporates tufted leather on the box lid.
Discussing the new launch, Senior Brand Manager Ed Lahmann stated, “The CAO V23 commemorates 100 years of Le Mans and pays tribute to the influential American racecar that left an indelible mark in motorsport history.”
Lahmann further detailed the cigar’s characteristics, highlighting its departure from its predecessors. “While the V23 retains the large-ring, box-pressed, full-bodied qualities of prior blends, it distinctly stands out in its balance between power and finesse. Drawing a parallel with the GT40 MK1, known for its combination of performance and elegance, the V23 offers both substance and a refined smoking experience. It’s a cigar crafted for aficionados, balancing strength with intricate flavor profiles. We eagerly await the feedback from CAO fans.”
CAO Flathead V23 Blend Specs:
Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Combination of Honduran and Nicaraguan
Factory: STG Esteli, Nicaragua
Vitola: 6X60 Box-press
Packaging: Boxes of 20
Distributor: General Cigar Co.
Price: $13.99 per cigar
The CAO Flathead V23 is scheduled for shipping starting September 1st.
