AROMAS CIGAR BAR & Beer House in conjunction with the Private Cigar Aficionado’s group Club Robusto is proud to announce the 7th Annual STOGIEFEST in JACKSONVILLE this March 25^th.

STOGIEFEST showcases over 20 select cigar manufacturers, each providing a sample of their finest cigars complimentary to all attendees, as well as a code of high end liquor distillers providing samples of the finest adult beverages available, in conjunction with other tobacciana supportive companies culminating to offer a fun filled celebration for the avid cigar lover and for those wanting to become one. Come learn directly from the manufacturers about the different characteristics and traits of the world’s best cigars.

VIP pre-events will be held on Friday, March 23^rd, and Saturday March 24^th with a complete tentative schedule posted on StogieFest.com.

Title sponsor InVestra Financial Services Wealth Management Division has made it possible to host such a grand event, which includes for each attendee complimentary cigars, spirits and craft beers from each of the following suppliers:

Cigar Sponsors:

Acid®

Aurturo Fuente® Altidas®

CAO® Cojimar® Gurkha®

La Gloria Cubano® Montesino® Perdomo®

Berger & Argenti®

H. Upmann® Tabbac® Camacho®

Hoyo De Monterey® Vega Fina®

CAO®

Romeo Y Julietta® Villiger®

Zino®

Spirits Sponsors:

Balvenie Scotch® Benriach Scotch® Bushmills®

Compass Box Scotch® Dalmore Scotch® Glenfiddich Scotch®

Glenmoragie Scotch® Happy Rum®

Jack Daniels Whiskey® John Barr Scotch®

Jura Scotch®

Monkey Shoulder Scotch® Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey® Three Olives Vodka®

Virginia Black®

Woodford Reserve Whiskey® YaegerMeister®

Beer Sponsors:

Intuition Ale Works

Lagunitas®

Veterans United Brewery

Atlantic Beach Brewery

Wine Sponsors:

Proximo Wine Portfolio

Other Sponsors:

CigarEvents.com

Cigar & Leisure Magazine

CigarWeekly.com

ESPN Radio

Drivelinellc.com Fields Auto Group Jaguar of Jacksonville

Land Rover of Jacksonville

Red Bull®

Stogies & Stilettos® Women’s Cigar Club

Smooth Draws Radio Show

Besides the huge value of receiving more than $300 worth of complimentary cigars, spirits, craft beers, great food and swag just for attending, StogieFest also offers incredible bands, a bikini contest, a free blackjack tournament and an exclusive Scotch tasting supported by distiller representatives on hand to teach the finer points of scotch. Ticket holders vote for their favorite cigar at the event by using their voting chip during the cigar hand out session.

Come to enjoy a great party, leave with enough cigars to fill your humidor!

VIP Tickets include early admission to the event as well as a private after party and meet & greet directly with the cigar and liquor manufacturers at Aromas inside the Private “Members Only” lounge of Club Robusto.

Circle the 25^th of March on your calendar to spend the whole day at StogieFest!

For more information, visit the website at www.StogieFest.com, phone (904) 928-0515 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">Info@StogieFest.com

Southern Draw Cigars & Famous Smoke Shop Partner for the New Cigar Release

AUSTIN, TEXAS - Two American, family-owned cigar businesses have partnered for an exciting new cigar release.

Southern Draw Cigars, a Veteran-owned premium cigar brand, proudly announces a new addition to their QuickDraw line of cigars: a Corona Gorda (5x46), now available in 25-count boxes protected by Boveda Inc.’s two-way humidification. Built on a relationship that’s as much business as it is brotherly, Famous Smoke Shop - the largest American-owned distributor of premium cigars online – “committed on the spot” for the exclusive opportunity to collaborate on the new QuickDraw, now available at famous-smoke.com.

“Famous Smoke Shop and Southern Draw Cigars are coming off a wonderful Veterans Day Appreciation event, which was highlighted by our mutual commitment to Cigars for Warriors and our active duty military personnel. This partnership has provided an ideal opportunity to join forces again to distribute the first release of this exciting new line extension of our QuickDraw blends,” said Robert Holt, Chief Evangelist of Southern Draw Cigars.

“Connoisseur-Size” Cigars.

The QuickDraw line from Southern Draw Cigars has satisfied cigar smokers since their release in 2014, with three unique blends: a mild body/medium flavor Connecticut, the medium-plus body & flavor Dark Habano and their rich, complex and medium-full body/full flavor cigar clad in a Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper. Hailed as “connoisseur-size” cigars, the QuickDraw trilogy was carefully blended to be enjoyed in Petit Corona (4.5x44) and Short Panatela (5.5x40) sizes, and savored over the course of 30 - 45 minutes. 

A Commitment to Fair Pricing.

Since their debut, these complex “little cigars” have remained fairly priced in spite of mounting tobacco regulations; with Famous Smoke Shop driving the launch of this new Corona Gorda option, both cigar maker and retailer are determined to keep the new QuickDraw’s cost friendly to cigar smokers: “Both Sharon and Robert, along with our team at Famous, expect the new QuickDraw Corona Gorda to deliver the strength and flavor of its smaller ring gauge counterparts. And now that we’re doing it in this classic and popular size, we want to keep it around the same price,” added Jim Charnley, Famous’ Director of Purchasing.

Expertly handcrafted in Nicaragua with only aged, premium tobaccos, “each QuickDraw blend provides for the perfect Morning (Connecticut), Noon (Dark Habano) & Night (Pennsylvania) smoking experience that fits a busy lifestyle,” suggests Southern Draw’s Sharon Holt. “Especially,” she says,“for cigar lovers who only have a shorter break that might benefit from a smaller sized cigar.”  

Act fast or please have patience.  

Because of high demand and enthusiasm for Southern Draw cigars, and the exclusivity of these proven blends in this popular, desirable size – coupled with the holiday giving season – it’s likely that the new QuickDraw Corona Gorda cigars will sell out fast. This initial release will only be available at Famous Smoke Shop, with wider availability at a later date. For best and most immediate service, visit famous-smoke.com to purchase from this limited allotment of cigar stock.

About Famous Smoke Shop

Famous Smoke Shop is the #1 American-owned discount cigar retailer, home to the lowest prices on the largest selection of premium cigars, humidors and cigar accessories in the country. With over one thousand cigar brands in stock, including Southern Draw, Acid, Davidoff, Macanudo, Romeo y Julieta, Ashton, Padron, Oliva and Perdomo cigars, cigar smokers shop at Famous Smoke Shop with confidence: every purchase is backed by the Famous Freshness Guarantee and award-winning customer service.

About Southern Draw Cigars

Southern Draw Cigars - A Veteran Owned and Operated premium cigar brand that offers only hand crafted cigars from patiently aged, naturally fermented tobaccos.  Produced in Estelí, Nicaragua and distributed from our home state of Texas.  More information may be found at www.southerndrawcigars.com or Southern Draw Cigars on Facebook, @sdcigars on Instagram and Twitter.

MACANUDO CELEBRATES ITS GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

The Evolution Continues…

The year is 1968 and General Cigar Company has just purchased the Temple Hall Cigar Factory in Kingston, Jamaica. With Temple Hall, the company acquired Macanudo, a small handmade cigar brand made just for the British market. If the then-owners of General Cigar had a crystal ball, would they have predicted that in 50 years, this small brand would have evolved to become a global icon? The answer is, without question, yes.

2018 marks a major milestone for Macanudo, as the brand commemorates its 50^th anniversary. Throughout the year, the brand will unleash a flurry of activity to usher in its next 50 years. Exciting and unexpected new product launches, special events and retail promotions are set to kick off this month, under the banner of The 50 Days of Macanudo.

Jose de Castro, vice president of marketing said, “In the 50 years since its launch, Macanudo remains one of the world’s most respected and best-selling handmade cigar brands. This is because Macanudo has always focused on delivering the best and most consistent experience to the cigar smoker. More recently, we took a bold step to evolve the brand by introducing the Inspirado line in the U.S., amped up our retail and consumer promotions and contemporized our logo and packaging. The result has been nothing less than a renaissance for the brand. And for cigar lovers who have been wowed by the exciting changes we’ve made to Macanudo, I’m here to tell them that they haven’t seen anything yet.”

The 50 Days of Macanudo kicks off on March 12 and runs through May 21. During this 50-day window, Macanudo fans can join the celebration by uploading photos of their most memorable Macanudo moments to the brand’s website (www.macanudo.com/50 ) and automatically be entered into win Macanudo branded merchandise, ranging from coolers to lighters, ashtrays, hats, wall signs and other limited-edition items.

Also in March-May, brick and mortar retailers who purchase any of the Macanudo promotions available at that time are automatically entered to win a $500 credit to be used toward future purchases of Macanudo cigars.

In addition to the 50 Days of Macanudo promotions, all boxes of Macanudo cigars made in 2018 will be affixed with commemorative gold guarantee seals. Special wooden signs and shelf talkers also will be appearing at fine cigar shops nationwide starting in early 2018.

The evolution of Macanudo will continue with an exciting new three-cigar collection from the brand’s top-rated Inspirado line, launching in late March. A very limited number of cigars will be seeded to cigar media and bloggers in attendance at the ProCigar show taking place in Santiago, DR on Feb. 20-24.

Famous Smoke Shop Unleashes the Upgraded Cigar Monster 2.0               

Leading Online Retailer Releases New & Improved Daily Cigar Deal Website

EASTON, PA – Famous Smoke Shop, the leading online distributor of discounted premium cigars, specializes in offering the web's widest selection of cigars at the lowest prices. Famous has just announced the release of its new and improved Cigar Monster website. The release marks 10 years of growth and success for the company’s beloved sister site and price eating monster.  Famous Smoke Shop has now utilized its advanced technological offerings to make using Cigar Monster easy and fun, all while saving its customers money.

Features Improved

Aside from a dynamic new look, cigar smokers will find several new and improved features, chiefly “Make Your Offer’, ‘Featured Monster Deals’ and ‘Daily Deals’. Formerly known as ‘Name Your Price’, Make Your Offer brings a little excitement to shopping for deals with new animations. Customers will get three attempts to make a deal, so they must choose wisely. The Cigars page is now simpler to use and features the daily deal as well as all featured deals. “Visiting the page is like a never-ending trip of deals. Monster lovers are going to love this new site,” says Fred Lunt, copywriter for Famous Smoke Shop.

A Farewell to the Cigar Monster App

Like all good things, they must one day come to an end. Due to imposing restrictions in the app market, the Cigar Monster App will no longer be active on IOS and Android app stores. While the app, debuted in 2015, has been a faithful companion to customers everywhere, it was time to move on. However, Cigar Monster’s mobile site received a generous bump and is now better than ever for customers who shop on smart phones and tablets.

To see Cigar Monster 2.0 click here: https://www.cigarmonster.com

About Famous Smoke Shop 
Famous Smoke Shop is the nation’s #1 discount retailer of premium cigars online, offering one of the largest selections of handmade cigars, machine-made cigars, cigar humidors and accessories. Famous offers the web’s lowest prices on a wide selection of cigar brands including Acid, Davidoff, Macanudo, Romeo y Julieta, Ashton, Padron, Oliva and Perdomo cigars, and many more. Famous offers their customers the best prices on all premium cigars as well as friendly and knowledgeable customer service.

SABOR HAVANA TO HOST THE 15th ANNUAL CIGAR EVENT, “SMOKE THIS”

Pre-event Ruth Chris Steak Dinner hosted by Villiger Cigars on the eve of the big event!

(Miami, Florida) November 8, 2017— Sabor Havana Cigars is ready to host their 15th annual end of year event, which brings together cigar aficionados, industry notables, and influencers. The annual “Smoke This” event has become a Miami tradition hosted by Sabor Havana Cigars, which is known for being the premier cigar shop in Miami.  Music, premium cigars, catered food, and premium open bars await guests this Saturday, December 2rd, from 2PM to 6PM at Sabor Havana located at 2600 NW 87th Ave Suite #3 Doral, Fl. 33172.

Jorge Valdes and Aquiles Legra, owners of Sabor Havana, create the perfect setting at the event. The festivities will take place under an oversized tent, featuring cigars from the top brands in the industry, open bars and food courtesy of Sushi Saki, Divietto Italian Cusine, Christy’s Coral Gables, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Coral Gables, Diced, Chef Paella, and dessert by Kissie’s Cakes. The event will also feature a dedicated Villiger Cigars-Rum Zafra Lounge and a Davidoff Cigars-The Macallan dedicated area for those who enjoy a perfect cigar and spirit pairing. Other spirits in attendance: Rum Abuelo, The Tank Brewery, Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, Highland Park, and Russian Standard.

On the eve of the “Smoke This” event, Sabor Havana, together with Villiger Cigars will host the pre event; “Cigars Under the Stars” dinner event catered by Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The event will feature Villiger’s La Flor De Ynclan Cigar which recently attained a 93 rating paired with The Macallan and a showcase of specially selected wines by Mega Wine & Spirits. This pairing will only highlight Ruth’s Chris signature steak dinner.

The Smoke this event will feature the who’s who in the industry to include, Arturo Fuente Cigars, Villiger Cigars, Padron Cigars, Davidoff, My Father Cigars, Rocky Patel Cigars, Miami Cigars & Co. , Perdomo  Cigars, Oliva Cigars, Tatuaje/L’atalier  Cigars, C.L.E. Cigars, Espinosa Cigars, Atladis, Aladino Cigars, Plasencia , Toraño Family Cigar Co., Quesada , A.J. Fernandez Cigars, Gurhka  Cigars, Ashton Cigars, Drew Estates, E.P. Carrillo, Cadwell Cigars, D’Crossier Cigars, and Xikar.

For Jorge Valdes and Aquiles Legra, cigars were once just a hobby that slowly turned into a side business. After retiring from their respective industries, Jorge and Aquiles finally decided to dive into his true passion, cigars. Open since 2002, Sabor Havana has had a distinguished existence in the city of Doral. Receiving the key to the city in 2012, Sabor Havana has played an important part in the city’s growth. 

Tickets for “Smoke This” and “Cigars Under the Stars” Dinner can be purchased at Sabor Havana Cigars located at 2600 NW 87th Ave Suite #3 Doral, Fl. 33172.

Earlier today, the question of how FDA regulates premium cigars was once again raised before members of Congress and the Administration during a House Budget Committee Hearing.  Before the committee was Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which oversees the federal budget as well as proposed regulatory actions by government agencies

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) directed a question on the FDA’s current review of how it treats and regulates premium cigars, and specifically raised his concerns that FDA be held accountable and their enactment of regulations be supported by appropriate cost-benefit analysis.  Director Mulvaney recognized that the current administration has set a new standard for application of cost-benefit analysis in terms of regulations and that OMB will ensure that the FDA meets that standard.  He also expressed that he looks forward to working with the Congressman and all stakeholders on this issue. 

IPCPR applauds Congressman Diaz-Balart for continuing to raise concerns over regulation of premium cigars.  We are also encouraged by the Director's ongoing commitment to regulatory fairness and remain committed to engaging Congress and the Administration on this critical issue.  

General Cigar recently held a private reception at the IPCPR trade show to honor cigar industry legend Benji Menendez for his many contributions to the company and to thank him for his ongoing support.

General Cigar President Régis Broersma said, “Our relationship with Benji Menendez has continued long after his retirement from the company. To this day, he is a trusted advisor, mentor and friend to all of us in the General Cigar family. It was truly an honor to have Benji and his lovely wife Margarita with us at IPCPR this year and we look forward to continuing to work with him, to soak up the wisdom he so freely shares.”

“General Cigar is my extended family and I am grateful that they have never forgotten me. I am looking forward to doing more things with the company. I hope I can help in some small way to spread the word about the fantastic cigars they make,” said Benji. 

In Spring, 2018, Benji Menendez will appear in a very special event series for Partagas. Additional details including event dates will be announced in early 2018.

Benji Menendez retired from his position as General Cigar’s vice president of premium cigars in 2014. His career spans more than 60 years in the handmade cigar business and his contributions to the category are too numerous to mention.

The Evolution Continues...

The year is 1968 and General Cigar Company has just purchased the Temple Hall Cigar Factory in Kingston, Jamaica. With Temple Hall, the company acquired Macanudo, a small handmade cigar brand made just for the British market. If the then-owners of General Cigar had a crystal ball, would they have predicted that in 50 years, this small brand would have evolved to become a global icon? The answer is, without question, yes.

2018 marks a major milestone for Macanudo, as the brand commemorates its 50th anniversary. Throughout the year, the brand will unleash a flurry of activity to usher in its next 50 years. Exciting and unexpected new product launches, special events and retail promotions are set to kick off this month, under the banner of The 50 Days of Macanudo.

Jose de Castro, vice president of marketing said, “In the 50 years since its launch, Macanudo remains one of the world’s most respected and best-selling handmade cigar brands. This is because Macanudo has always focused on delivering the best and most consistent experience to the cigar smoker. More recently, we took a bold step to evolve the brand by introducing the Inspirado line in the U.S., amped up our retail and consumer promotions and contemporized our logo and packaging. The result has been nothing less than a renaissance for the brand. And for cigar lovers who have been wowed by the exciting changes we’ve made to Macanudo, I’m here to tell them that they haven’t seen anything yet.”

The 50 Days of Macanudo kicks off on March 12 and runs through May 21. During this 50-day window, Macanudo fans can join the celebration by uploading photos of their most memorable Macanudo moments to the brand’s website (www.macanudo.com/50 ) and automatically be entered into win Macanudo branded merchandise, ranging from coolers to lighters, ashtrays, hats, wall signs and other limited-edition items.

Also in March-May, brick and mortar retailers who purchase any of the Macanudo promotions available at that time are automatically entered to win a $500 credit to be used toward future purchases of Macanudo cigars.

In addition to the 50 Days of Macanudo promotions, all boxes of Macanudo cigars made in 2018 will be affixed with commemorative gold guarantee seals. Special wooden signs and shelf talkers also will be appearing at fine cigar shops nationwide starting in early 2018.

The evolution of Macanudo will continue with an exciting new three-cigar collection from the brand’s top-rated Inspirado line, launching in late March. A very limited number of cigars will be seeded to cigar media and bloggers in attendance at the ProCigar show taking place in Santiago, DR on Feb. 20-24.

TAMPA, Florida - July 23, 2017 - Galano Cigars announced today the official launch of their new cigar collection: EVO XZ. The EVO collection represents the evolution of the Galano Group’s brands into a new market.

“Some say that manufacturing in the United States is dead.” said Joshua Candamo, President of Galano Group LLC.

Sadly, in a large number of industries, manufacturing in the US has significantly declined during the last 50 years. This fact is evident for those who grew up in a country where about 1 in 4 jobs were manufacturing jobs.

Today, fewer than 1 in 10 jobs are manufacturing jobs.

“At Galano Cigars, we are not about producing more, but producing the best, and we believe the United States is the country to do that. As our brand’s awareness has increased, we are now in a great position to enter a new market.”

However, producing almost anything locally comes with a challenge. Labor and raw materials are simply just more expensive in the US compared to other countries. No wonder why a lot of cigar manufacturers have moved their operations or production to other countries like Nicaragua and Dominican Republic to reduce costs.

EVO XZ is the first Galano Cigar sold under US$10. “With a $6.85 price tag, we invite all cigar aficionados to try a great American product. We still use the best tobacco from around the world, but everything else you see in EVO was made with excellence in the US. Our cigars are 100% hand rolled in Ybor City by Cuban artisans. The label, the beautiful Spanish Cedar box, the packaging accessories, everything is done here at home.”

The first cigar under the EVO XZ lineup is a Toro Rosado, standing at 6 inches tall and 54 ring gauge. This beauty will deliver a medium-to-full, rich smoking experience that will delight cigar aficionados all over the world.

Galano Cigars invites you to be a part of the evolution, and order EVO XZ singles or a 20-count box directly from their online store. Use the code OVER100 at checkout to get free shipping anywhere in the US for orders over US$100.

ABOUT GALANO CIGARS

Galano Cigars is a brand of cigars owned by Galano Group LLC, a privately held company based out of Tampa, Florida. Galano Cigars offer a variety of premium cigars hand rolled in Ybor City and shipped worldwide.

Miami, FL, February 5, 2018– AJ Fernández Cigar Company has hired former representative of Cigar Rings, SRL, Starky Arias as its new marketing director. Arias will assume the position starting March 1, 2018.

Arias brings many years of experience in the cigar industry, ranging from creative director of many popular brands to spearheading brand concepts and launches, mainly via Cigar Rings which prints cigar bands and packaging for most of the industry.

“Starky has been our go-to with most of our new brand designs and concepts, whether they are my brands or the collaborations I work on. He and I have always had an amazing working relationship and I finally asked him to join our team” says AJ Fernandez.

“Starky is a key addition to the team as our company continues to grow. His experience, knowledge and creativity will lead our marketing department into the future” says company C.O.O. Selim Hanono.

“I want to thank AJ and the entire team for this wonderful and exciting opportunity. It is an honor to join the team and get to work on all of the innovative projects. I’ve seen AJ grow throughout the years and the timing is now perfect” says Arias.

Raised in Cuba and steeped in the rich tradition of the Fernandez cigar legacy, AJ Fernandez produces unparalleled premium cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua. Ensuring superior quality, the day-to-day operations at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua, are managed under the watchful eye of AJ and his father Ismael. Among the world renown brands hand crafted at AJ’s factory are San Lotano, Enclave, New World, Last Call & Bellas Artes.

Drew Estate announced today that the company will begin shipping Florida Sun Grown “FSG” Cigars nationally to DDRP accounts.  This brand features tobacco grown in Clermont, Florida, by Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Corona Cigar Company and the Florida Sun Grown Farm. The brand will be displayed in Drew Estate’s booth (Booth #2608) at the IPCPR Convention and Tradeshow, which will be held July 10 – 14, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The “FSG” by Drew Estate project began in 2011 and debuted in 2016 at the Florida Barn Smoker. The core FSG blend features Florida Sun Grown filler as an accent tobacco to select Nicaraguan fillers which adds an authentic Florida agricultural nuance to this unique and captivating blend. The binder is a Habano seed tobacco from Honduras and the cigar is finished off with a lush Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper.

In addition to four core sizes, Drew Estate is releasing a Limited Edition Trunk-Pressed Toro. This prized cigar features its own unique blend which utilizes a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Mexican binder, and Florida Sun Grown filler tobacco, along with fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras.

The Florida Sun Grown “FSG” by Drew Estate is available for purchase in the following vitolas from Drew Diplomat Retailers:

• Robusto (5 x 54), MSRP $230.00/20 CT Box
• Toro (6 x 52), MSRP $260.00/20 CT Box
• Belicoso (6 ½ x 54), MSRP $280.00/20 CT Box
• Sixty (6 x 60), MSRP $300.00/20 CT Box
• Limited Edition Box-Press Toro (6 x 54), MSRP $150.00/10 CT Box

From the Florida Sun Grown Farm in Clermont, Florida Jeff Borysiewicz said, “Drew Estate’s commitment to the American tobacco movement is unmatched. From the Connecticut River Valley, to barns in Kentucky, and to my farm in Clermont, Florida, nobody supports American leaf farmers like Drew Estate. Since 2010 I’ve pioneered the resurgence of Florida tobacco believing that consumers in the United States would be excited to bring American tobacco agriculture back to the forefront. When I purchased the land for our farm, I spent countless hours analyzing the temperature, sun-light, wind, humidity, and altitude that would bring my farm as close to the conditions of Pinar del Rio, Cuba as possible. These are very exciting times for this farm and for American tobacco.”

From his Wynwood Safehouse, President and Founder of Drew Estate, Jonathan Drew said, “My friendship with Jeff spans almost 20 years. When Jeff first approached me about his idea to bring Florida tobacco back to the premium cigar industry I promised him that Drew Estate would stand by his side, just as we have done with the farmers in Connecticut and Kentucky. Pioneering anything is never easy, but what Jeff and his entire company have done is a truly breakthrough innovation. Drew Estate is genuinely committed to American tobacco.”

The Florida Sun Grown line will begin shipping to Drew Diplomat Retailers at the end of July.

Fans of Florida Sun Grown by Drew Estate are encouraged to download Drew Diplomat the official mobile application of Drew Estate – The Rebirth of Cigars which is now available in the App Store for iPhone®, and iPod Touch® and on Google Play™ for Android™. For more information head to http://drewdiplomat.com
 
Florida Sun Grown Farm
Founded in 2012, Florida Sun Grown is the first farm in Florida to grow long filler cigar tobacco in many years; a tradition that ended in 1977 as many tobacco farms closed shop and relocated  to other regions.  Located in beautiful Clermont Florida, Florida Sun Grown is the latest enterprise of president and founder of Corona Cigar Company, Jeff Borysiewicz.  The farm is dedicated to growing premium tobacco that will be utilized in the production of fine cigars worldwide.  The first test crop was planted in March 2013 and yielded roughly 800 pounds of Criollo and Corojo tobacco.  FSG has since increased production and is well on its way to reestablishing a culture of premium tobacco farming in Florida.

The Villiger La Vencedora represents the first ever full-bodied Villiger Handmade Premium Cigar

(Miami, Florida) January 24, 2018— Villiger Cigars begins 2018, which is the 130th year anniversary of the company, with the announcement of the newest Villiger Cigar brand, the Villiger La Vencedora. The Villiger La Vencedora is the follow up blend to the Villiger La Flor De Ynclan which attained a top 10 ranking in Cigar Aficionado Magazine’s top 25 Cigars for 2017. The Villiger La Vencedora which translates to “The Victor” is the first ever full-bodied Villiger cigar, and carries a special meaning to Villiger Cigars chairman of the board, Heinrich Villiger.

The years 2016 and 2017 have served as breakthrough years for Villiger Cigars. The company mostly known for creating premium machine manufactured cigars, made a huge splash in the handmade premium market. The Villiger San’Doro Colorado, Villiger La Libertad, and the most recent, the Villiger La Flor De Ynclan have all garnered high ratings, and multiple top 25 rankings. For Heinrich Villiger, it meant it was time to unveil a legacy brand to complete the Villiger handmade premium cigar portfolio.

The Villiger La Vencedora or “The Victor” represents to Heinrich Villiger the arrival of Villiger Cigars to the premium handmade cigar segment. It was time, in his opinion, to push to the envelope and create a legacy cigar that will serve as a proper follow up to the acclaimed Villiger La Flor De Ynclan brand. This Nicaraguan puro wrapped in a beautiful Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro, boasts a potent full-bodied smoking experience, featuring highly seasoned, hearty flavors.

Heinrich Villiger said, “We are grateful for the opportunity to use our 130 years of experience to create what I feel is a very special cigar in the Villiger La Vencedora.”

Rene Castañeda President of Villiger Cigars North America stated, “We as a team feel that the Villiger La Vencedora is a palate pleasing, full-bodied, yet elegant cigar, that will satisfy the cigar connoisseur as well as the casual smoker.

The Villiger La Vencedora will be expressed in three sizes:

Robusto (5x50)   MSRP: $9.00

Toro        (6x50)   MSRP: $9.50

Churchill (7x50)   MSRP: $10.00

ABOUT VILLIGER SONS LIMITED AND VILLIGER NORTH AMERICA:
Villiger Sons Limited was established in 1888 by Jean Villiger in the small town of Pfeffikon, Switzerland, where Villiger remains headquartered to this day. The company manufactures and sells more than 1.5 billion cigars annually, world-wide. Today, under the leadership of Heinrich Villiger, the company prides itself in its commitment to quality, in all their products made in many countries around the globe.

Follow the NEW Villager Cigars North America on social @VilligerCigarsNorthAmerica #TheOriginalClassic

EDITOR'S NOTE: Pappy Van Winkle (being my favorite bourbon and rye whiskies) has an extremely limited distribution--mostly within a small radius from the distillery in Kentucky--has a tremendous following, made moreso by it's repeated appearance in the FX Network's hit series Justified. In most other places, the waiting list for a bottle is five to ten years deep and costs in the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars. That makes this desirable cigar from Drew Estates even more desirable, and from the look of it, available in very limited quantities.

Drew Estate announces the formal release of Pappy Van Winkle “TRADITION”. This extremely limited supply brand will be displayed in Drew Estate’s booth (Booth #2608) at the IPCPR Convention and Tradeshow, held July 10-14, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition will be exclusively available for sale through Drew Diplomat Retailers.

From Kentucky, Julian Van Winkle President of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, “I was invited to Cigar Aficionado’s A Night to Remember by Jonathan Drew in 2016 and was presented with a non-banded, wooden box of cigars with white bands on it that just read “Exclusively for my Friend Julian by Willy Herrera Sincerely Jonathan Drew”.  I loved this blend because of its balance, shortly thereafter, my family and I visited La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Nicaragua and I smoked the same blend most of the trip. By the end, I knew this would be the Pappy Van Winkle Tradition.”

Drew Estate is honored to represent the Van Winkle Family with an ultra-premium cigar that reinforces the legacy for one of America’s true living icons, Julian Van Winkle. The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition features an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper, Indonesian Binder and aged fillers from Nicaragua and Dominican Republic. From his Wynwood Safehouse, Jonathan Drew President and Founder of Drew Estate notes, “The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition features an ultra-complex combination of extensively aged fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic that are blanketed with a flawless Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. Availability is limited. I am humbled to extend the Drew and Van Winkle friendship, time tested honor, and craftsmanship to Drew Diplomat Humidors across the United States.”

The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition features the following expressions:

• Coronita (4 x 46) MSRP $146.00/10ct Box
• Robusto Grande (5.5 x 54) MSRP $216.00/10ct Box
• Toro (6 x 50) MSRP $236.00/10ct Box
• Belicoso Fino (5 x 50) MSRP $246.00/10ct Box
• Churchill (7 x 48) MSRP $236.00 / 10ct Box Exclusively available at Drew Diplomat Spirits Retailers
• Lonsdale (6.5 x 44) (Not for Sale) / 10ct Box Exclusively at Drew Diplomat Rewards Events in October, November and December 2017
• Corona (5.5 x 44) MSRP (Not for Sale) / 10ct Box  Exclusively available from Jonathan Drew and Julian Van Winkle

The creation of the Pappy Van Winkle Tradition has a special significance to the Drew Estate Family, as the blend has a story behind it that reads like craft folklore, taking cigar aficionados back to the days before Willy Herrera became the Master Blender of Drew Estate. From Little Havana, Willy Herrera notes “I remember it like yesterday. In 2010 when JD and I talked about me joining Drew Estate, we flew down to La Gran Fabrica to test my blending style in two days of non-stop creating. I ultimately produced 3 blends, one of which eventually became the Herrera Estelí. When I heard the news that Julian Van Winkle had selected one of my three original blends from my first trip to Nicaragua, I was humbled to say the least.”

The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition will begin shipping in October in coordination with when Old Rip Van Winkle releases their annual batch of the highly sought after Bourbon and Rye.

About Van Winkle Bourbon: The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has a four generation history. The Van Winkle family’s involvement in the bourbon industry began in the late 1800s with Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. He was a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller and Sons wholesale house in Louisville. Pappy and a friend, Alex Farnsley, eventually bought the wholesale house and also partnered with Mr. A. Ph. Stitzel on the purchase of Mr. Sitzel’s distillery. The three of them merged the two companies and became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. 

In May of 1935 at the age of 61, Pappy opened the newly completed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville. Its prominent brands were W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still. Pappy had a heavy influence on the operations there until his death at the age of 91. His son, Julian, Jr. took over operations until he was forced by stockholders to sell the distillery in 1972. The rights to all of their brands were sold to Norton Simon, Inc. Later, United Distillers, who eventually ended up with the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, sold off all of the original labels around 1999. 

After selling the distillery, Julian Jr. resurrected a pre-Prohibition label, the only one to which the Van Winkles kept the rights, called Old Rip Van Winkle. He used whiskey stocks from the old distillery to supply his brand. Julian Jr.’s son, Julian, III took over in 1981 when Julian, Jr. passed away. Julian III has continued with the Van Winkle tradition of producing high-quality wheated bourbon. His son, Preston, joined the company in 2001 and the Van Winkles look to continue that tradition for generations to come. 

In 2002 the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Frankfort, Ky. All of the Van Winkle’s whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace Distillery under the same strict guidelines the family has always followed. For more information on the Van Winkle family of bourbon please visit www.oldripvanwinkle.com.

Famous Smoke Shop now delivering “Fresh Flowers” as NEW Rose of Sharon Lancero Cigars roll in

AUSTIN, TX and EASTON, PA – JANUARY 13, 2018 – Sharing the spotlight with Southern Draw is Famous Smoke Shop, the largest American-owned distributor of premium cigars online, which has been given an exclusive, limited-time initial release period. Last December, the Pennsylvania-based cigar retailer was also given a limited-time exclusive for the release of Southern Draw's QuickDraw Corona Gorda cigars.

“When Robert proposed having Famous Smoke Shop partner again with Southern Draw on the initial release of the Rose of Sharon Lancero, the only answer was, ‘of course!’” said Famous Smoke Shop's Director of Purchasing, Jim Charnley. “We are thankful for our ongoing partnership with Robert and Sharon and look forward to many more special projects in the future.”

Drew Estate debuts new initiative to its complete brand portfolio with a series of 4x32 products in 10-count tins to be displayed in Drew Estate’s booth (Booth #2608) at the IPCPR Convention and Tradeshow, held July 10 – 14, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 4x32 initiative debuts for the following brands:

• ACID Krush Blue Connecticut (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• ACID Krush Red Cameroon (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• ACID Krush Gold Sumatra (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• ACID Krush Morado Maduro (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• ACID Krush Candela (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Liga Privada No. 9 "Coronet" (4x32) MSRP $125.00/50ct Sleeve (DDRP Exclusive)
• Liga Privada T52 "Coronet" (4x32) MSRP $125.00/50ct Sleeve (DDRP Exclusive)
• Tabak Especial "Cafecita Dulce" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Tabak Especial "Cafecita Negra" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Undercrown Maduro "Coronet" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Undercrown Shade "Coronet" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Herrera Estelí "Club" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Herrera Estelí Norteño "Club" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Kentucky Fire Cured "Ponies" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve
• Larutan "Dirties" (4x32) MSRP $110.00/50ct Sleeve

If you’ve lived in  New York City than you are familiar with the Water Towers gracing the top of nearly every building. They are a fixture to the skyline, but often overlooked by visitors but are an optical canvas for many urban artists making their mark on the world. Escaping to the rooftops for a quick smoke under a water tower is in our DNA, away from prying eyes and with a view that is worth a trillion bucks.

Drew Estate created a 6-foot tall Water Tower retail merchandising display with a limited initial production run of 250 units. The custom display has configurable wire racks designed to hold 27 sleeves of 4x32 tins. The Drew Estate Water Tower is modular and allows retailers flexibility in displaying options and placement. It also features storage underneath for additional inventory. In addition, Drew Estate created two options of custom countertop display, which holds nine sleeves of 4x32 tins.

From his Wynwood Safehouse, Jonathan Drew Founder and President of Drew Estate, “I remember looking out at the skyline of New York when we were based in DUMBO Brooklyn and seeing the Water Towers, something so constant in my daily life, yet so overlooked. I presented to the Drew Estate Marketing Team the concept of creating today's modern day wooden indian to disrupt the typical tin racks behind the counter and provide the brick & mortar retailer an additional point of visibility for a high velocity product.”

In addition to these merchandising solutions, Drew Estate is unveiling the Drew Estate 4x32 Rebate Program to Retailers across the United States. Qualifying retailers have the opportunity to receive an annual incentive rebate on all 4x32 direct purchases provided they meet facing and volume requirements. This rebate is in addition to the annual rebate that Drew Diplomat Retailers receive on 4 x 32 products.

We are honored that CigarSnob Magazine ranked the Villiger San'Doro Colorado number 9 on thier list of the Top 25 Cigars of 2017. 

Rene Castaneda, President of Villiger North America said, " We are humbled that the team over at Cigar Snob Magazine once again included a Villiger cigar in their top 25 list. We look forward to continuing our efforts to bring the best cigars and customer service possible."

About the Villiger San'Doro Colorado

The name San'Doro pays homage to tobacco lore.  When Christopher Columbus brought tobacco back to Europe, it was referred to as the holy or sacred plant of India, also called San’Doro. The Ecuadoran and Nicaraguan tobaccos in this blend pair beautifully, and the San’Doro is a fine addition to the premium cigar world

The line is expressed in three vitolas:

Robusto 5 x 50

Toro 6 x 50

Churchill 7 x 50

July 7, 2017, Richmond, VA -- General Cigar is pleased to announce that José de Castro will join the company as vice president of marketing, assuming his new role on August 1, 2017.

A marketing veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, José will play an integral role in strategic planning, business development and brand building. As such, he will oversee General Cigar’s consumer and trade marketing, social media, innovation and event platforms including the brand ambassador team. 

“José has proven leadership abilities and an enviable record of success in implementing consumer and trade marketing programs and business development initiatives. His experience and vision will help further define our brands, deepen engagement and maximize the talent of our marketing team. We look forward to the contributions he will make toward meeting the evolving demands of the premium cigar category,” said Régis Broersma, president of General Cigar.

“This is an exciting time in General Cigar’s history and a critical juncture for the handmade cigar industry,” said José. “I am excited for the opportunity to work with such passionate people in such a dynamic category, and look forward to increasing demand, delivering boldface innovation and driving significant growth for the company.”

José joins General Cigar from Bertoni Gelato Holdings in Miami, where he held the position of managing director. Bertoni Gelato is a manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of premium gelato. During his tenure at Bertoni, José dramatically increased the company’s revenue and expanded distribution.   

Prior to Bertoni, José held brand and marketing positions at Altria Group in Richmond, culminating in his role as head of sales, marketing and business development for the company’s non-cigarette portfolio. Earlier in his career, José held leadership positions with companies including Procter & Gamble and American Cyanamid in both the U.S. and South America.

As Vice President of Marketing, José joins the company’s management team and will report directly to President Régis Broersma. José and his family will relocate to Richmond, VA.

José holds an MBA from the University of Texas. In addition, he received a Master’s degree from Rutgers University and a Bachelor’s degree from Brown University.

TAMPA, Florida - December 31, 2017 - Galano Cigars announced today the business’ rebrand to Xurvivor Cigars. The move signifies the final step into the company’s evolution of the Galano Cigar brand to a modern-day luxury provider.

The company launched a new official website for all Xurvivor brands, Xurvivor.com. Existing brands include Xurvivor Cigars (previously known as Galano Cigars) and Winetification.com.

Previous Galano Cigar’s collections, including CLASICO, SELECTO, PRIMERO and EVO, will remain for sale from their online store, xurvivorcigars.com/shop, until the 2018 collections are launched, or while supplies last.

“We are excited in the direction we are heading. We experienced tremendous growth in 2017, and have much more planned for next year, including the release of our 2018 cigar collections, closer integration of our cigar and Winetification brands, and a new showroom display in Ybor City” said Joshua Candamo, President of Xurvivor.

ABOUT XURVIVOR CIGARS
Xurvivor Cigars is a brand of cigars owned by Xurvivor, a privately held company based out of Tampa, Florida. Xurvivor Cigars offer a variety of premium cigars hand rolled in Ybor City and shipped worldwide.

Drew Estate announces today the newest extension to the prized Undercrown Brand, the Undercrown Sun Grown. The new Sun Grown is the third Undercrown expression, complimenting Undercrown Maduro and Undercrown Shade. The Undercrown Sun Grown will be displayed in Drew Estate’s booth (Booth #2608) at the IPCPR Convention and Tradeshow, held July 10 – 14, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The new Sun Grown features an Ecuadorian Sumatra seed, Sun Grown wrapper. The binder is a Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut/Cured Sun Grown Habano, complimenting a powerhouse blend of Nicaraguan premium fillers. One leaf of extensively aged Ligero from the Nueva Segovia region along the border of Honduras has been selected to enhance the strength of the blend.

The Undercrown Sun Grown will be available in the following Vitolas:

Corona (5 5/8 x 46) MSRP $205.00/25ct Box
Robusto (5 x 54) MSRP $212.00/25ct Box
Gran Toro (6 x 52) MSRP $225.50/25ct Box
Belicoso (6 x 52) MSRP $246.00/ 25ct Box
Gordito (6 x 60) MSRP $280.00/25ct Box
Corona Doble (7 x 54) MSRP $259.50/ 25ct Box
Flying Pig (3 15/16 x 60) MSRP $152.64/12ct Box
From his Wynwood Safehouse, Jonathan Drew President and Founder of Drew Estate, “Returning to Drew Estate as the Fourth President is immensely inspiring and satisfying. The collaborative consortium of creative talent at every level is our core competency. Challenging Willy Herrera and the Undercrown Blending Team to create the new expression after finally securing Sun Grown Tobacco is extremely exciting, as we have tried to secure this Sumatra Ecuador tobacco for over 15 years. The new Sun Grown continues the legacy of “Blended on the Factory Floor.”

From Little Havana, Willy Herrera Master Blender of Drew Estate, “The people of Estelí, Nicaragua opened their hearts to me and my family ever since I joined Drew Estate. Creating cigars from the ground up with the Undercrown Blending Team challenges my comfort zone and pushes the company to more impactful blends.”

Released at the 2011 IPCPR Tradeshow, the Undercrown Maduro is a blend developed on the factory floor utilizing primings not used in the Liga Privada blends by the rollers of Liga Privada for their own smoking pleasure. Featuring a Mexican San Andres Negro Wrapper, a Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Sun Grown Binder, as well as Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Fillers.

Released at the 2015 IPCPR Tradeshow, the Undercrown Shade is a collaboration between Willy Herrera and the Undercrown Maduro Factory blending team to develop a Connecticut Shade blend to the standards of the team palate. The Undercrown Shade features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Wrapper, a Sumatran Binder, as well as Dominican Criollo 98, Nicaraguan Criollo, and Corojo Fillers.

Fans of Undercrown Cigars are encouraged to download Drew Diplomat the official mobile application of Drew Estate – The Rebirth of Cigars which is now available in the App Store for iPhone®, and iPod Touch® and on Google Play™ for Android™. For more information head to http://drewdiplomat.com