The Elote Firecracker from United Cigars and Rojas Cigars has started arriving at select shops nationwide. Crafted at Tabacalera Flor de San Luis using the Street Tacos Barbacoa as the starting point, the full production run of this Cinco De Mayo themed project was limited to just 3,200 total cigars. There are only 200 boxes, each containing 16 cigars, being distributed across all of United’s Firecracker retailers. At an MSRP of $8 per cigar – $128 for a box of 16 – one shouldn’t expect these to remain available for very long at all. The short format 3.5 x 50 Firecracker size was first conceived by David Garofalo for his Two Guys Smoke Shop.
Founder and owner of Rojas Cigar, Noel Rojas, explains that “Street Taco came about from my love for traditional Mexican street food and cigars,” and that “the Elote Firecracker is a brilliant compliment to this blend.” Oliver Nivaud, Director of Operations for United Cigars, shares that “worlds collided when I first smoked the Street Taco from Rojas. My love of street tacos is well known, and the Elote Firecracker now completes my cravings as a smokable antojito.”
The Mil Días Marranitos 2023 from Crowned Heads is on its way to retailers this week. Limited to 2,500 boxes this year – each containing 12 cigars – the special release features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper leaf in place of the Ecuadorian Habano tobacco used for the regular production version. Within, fans of the line will recognize the same binder and filler tobaccos as the original Mil Días – a Nicaraguan binder leaf around a combination of filler tobaccos from Peru, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. There was some noise recently surrounding the price of the Le Carême Pastelitos LE 2023, at $12.95 each for a 4×54 Short Robusto. At a suggested $12.50, this 6.125 x 48 Marranitos is likely to raise far fewer eyebrows than the last drop. This E648 was crafted at TacaNisa in collaboration with Eradio Pichardo.
Revealed nearly a full year ago at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association trade show, Illusione Cigars has officially released the Original Documents Habano. Adorned in the brand’s updated aesthetic, a memory is triggered that will now be the catalyst for momentary tangent: during a highly entertaining appearance on Cigar Prop’s live I’d Tap That Cigar Show in August of last year, Brand Strategist Fred Rewey revealed that the brand’s new look was created by Illusione founder Dion Giolito. You can see that episode here while you get ready to buy any of the 7 vitolas that the Original Documents Habano is launching in.
From a quick 4 x 44 Corona Minor all the way up to a 6 x 56 Corona Gordo, there’s a format for nearly every preference. MSRP starts out at $8.35 and tops out at $11.90 for the largest size. The Original Documents Habano is the first Illusione blend crafted at the San Lotano Factory, an A.J. Fernandez facility in Nicaragua. Alberto Padilla, formerly of Aganorsa Leaf, oversees production at San Lotano and has worked with Giolito and Illusione previously.
Professional Golfer and eccentric fan favorite John Daly has partnered with San Giuseppe & Major League Cigars to release 2 offerings. The first, The Wild One Short Game, is a 4.25 x 50 Short Robusto featuring an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Dominican binder, and a combination of filler tobaccos from Pennsylvania and the Dominican Republic. The Wild One Short Game is priced at $12.50, which as we recently learned courtesy of Crowned Heads’ last short format release carries with it certain expectations in the eyes of the consumer.
The larger format The Lion Long Game, 6.25 x 52, utilizes an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper leaf, Ecuadorian binder, and filler leaf sourced from Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. The Lion Long Game comes in boxes of 10 and is selling for $22.50 per cigar, putting it at a price point that may see it reserved for being smoked after a round rather than during one. The first 300 boxes of both cigars are numbered and are available through select retailers and JohnDalyCigars.com.
Unveiled in Las Vegas during last year’s PCA show, the El Vinyet from PDR Cigars could be appearing on shelves and sites soon. Being presented once again at this year’s trade show, the El Vinyet has all the makings of a special cigar. Wrapped using Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro, the blend features an Indonesian binder. Beneath both rests a balanced combination of Dominican Habano and Pennsylvania Broadleaf filler tobaccos.
Owner Abe Flores has reportedly taken on the task of bunching the first 10,000 cigars crafted at his factory in the Dominican Republic. Launching in 5 distinctly different formats, from 5 x 52 all the way up to an 8 x 57 Grand Salomon. Most of the lineup range from $8.55 to $12.73, with the Grand Salomon selling for a suggested $38.18.
Wishing you all another great week full of your favorite cigars and your favorite people. Keep on sending in your favorite cigar related news stories, posts and video. If anything from this roundup catches your attention, let everyone know in the comments below!