As part of their “Carrillo Cares” initiative, E.P. Carillo Cigar Company has been donating $0.98 from every 5 x 50 Pledge Prequel to the Els for Autism Foundation. The Prequel was given a 98 rating in 2020, the same year that it was awarded Cigar of the Year honors, and it is in that spirit that PLEDGE98 campaign was created. As a result, making a genuine impact is as easy as smoking a cigar. The program began on December 15th and continues through the end of this month, concluding on January 31st. As of last count just a few days ago, nearly $40,000 had already been raised for the foundation through the sale of Pledge Prequels. Head over to the program’s information page to learn more about the Foundation – started by Liezl Els, Ernie Els, and Marvin R. Shanken – and the work being done to improve the lives of people all over the world.
A new, and very limited, edition of the popular Knuckle Sandwich is scheduled to make its way to retailers next month. A collaboration between Guy Fieri and Espinosa Premium Cigars, the Knuckle Sandwich line launched a year ago and has been really well received by the cigar smoking public. Celebrating Fieri’s 55th birthday, 555 boxes of the Knuckle Sandwich 55 – a 5.5 x 55 Robusto – have been produced. Made at A.J. Fernandez’s San Lotano S.A. factory in Nicaragua, the blend for the 55 is unique to this production run.
United Cigars will be launching an updated iteration of their flagship line at February’s Total Products Expo in Las Vegas. Originally launched in 2010, the refreshed United Cigars Natural and United Cigars Maduro offerings are produced at Tabacalera Magia in the Dominican Republic. Previously box pressed, all of the cigars in the line will be round.
“I wanted to see how our United line smoked before going into the box presses,” said Oliver Nivaud, Director of Operations for United Cigars. “The traditional round format experience was great, so I spent the past 18 months fine tuning the blend to enhance the flavor and have a more balanced cigar.” The Natural features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, with Mexican San Andres used for the Maduro. Once they’re available to the public, MSRP will be between $8 and $9 dollars depending on which of the three formats one obtains – Robusto, Toro, and Churchill.
A new expression of the Illusione Singularé is on its way to retailers, the boutique favorite confirmed on social media today. Along with a fresh look, the Singularé Origen is a new blend that maintains a connection to its predecessors. The new look is part of the company’s effort to create a cohesive visual identity across their portfolio. This release represents the first complete refresh, with more lines to follow. Made at Agricola Ganadera Norteña S.A. in Nicaragua, the Origen is a Nicaraguan puro launching in 4 formats. The Robusto, Gordo, Corona Gorda, and Churchill will be available soon for between $13.00 and $13.95 MSRP.
James Brown of Oveja Negra and Black Label Trading Co. provided cigar heads with a fun teaser heading into the weekend. No other details have been provided, but In a post shared to Instagram today, Brown revealed what appeared to be boxes upon boxes of Santa Muerte cigars being prepared for shipping. Previous Santa Muerte runs have been packaged in striking black boxes, leading fans to think that this will be a unique blend that has not been released before. We’ll bring you more information as it becomes available.
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!