Cigar Coop

The Tatuaje Cojonu line was born out of the Seleccion de Cazadore (aka Brown Label) line where Tatuaje owner, Pete Johnson, asked master blender, Don Pepin Garcia to make a stronger blend. The name came from Don Pepin saying that the blend had “cojonu”, Cuban slang for “cojones” or “balls”. The name stuck and Pete Johnson decided to release the line in a new vitola every three years. In 2012, Pete Johnson put the line in hiatus, but it returned in 2021. He released the Cojonu 2015 and the 2018 in 2022 and 2023 respectively and called them the “Lost Years”.' Vitola: Double Robusto Size: 5 x 55 Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: My Father S.A. MSRP: $13.00 Final Score: 90

Tonight on Prime Time Episode 306 we welcome Daniel Lance, co-founder of a new company and new brand, Domain Cigars. Daniel has teamed up with renowned blender Esteban Disla to form Domain Cigars. Tonight we will hear from Daniel and learn not only about Domain Cigars, but Daniel’s journey to starting his own company Plus, we have our FSG Beef Segments, Altadis USA’s Ties the Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa This Day in Sports History, and, of course, the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation Segment.

The Smoking Syndicate Roundtable tackles the La Aurora 120th Anniversary! The La Aurora 120th Anniversary made its debut in 2023 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the oldest premium cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. Blended by Manuel Inoa, the 120th Anniversary blend is highlighted by Dominican Tobaccos. It features a Dominican Havana 92 wrapper over an Olor del Valle Cibao binder and a filler of various tobaccos including Corojo, Olor del Valle del Cibao, and Piloto Cubano del Valle del Cibao.

While we did 34 minutes in Bear's interview with Pete Johnson, we get an additional 8 plus minutes with Pete as he joins the LGP crew. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sRi

When it came to new products at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Show, perhaps no booth was more active than Tatuaje Cigars. Owner Pete Johnson had elected to use the 2024 PCA Trade Show to showcase all of the releases he had planned for 2024. There was plenty to see as there were new offerings under the several brands in the Tatuaje portfolio. As we usually do, we conclude our PCA coverage with a visit to Tatuaje Cigars and Pete Johnson. This year, we present "34 Minutes with Pete Johnson" at PCA 2024. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sRi

Tonight on Prime Time Episode 305 we are joined by John Hakim, brand manager from Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) for Punch, Partagas, and Chillin Moose. John has an interesting background getting into the cigar industry. Plus he has an eclectic array of interests outside the cigar industry. Plus, we have our FSG Beef Segments, Altadis USA’s Ties the Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa This Day in Sports History, and, of course, the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation Segment.

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (DTT) did not have an all-new brand being released at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) 2024. At the same time, that did not translate to PCA 2024 being a flat show. Instead, DTT came into PCA 2024 with a combination of intriguing brand extensions that created a buzz before the PCA 2024 Trade. The Cigar Coop Coalition team was on hand to discuss PCA and more with Master Ligador Steve Saka in an extended interview. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sQp

Coming into the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, the big story from Quality Importers Trading Company (QI) was it was getting back into the premium cigar space. QI's focus has been in the accessories space, but over the years it has been involved in premium cigars. Most notably, it was best known for its Cult Cigars brand. The company also distributed Ortega Cigars for a short time. This year, QI comes back into the premium space with a new brand called Conspiracy Cigars. The unique proposition of this project is the company is integrating its accessories with almost every cigar purchase made. PCA 2024 wasn't only about Conspiracy Cigars as QI had several other product innovations across its different brands it brought to this year's Trade Show. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sPE

On Prime Time Special Edition 159, it’s our 7 year anniversary show. Tonight we go back to the roots of Special Edition and commemorate with a thematic show. We use tonight to launch a new series within this show called “Cigar Draft”. Cigar Drafts are nothing new and have been going on in cigar media for over 15 years. Tonight we will pick our on spin of the Cigar Draft as we draft cigars from the CA Top 25 list of 2014. Plus, we have our Vintage Rock-A-Feller Cigar Group U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References Draft Results (Spoiler): https://cigar-coop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2014-Draft-Sheet2.pdf Virginia Teacher Retired After 67 Years – And Just Left $1 Million to Her School ‘Family’: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/virginia-teacher-retired-after-67-years-and-just-left-1-million-to-her-school-family/ Smokin Tabacco CFCF Fundraiser: http://www.smokintabacco.com/

On Episode 129 of Prime Time Jukebox, we kick off the 2024 Battle of the Bands Competition and turn our attention to the 1970s. While last year we selected artists, this year we have decided to focus on albums – specifically from the decade of the 197s. Hector Alfonso of Espinosa Cigars and John McTavish of Developing Palates are once again back and participating. The concept works as follows: Dave, Coop, Hector, and John will each pick eight albums. The selections will occur via a “Draft.” Once the albums are selected, each participant will seed them, place them into brackets and you will decide who should move on. We will go through each round on Twitter, until there is a winner from each of the four brackets. From that point, the four bracket winners will square off in a final four. The tournament commences the week of May 27th with two matchups a day to vote on. Each vote will be eligible to compete to win one of three special prizes that will be announced For this show, here are our smokes: Dave: 601 La Bomba Warhead X Coop: Las 6 Provincias ZDT John: Black Label Trading Company Bishops Blend Hector: Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut As always you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 129 Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1pCqluvcU0ztuI9ysc4OuU?si=4d7045f2f0244a80 References Draft Results: https://cigarjukebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-battle-of-the-bands-draft-draft.pdf Hector's Bracket: https://cigarjukebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1970s_hector.jpg Coop's Bracket: https://cigarjukebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1970s_coop.jpg Dave's Bracket: https://cigarjukebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1970s_dave.jpg John's Bracket: https://cigarjukebox.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1970s_john.jpg

At the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Stolen Throne Cigars would mark its five-year anniversary. As is the case with many cigar companies that reach an anniversary milestone, there was a special release for Stolen Throne Cigars to mark the occasion. Stolen Throne opted to go back to the cigar line that started it all, the Crook of the Crown, and release a special limited edition size as its fifth-anniversary cigar. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sOB

Gurkha certainly had its share of high profile releases at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Most of the headlines were about the project being done with former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson. In addition, Gurkha announced that it has expanded its Year of the Dragon releases into a collaboration series by contracting out with four leading factories to produce the series. Year of the Dragon is also just the beginning, as Gurkha has future Chinese Zodiac releases out there as well. Not to be overshadowed, Gurkha has the all-new Colección Especial Nicaragua, and has brought back the 35th Anniversary release. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sOx

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the fourth one for Howard G Cigars. 2024 has certainly been a pivotal year for Howard G Cigars. Earlier this year, Howard G announced it had ended direct-to-consumer sales to focus on selling through retailers. This year, the focus for Howard G Cigars was on its core Magic Stick line. Magic Stick is a line that is offered in three blends: Connecticut, Habano, and Cameroon. This year Howard G would round out the series, resulting in the three blends now having the same sizes. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sNv

Plenty was going on at Artista Cigars at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. The new offerings played to many of the company's strengths. The company introduced a new blend to its eponymous flagship line. In addition, the David Ortiz brand got its first new blend in five years. Artista Cigars has garnered an excellent reputation for value-priced cigars, and this year is no exception as it showcased the recently released Art-56. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sNo

This year, at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Patina Cigars showcased its fifth regular production line, the Oro de Nicaragua. The company was coming off a very solid 2023 that saw its first limited edition cigar, the Patina Anniversary, capture its #1 Cigar of the Year for 2023. The good news is the Patina Anniversary blend will live on as a future is planned for this blend. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sLj

The theme for J.C. Newman Cigar Company at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was sports. That is because J.C. Newman Cigar Company had two sports themed releases. First up J.C. Newman showcased a second installment of the LeRoy Neiman Collector's Series that draws its inspiration from the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Second, there is a special release that is honoring a minor league baseball team known as the Tampa Smokers. Being J.C. Newman's El Reloj factory is located in Ybor City Tampa, the company has tied its history to the history of Tampa, so it is appropriate to honor this team. Both the LeRoy Neiman Collector's Edition and Tampa Smokers cigars are also rolled at the El Reloj factory. Speaking of El Reloj, once again J.C. Newman brought its booth made of cardboard intended to be a replica of that factory. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sLe

On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 128, we discuss songs we like that others hate. On this episode Dave and Coop look at some polarizing songs, and then make a case for why we love them when others don’t. On this episode Dave and Coop identify miscarriages of justice in terms of decisions with things like the Grammy Awards, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and other things. On this episode, Dave and Coop will attempt to right the wrongs that happened with these decisions. In addition, we will also recap music and cigar news headlines. For this show, Coop smokes the Macanudo 1968 while Dave smokes the CAO Flathead 642. As always you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 128 Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/492UEl5hMnJKl5W2BbJeGZ?si=8fbcf29b8ce44f8a

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the fourth trade show for Casa 1910 Cigars. Casa 1910 Cigars is a cigar and lifestyle brand based out of Mexico. The brand captures the history and culture of Mexico. Casa 1910 produces cigars in Mexico, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. This year, the focus was more on Mexico, as all of the releases were produced in Casa 1910's home country. Also this year, the company has expanded its Revolutionary Series with a new blend and a line extension. On top of that, it has added a new value-priced brand into the portfolio. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sKV

Fratello Cigars made history just a month before the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. In February, the NOVA-C lander touched down on the moon, with the Fratello Cigars name proudly displayed on the unit. This made Fratello Cigars the first-ever cigar company to have its logo land on the moon. Notably, Fratello Cigars owner Omar de Frias has had close ties to the space program since his days working at NASA. He even launched a series of cigars called Fratello Lunar, inspired by the NOVA-C mission, last year. However, for this year's PCA Trade Show releases, Omar de Frias has focused on some other themes in his portfolios. In addition to this, Fratello Cigars has also introduced a new brand named Concealed Carry Cigars. It is exciting to see the expansion of Fratello Cigars' product range, and the company's commitment to innovation and creativity. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sKL

ADVentura entered the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show after undergoing significant changes over the previous six months from both a production and distribution end. It's well-known the company was significantly impacted by a fire that destroyed the factory it was using, Tabacalera William Ventura. Last year, ADVentura decided to handle production by building its own factory, Tabacalera Mina del Rey. Meanwhile, the company also changed distribution partners, moving from Sutliff Tobacco to City of Palms. The changes have opened the road for ADVentura to continue evolving its brand. The long-awaited third installment to the Royal Return series debuted this year. On top of it, there is a follow-up release to 2022's Barbarroja's Invasion. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sKh

Miami Cigar & Company celebrated its 35th anniversary at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Although the company did not release a cigar to celebrate the occasion, many exciting things are happening at Miami Cigar. Several new cigar products, including the much-awaited Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2024, were showcased. This is the third release of the Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve series, which has been on a twelve-year hiatus. The Grand Reserve 2024 belicoso measures 6 1/8 x 52 and utilizes only Nicaraguan tobaccos. It is produced at the My Father Cigars factory and is available in limited quantities. Miami Cigars plans to release only 1,500 ten-count boxes. Additionally, Tatiana introduced their biggest cigar yet and a new line of sweet-tipped cigars. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sK8

Tonight on Prime Time Episode 304, Erik Espinosa, founder and president of Espinosa Cigars returns. It’s been quite a while since Erik has been on Prime Time, so we are very excited to have him on. We will talk to Erik on some of his projects, and have a couple of unique segments we designed specifically for Erik. Plus, we have our FSG Beef Segments, Altadis USA’s Ties the Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa This Day in Sports History, and, of course, the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation Segment.

United Cigars always has a lot of new activity at their booth, and the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was no exception. This year, United Cigars reintroduced an old brand, expanded its eponymous United brand, and celebrated the 30th anniversary of the La Gianna Havana brand. However, there was a slight difference as Selected Tobacco, owned by Nelson Alfonso and distributed by United Cigars, did not have a separate booth due to visa problems for Alfonso. Instead, the current Selected Tobacco products were showcased at the United booth. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sJd

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was quite a special one for Quesada Cigars. The company is amid a significant milestone as it is celebrating 50 years since it opened its first factory, Manufactura de Tabacos S.A. (MATSA). Unsurprisingly, there is a special anniversary cigar to mark this milestone. The Quesadas first unveiled the 50th Anniversary Cigar at Procigar 2024, but PCA 2024 would be the place retailers would get the opportunity to order this limited edition cigar. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sJ6

One of the first-time exhibitors at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was Somm Cigars. Somm Cigars was started by Vlada Stojanov. Stojanov is an accomplished sommelier who has been in the cigar industry for several years. Over the past year, he has brought his own portfolio to market with Somm Cigars. There are two main brands Stojanov has created under Somm Cigars. There is BDX, which pays homage to the Bordeaux wine region of France, and Rioja, which pays homage to the Rioja wine region of Spain. At PCA 2024, Stojanov added his second blend to the BDX line, the BDX Blanc. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sI9