Cigar Coop

Ashton is a company that does not come out with new cigars every year. Going into this year's Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, the company had its first new release in two years. During this time, much of the focus has been on the La Aroma de Cuba line. As for the new cigar, it's the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut. It's the sixth regular production blend to fall under the La Aroma de Cuba line. As the name indicates, it is a Connecticut Shade release - the first in the La Aroma de Cuba portfolio. The cigar started shipping just prior to the 2023 PCA Trade Show. It's also a cigar that made a big impression on the Cigar Coop Coalition team. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qfr

Over the past two years, HVC Cigars made a couple of significant moves toward vertical integration. In June 2021, the company announced it would be handling its own distribution which includes warehousing and order fulfillment. Almost a year later in June 2022, the company announced it was opening its own factory – Fabrica de Tabacos HVC S.A. It has continued expanding production out of the factory since then. Earlier this year, there was an expansion to the HVC Selección No. 1 HVC Selección No. 1 Natural. At this year's Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, an expansion was done to the HVC Hot Cake line in the form of a Connecticut Shade cigar known as the HVC Hot Cake Golden Line. The HVC Hot Cake Golden Line would be the first Connecticut Shade cigar by HVC. Both of these cigars would come out of the HVC factory. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qeX

For the third show in a row, J.C. Newman Cigar Company brought the cardboard version of its El Reloj factory to the PCA Trade Show to serve as its booth. It’s a stunning display that gives the feel of the El Reloj factory from both the inside and the outside. This year all of the new projects showcased at the J.C. Newman booth had a connection with El Reloj. This includes a new limited edition cigar being done out of the factory as well as some collectible accessories that feature El Reloj's signature product, Cigar Coop's 2020 Cigar of the Year, The American. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qf2

One year ago, at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Illusione Cigars showcased a comprehensive portfolio packaging rebrand. This included new packaging designs, new logos, and new vitola names. One year later, the first phase of this rebrand has been completed as the Original Documents and Singularé lines have been overhauled. Let's catch up with the company and see how things are going. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qeK

Over the years, Oliva Cigar has not regularly presented new releases at a PCA/IPCPR/RTDA trade show. Particularly since the acquisition of Oliva Cigar by J. Cortès, that has changed. For the most part, the new Oliva-branded releases have been line extensions under the Serie V and Serie V Melanio umbrellas. This has allowed Oliva to implement some creativity in their releases. This year the three releases all revolved around Serie V and Serie V Melanio. Two of these releases were done in collaboration with others. There was one release that garnered Oliva big headlines, and that is the Oliva Serie V Roaring Twenties Super Limited Edition. That cigar would be Oliva's most ultra-premium offering to date - coming in at $300.00 per cigar. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qeh

Tonight, we are honored to welcome the CEO of Quality Importers Trading Company, Michael Giordano to the Prime Time Show. Michael is one of the great entrepreneurial stories in our industry, and we will discuss his journey in this industry and get to know a little more about Michael. You won’t want to miss the show. Plus, we will have our Cattle Baron Steak Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments. Contest entries must be put on our Facebook stream of this broadcast: https://www.facebook.com/CigarCoop1/videos/6473969776024447 Contest ends 8/8 - 11pm ET NOTE: No contest entries will be eligible from Rumble comments

For the past three years, much of the work at All Saints Cigars has been developing its four core lines. When the company first launched in 2019, it turned out the first release that would come to market was a cigar called Solamente. This was a cigar that was originally released by accident. The blend was being worked on back in 2017 by co-owner Micky Pegg. Without his knowledge, the factory ended up rolling 15,000 cigars. A decision was made to release these cigars as a limited edition release called Solamente. After that, Pegg and All Saints Cigars turned their attention to their core lines. This year All Saints Cigars felt the time was right to bring back Solamente, so now it joins the All Saints lineup as an annual limited release. This would be the focus of All Saint Cigars in terms of new products at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA), but there were a couple of other fun things. For starters, keeping to the theme of All Saints Cigars, there was an actual confessional in the booth. In addition, there was a Coalition-All Saints tradition where our very own Bear Duplisea would receive his "bear hug" from Micky Pegg. We apologize in advance for the audio issues on this interview. It is recommended you tur the volume up for this interview. We hope you still enjoy the interview. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qdV

In 2022 Micallef Cigars returned to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. While the company had some new products, the focus was on the programs Micallef has done to connect with its customers. Micallef indeed continued to do so at the 2023 PCA Trade Show, but this year the company was really showcasing its capabilities as a cigar manufacturer. The company had invested heavily in its tobacco and factory operations in Nicaragua. This year one of the fruits of those labors was introduced just prior to the PCA Trade Show in the form of the Micallef Black. Micallef's booth was adorned with plenty of black and gold. There also was a bit of a secondary theme going on as Micallef is focusing on cigar sizes that the market is demanding. That's why the four new SKUs introduced at the trade show were all in the form of a Robusto or Toro. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qdQ

While a lot was made of two of the Big Four companies making a return to the Trade Show, another company coming back for the first time since 2019 was Joya de Nicaragua. Joya de Nicaragua had been on the sidelines because its U.S. distributor, Drew Estate, was one of the Big Four sitting out. Drew Estate is coming back in 2024, but Joya de Nicaragua came back in 2023. This made a lot of sense because 2023 is a big year for Joya de Nicaragua as the company is celebrating its 55th anniversary. Joya de Nicaragua is quite proud of its history and its connections to the history of Nicaragua. This year not only saw a 55th-anniversary cigar come out, but Joya de Nicaragua also paid homage to some of its brands that were an important part of its history. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qd9

When Altadis U.S.A. returned to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show in 2023, that included iconic brand H. Upmann's return to the Trade Show as well. Earlier this year, Altadis U.S.A. would introduce two new offerings to H. Upmann. Altadis U.S.A. decided to use the PCA Trade Show to feature these two new lines. Both of these lines would feature a contemporary spin to the H. Upmann line. And the H. Upmann brand would have one of the more interesting things found at a booth - a working barbershop. In Part 2 of our H. Upmann coverage we take a look at the H Upmann Special Edition Barbier. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qdj

When Altadis U.S.A. returned to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show in 2023, that included iconic brand H. Upmann's return to the Trade Show as well. Earlier this year, Altadis U.S.A. would introduce two new offerings to H. Upmann. Altadis U.S.A. decided to use the PCA Trade Show to feature these two new lines. Both of these lines would feature a contemporary spin to the H. Upmann line. And the H. Upmann brand would have one of the more interesting things found at a booth - a working barbershop. In Part 1 of our H. Upmann coverage we take a look at the H Upmann Banker Daytrader. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qdj

Once again at a PCA Trade Show, De Los Reyes Cigars was a part of a booth that also featured four other companies - Debonaire House, Topper Cigars, Casa de Sueño, and Patoro. While many companies with a common distribution arm share a booth, in this case, these four companies all work with the De Los Reyes factory in one form or another. De Los Reyes is known for its agricultural and factory operations, but the company also has its own brands - Saga and Don Julio. And 2023 was a particularly exciting year if you are a fan of the brands of De Los Reyes Cigars. This year the De Los Reyes would introduce two new offerings under the Saga brand- a new limited edition vintage series and a line extension to Saga Solaz. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qcE

or all practical purposes, 2023 was the official return for RoMa Craft Tobac as an exhibitor at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. The last time the company exhibited at PCA was back in 2019. While RoMa Craft Tobac was in attendance in 2022, the company wasn't displaying new products and used the time to connect with retailers. This year RoMa Craft Tobac was back with both co-owners Skip Martin and Mike Rosales in attendance. The company would be showcasing two new products that would be shipping shortly after PCA. The first would be the latest release to the Intemperance brand, the Intemperance Volstead VO 1920, and the second would be the long-awaited Quinquagenario limited edition release. While both releases were very different, there was one common denominator for both - they were RoMa Craft Tobac's foray into using a Sumatra wrapper. And Bear Duplisea was finally able to present RoMa Craft Tobac with a special award for its previous Intemperance release, Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 Hamilton. In Part 2 of our RoMa Craft Tobac coverage, Bear Duplisea presents RoMa Craft Tobac with the special award. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qcB

For all practical purposes, 2023 was the official return for RoMa Craft Tobac as an exhibitor at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. The last time the company exhibited at PCA was back in 2019. While RoMa Craft Tobac was in attendance in 2022, the company wasn't displaying new products and used the time to connect with retailers. This year RoMa Craft Tobac was back with both co-owners Skip Martin and Mike Rosales in attendance. The company would be showcasing two new products that would be shipping shortly after PCA. The first would be the latest release to the Intemperance brand, the Intemperance Volstead VO 1920, and the second would be the long-awaited Quinquagenario limited edition release. While both releases were very different, there was one common denominator for both - they were RoMa Craft Tobac's foray into using a Sumatra wrapper. And Bear Duplisea was finally able to present RoMa Craft Tobac with a special award for its previous Intemperance release, Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 Hamilton. In Part 1 of our RoMa Craft Tobac coverage, we take a look at RoMa Craft's new products at PCA. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qcB

Global Premium Cigars, maker of the 1502 brand of cigars, is celebrating its eleventh anniversary. For as long as I have been covering Global Premium Cigars and 1502, they have been the staple of the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. It's also great connecting with Enrique Sánchez Icaza, the dynamic CEO and creative force behind 1502. While the 2022 Premium Cigar Association was all about the tenth anniversary, the company this year would introduce an innovative solution around merchandising that is geared to both retailers and consumers. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qbS

After Espinosa Cigars made a monstrous splash by bringing Guy Fieri and his Knuckle Sandwich line to the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, everybody wonder what Espinosa Cigars would for an encore. The answer would be to pick right off where they left off. Once again, Fieri was at the Trade Show this year. This year he wasn’t only at the Espinosa booth. Fieri’s visit to PCA also included a featured appearance at the PCA opening party and a walking tour of the PCA Show. In Part 1 of our Espinosa Coverage, we take a look at Espinosa's new products at PCA. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qbu

After Espinosa Cigars made a monstrous splash by bringing Guy Fieri and his Knuckle Sandwich line to the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, everybody wonder what Espinosa Cigars would for an encore. The answer would be to pick right off where they left off. Once again, Fieri was at the Trade Show this year. This year he wasn’t only at the Espinosa booth. Fieri’s visit to PCA also included a featured appearance at the PCA opening party and a walking tour of the PCA Show. In Part 2 of our Espinosa Coverage, we present Espinosa Cigars the 2022 Cigar Coop Company of the Year Award and 2022 #1 Cigar of the Year Award from El Oso Fumar. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qbu

Hooten Young attended its first Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show in July 2023. The company was founded by Special Mission Unit Master Sergeant Norm Hooten & Tim Young. Norm Hooten served in the military for over 20 years. He was part of the elite Delta Force during the Battle of Mogadishu (that story was told in the motion picture "Black Hawk Down"). The company's theme pays tribute to those who served in the military and pays homage to the campaigns they participated in. Hooten Young makes both whiskey and cigars, and the company has been growing its cigar business. They have partnered with Cordoba & Morales and now Eladio Diaz to produce their cigars. We appreciated that Mr. Hooten and Mr. Young took the time to learn about what the Cigar Coop Coalition team does before we interviewed them. These first-time exhibitors at PCA easily fell into the category of a revelation of the 2023 PCA Trade Show. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qbg

The tenth anniversary for Black Label Trading Company is this year. Black Label Trading Company is the brand that started it all for James Brown and today remains the cornerstone of Oveja Negra Brands. Just prior to the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Black Label Trading Company would release its tenth-anniversary cigar, La Madonna Negra - and it's a cigar that garnered high praise from many. As always, at the Oveja Negra Brands booth, all of the brands would be showcasing new products. Not only is there a compelling portfolio of small-batch limited releases, but this year would also see Oveja Negra continue to build up its core lines. As always, all of the products showcased come from Fabrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, Nicaragua. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qaV

Serafin de Cuba might be a newcomer to the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, but the company has a long history in the tobacco business. The company is run by Arnold Serafin, along with his son Brandon. Arnold's great-grandfather Don Antonio Serafin arrived in Cuba as a soldier in the Spanish Army and would eventually start working in tobacco farming and rolling cigars. Don Antonio's son, Don Ramon Serafin Sr., would found Tabacos Serafin, and his son Don Ramon Jr. later entered the business. When the Cuban Revolution nationalized the cigar business in 1967, Don Ramon left for the United States and settled in the Tampa Bay Area. In 2007 Don Ramon Jr. and his son Arnold would resurrect the family legacy by opening Serafin de Cuba, a tobacco factory located in Tarpon Springs. They would create a couple of brands to honor Don Ramon Sr. and Don Ramon Jr. and have also worked to resurrect some of Tampa's classic cigar brands. Now Serafin de Cuba is eyeing the future, hoping to take their brand national. The PCA 2023 Trade Show provided an excellent stage to introduce people to the brands and the Serafin family's rich history. For the Cigar Coop Coalition Team, this was one of the revelations of the Trade Show. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qan

AJ Fernandez Cigar Company exhibited at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show after a one-year absence. While much has been made about the return of Altadis U.S.A. and Forged Cigar Company, it was equally good news to see AJ Fernandez's own brands back at the 2023 PCA Trade Show. Last year, AJ Fernandez added a new blend under its New World brand known as the New World Dorado. This year Dorado got a line extension and a new sampler offering. Plus, AJ Fernandez would showcase a cigarillo offering with its New World Oscuro line. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-qak

Don Pepin Garcia set up shop at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Little Havana in 2003. That year, he created a cigar for a newcomer named Pete Johnson and released his own brand called Don Pepin Garcia. That first Don Pepin Garcia (aka the Don Pepin Garcia Original or Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label) would eventually lead to the formation of My Father Cigars - a powerhouse vertically integrated operation out of Nicaragua. This year, the Garcia family and Pete Johnson are both celebrating their 20th anniversary - and the two released a collaboration called La Union which might have been the most exciting release at the 2023 PCA Trade Show. Meanwhile, the Garcias have a couple of limited edition cigars to commemorate 20 years of the Don Pepin Garcia brand. They have also decided to take one of their older brands, Vegas Cubanas, and bring it fully into the Don Pepin Garcia brand as the "Green Label." Finally, there are some new and exciting sizes for the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial brand. All of this made the My Father Cigars booth one of the most impressive ones at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. The icing on the cake for the Coalition Team was to present our selection for Large Factory of the Year for 2022 to the Garcia family. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q9z

The premium cigar industry always loves when a mainstream celebrity enters the business, and this year, Oscar-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri has come on board. Palminteri is teaming up with Epic Cigars and Paul DiSilvio of La Casa Grande Tobacco company to launch A Bronx Tale. It is named for the play that was written by and starred Palminteri. This play would go on to become a motion picture and really put Palminteri on the map. In the movie, there is a character named Calogero, which happened to be the name of Palminteri's grandfather. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q98

The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was quite special for La Flor Dominicana. There was a lot of excitement over the return of owner Litto Gomez's eponymous line, the Litto Gomez (LG) Diez. It's the first time we've seen the LG in nearly eight years. This year we talked to owner Litto Gomez and his son Tony, in what we have been told is the only interview that Litto recorded at this year's PCA. While we did talk some about the LG and last year's groundbreaking NFT project, the discussion evolved into one about stories and family. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q95

Tonight the Cigar Coop Coalition Team gathers together for Post Game Show on the 2023 PCA Trade Show. We will talk about what we saw, what we liked, what we didn’t like – and we will take you behind the scenes on what the happenings and drama that is associated with a PCA Trade Show. Plus we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References She Lost Her Father’s Ashes but a Stranger Digs 4 Hours Through Trash to Find Them: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/she-lost-her-fathers-ashes-but-a-stranger-digs-4-hours-through-trash-to-find-them/ Woman Brings to Life Fashion Sketches Made By Her Grandma After 80 Years on Paper: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/woman-brings-fashion-sketches-made-by-her-grandma-to-life-after-80-years-on-paper-look/