112 degrees and the humidity is up to 14%. Great weather for cigars but nonetheless the Premium Cigar Association trade show marches on.
Again without the big four (Altadis, General Cigar, Davidoff and Swisher/Drew Estate) it is hard to judge the show floor and activity. There are a few other companies that did not make the trip….Foundation Cigars for personal reasons, La Flor Dominicana (most likely because they are in extreme backorders) and Roma Craft…Skip Martin is at the beach.
But the attendees who joined the PCA in order to come to the show really seemed appreciative of the companies that are here. They know the PCA and the Cigar Rights of America are fighting to help keep premium cigars legal and affordable. The reason I say they are appreciative because although numbers for the number of retail buyers is not out yet, the sales seem to be exploding.
Yesterday, the Tatuaje booth was jammed. Pete Johnson had specials and it was first come first served. By this morning his T-110 Habano special was completely sold out. The T-110 in Sumatra and Broadleaf are also gone but many of those were presold prior to the show and have already been shipped. The other specials like the Holiday 2021 Advent Calendar are gone. The Advent calendar is special because it offers 24 cigars behind doors you open and then smoke the cigars. They won’t know for certain until all the orders are entered in but judging from the pile of orders being inputted, it’s a safe bet. Same too for the Monster Mash which is a limited edition of 14 from the Tatuaje Monster series. And retailers could order the La Riqueza SE at the show but they will not be shipped until next March. But only the attendees are able to buy them.
For EP Carrillo, there is a new limited edition to the La Historia line—Parientes, a 6.75” X 43 which will retail for $10.50. It comes 20 to a box and there will only be 500 boxes. The Pledge line is getting an extension with Apogee. It is 6.25” X 58 with a retail price of $15 in 10 count boxes. The blend is the same as the normal pledge which uses a USA wrapper, Ecudaor Binder and Nicaraguan fillers.
Alec Bradley did solid business the first and second day with its PCA exclusive the Gran Toro box pressed Magic Toast. The 6” X 54 cigar will come in a 24 count box with a retail price of $11 per cigar.
Miami Cigar had a new release of an old cigar, the Don Lino is making a return in both Connecticut and Maduro in three sizes. Made in the Dominican Republic, the Connecticut sports and Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over Dominican binder with Dominican, USA and Nicaraguan fillers. The Maduro has a Mexician San Andres wrapper, Dominican binder and Dominican, USA and African fillers. Prices are 5 X 50 Robusto $5.95, 5.5” X 54 Toro for $6.25 and the 6” X 60 Gran Toro for $6.48. La Aurora is releasing its Hors D’Age 2020 in a 30 count jar for the Gran Toro at 6 X 58 or the 15 count box for the Toro 5.75 “ x 54. Both cigars retail for $26. The final new offering is the Fernando Leon Edicion Limitada. It is a 6.25” X 52 Belicoso which uses extra-aged Corojo wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder and Peruvian, Brazilian, Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. It will retail for $28.
