Posted by Charlie Minato on July 16, 2012 ·
Editor’s Note: A year ago Friday, July 20 to be more precise, Brooks and I sat down for dinner after the third day of IPCPR and we discussed the idea of halfwheel–or what was to become halfwheel. Like so many great ideas for the site, Brooks thought of it first and it took me a [...]
Category: Main, News, Weekly News · Tags: A.J. Fernandez, AKA Cigars, AKA Nth Degree, AKA Solace Connecticut, Atlanta, Cigar Boss, Cigar Boss HD, Davidoff, Dion Giolito, Drew Estate, Eddie Ortega, El Primer Mundo, Emilio, Emilio AF 2 Corona, Emilio AF1 Corona, Emilio Draig K Limitado, EO Brands, Erik Espinosa, Espinosa Premium Cigars, Gardena, Griffin's, Griffin's Special Edition XVIII, Gurkha, Gurkha Ghost, Hammer & Sickle, Hammer + Sickle Hermeritage, Ike Karipides, Illusione, Illusione Black Box, Illusione Particulares, Illusione Singularé, Illusione Singularé 2011, Illusione Singulare 2012, IPCPR 2012, L'Atelier Imports, La Grande Classe, La Vida, Liga Privada, Liga Privada Único Serie Ratzilla, Montecristo, Montecristo Connoisseur Edition No. 2, Nat Sherman, Nat Sherman Timeless Collection, Oliva, Oliva Family of Cigars, Ortsac, Ortsac 1962 Habano, Ortsac 1962 Maduro, Perdomo, Perdomo Champagne Noir Corona Extra, Pete Johnson, Pinar del Río, Pinolero, Prop 29, Ramon Puig, Rick's Cabaret, Riverside Cigar Shop & Lounge, Tortuga, United Tobacco, Viaje, Viaje Collector's Edition, Viaje Honey & Hand Grenades, Viaje Oro, Viaje Platino, Viaje Satori, Viva Republica, Viva Republica Rapture
Posted by Charlie Minato on July 16, 2012 ·
Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega are back in control of the 601, Cubao, Murcielago and more—but EO Brands is officially done. Two weeks after Rocky Patel informed retailers the company would no longer be handling distribution of the EO marks, United Tobacco/EO Brands has been bought back by the duo, divided and dissolved. Espinosa and [...]
Category: Exclusive News, Main, News · Tags: 601, Cubao, Eddie Ortega, EO Brands, Erik Espinosa, Espinosa Premium Cigars, Murcielago, Ortega Cigar Company, REO, United Tobacco, Vibe
Posted by Charlie Minato on July 2, 2012 ·
Editor’s Note: Yesterday marked six months of halfwheel. Brooks and I still haven’t spoken at all about the relatively minor anniversary, but given each member of our staff once ran a cigar blog – six months is oftentimes a lot longer than most of these last. Over the next few weeks, particularly leading into IPCPR, [...]
Category: Main, News, Weekly News · Tags: 601, Altadis, Atlantic Cigar Co., Brad Mayo, Chinook Cellars, Chinook Cellars Terroir, Christian Eiroa, CLE Cigars, E.P. Carrillo, E.P. Carrillo Atlantic Cigar Co. 15th Anniversary, East India Trading Company, Eddie Ortega, EO Brands, Erik Espinosa, General Cigar Co., H.R. 1639, IPCPR 2012, Jameson Cigar Co., Jameson Santos de Miami Haven Parejo, Janny García, La Gloria Cubana, La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros Innovation 538, Montecristo, Montecristo Epic, Murcielago, Oliva, Oliva Serie V Melanio, P.G. Cigars, Patricia Quesada, Paul Garmirian, Paul Garmirian Symphony 20th, Raquel Quesada, Rocky Patel, Tabacaleras Unidas, Torcido Cigars, Tres Reynas, Wynwood Cigars
Posted by Charlie Minato on July 2, 2012 ·
Rocky Patel has informed retailers that July 2 is the last day it will be distributing EO Brands. Patel took over distribution nearly two years ago after taking a stake in EO brands. Since then, Eddie Ortega has left United Tobacco/EO Brands to start his own brand and Erik Espinosa has launched his own cigar [...]
Posted by Charlie Minato on February 6, 2012 ·
Editor’s Note: This one is pretty simple. There are some technical issues plaguing the site currently. We know of two somewhat major issues. First and foremost, commenting from a computer seems to not be working, although commenting from mobile devices seems to be working fine. We are trying to resolve this issue and think we [...]
Category: Main, News, Weekly News · Tags: 601 Black, Abe "Ming" Dababneh, Abe Flores, Altadis U.S.A., Armando Gutierrez, Avion, Avion 2012, Bovedá, Burn by Rocky Patel, Cabaiguan, Cabaiguan WCD 120 REDUX, CAO, CAO La Travaita Maduro Luminoso, CAO La Traviata Maduro, Corona Cigar Co., CroMagnon, Eddie Ortega, EO Brands, Epicurean Cigars, Erik Espinosa, Evil Clown, Fausto, Fausto FT114, Federal Cigar, Flores & Rodriguez, General Cigar Co., Gonzo, Gran Habano, Gran Habano Miami Barracuda, Habanos S.A., Havana Cellars, Humidipak, Jeff Borysiewicz, La Casita Criolla, La Casita Criolla Robusto, Little Boris, Lou Rodriguez, Lou Rodriguez Kashmir, Macanudo, Macanudo Café, Macanudo Café Gigante, Macanudo Maduro, Macanudo Maduro Gigante, My Father Le Bijou 1922 Federal Cigar 91st Cervantes, Nat Sherman Timeless Collection, Ortega Cigar Co., PDR Cigars, Pete Johnson, Pinar del Río, Pinar del Rio Small Batch Reserve, Ramón Allones, Rick Gadway, Rocky Patel, RoMa Craft Tobac, Room101, Room101 Daruma, Skip Martin, Steve Ysidron, T.L. Johnson Edición R Oscuro, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Limited, Tatuaje Monster Series, Tatuaje Monster Series Chucky & The Bride of Chucky, Tatuaje Noella Reserva, Tatuaje Regios Reserva, The Corona Project, Vega Fina, Vega Fina Sumum 2010, Viaje, Viaje Exclusivo, Viaje Exclusivo Robusto, Villager, W. Curtis Draper, West Coast Cigars
Posted by Patrick Lagreid on February 5, 2012 ·
The 601 Black is back with a new name and a new location. West Coast Cigars of San Jose, CA is the store and Evil Clown is the name. The cigars arrived at the store Saturday morning, prompting owner Bill Davis to post these photos on the store’s website, saying that he “feels like a [...]
Posted by Charlie Minato on January 31, 2012 ·
January 31, 2012 — Effective immediately, Eddie Ortega has stepped down as president of EOBrands Cigars. His former duties will be taken over by his partner Erik Espinosa. Espinosa will officially take over operations on February 1. EOBrands cigars are produced in Nicaragua and include the 601, Cubao and Murcielago brands. Ortega has formed a [...]
Posted by Charlie Minato on January 15, 2012 ·
United Tobacco/EO Brands have released a lot of cigars. The brand owned by Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa is most famous for their 601 and Murcielago lines, but has produce quite a few interesting cigars since 2006. While the Series X might be the most (in)famous of releases, but there have actually been some smaller [...]
Category: Cigars, EO Brands, Featured, Main, Nicaragua, Reviews · Tags: Eddie Ortega, EO Brands, EO Brands 929, Erik Espinosa, My Father Cigars S.A., Nicaragua, Robusto, United Tobacco
Posted by Charlie Minato on December 19, 2011 ·
Editor’s Note: Apologies for what is the second time in a year and half the news is late. It’s not a great news week as nearly every company has shut down. Lots of new stuff for 2012 coming, but lots of stuff still to workout. Anyways, after the jump, a far less exciting rendition of [...]
Category: Main, News, Weekly News · Tags: 262, 262 Manifesto, Adrian's CroMagnon, Charmed Leaf, Cigars: The Heart And Soul Of Cuba, Clint Aaron, E.P. Carrillo Elencos Oscuro, E.P. Carrillo Elencos Oscuro Elite, Eddie Ortega, EO Brands, IPCPR, James Suckling, La Gloria Cubana Obelisco, Marco V, Marco V MVNFUZE, My Father Cigars S.A., My Father Limited Edition Humidor, Nicaraguan Imports, Ortega Serie D, Ortega Serie D No. 7, Padrón, Padrón SI-15, Rocky Patel, Tatuaje
Posted by Charlie Minato on September 23, 2011 ·
Rocky Patel confirmed that EO Brands’ Cubao line is now being sold exclusively through mail-in order retailer Thompson’s. There’s a slight caveat in that the official word from a representative from Rocky Patel was, “it’s still available to (brick and mortars) that want it.” We last reviewed Cubao as part of Lancero50 here. Rocky Patel [...]
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