halfwheel

News: Ortsac 1962 Line Expands to Habano & Maduro

The Cigar Agency’s Ortsac brand is set for another expansion, this time two new lines for its Ortsac 1962 line, both debuting at IPCPR 2012. A Habano and Maduro version are both coming to the Ortasc 1962 line. According to Victor Vitale, both are being made in Honduras at Tabacalera Aguilar and both will receive [...]

News: Hammer + Sickle to Debut Hermeritage at IPCPR

Victor Vitale, who represents and owns a multitude of brands, outlined his plans for the IPCPR show across his array of labels, which include Hammer + Sickle, Ortsac and Tortuga. The Russian influence Hammer + Sickle is set for another year with an IPCPR release. Hammer + Sickle will debut Hermeritage, a new box-pressed line set [...]

News: Three New Sizes of Tortuga 215 Slated for IPCPR

Victor Vitale’s Legacy Brands Company’s Tortuga line will receive three extensions to its popular Tortuga Edición Limitada 2011 215 blend. The sizes are 6 x 48, 5 1/2 x 56 and a 6 x 60 — all of which Vitale says will be shown at IPCPR 2012. The 215 line debuted last year with three [...]

News: Drew Estate Releases Small Batch of Liga Privada Único Serie Ratzilla

Less than three weeks after offering the Ratzilla for sale for the first time at a Casa de Montecristo event, Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate confirmed a small quantity of cigars from a 2011 batch will be shipped out to various retailers across the country, including over 100 bundles for an event at Jeff Borysiewicz’s [...]

News: Republica Cigars’ Debut Rapture Set for IPCPR

As was mentioned yesterday, Republica Cigars will be launching its first line, Rapture, at IPCPR 2012. The cigars are made at La Aurora’s E. León Jimenes Tabacalera factory in the Dominican Republic for Jason Holly, who also owns El Humidor in Northern Pennsylvania. Rapture uses a Cuban-seed Ecuadorian wrapper over a blend comprised of tobaccos from [...]

News: Nicaraguan Nat Sherman Timeless Collection to Debut at IPCPR 2012

In a relatively expected move, Michael Herklots, the executive director for retail and brand development of Nat Sherman, confirmed the Timeless Collection would have three additional sizes at IPCPR 2012, all from Nicaragua. The box-pressed cigars are being made at Plasencia Cigars S.A. and are not only made in Estelí, but also are composed entirely [...]

News: Nestor Miranda Special Selection Connecticut to Debut at IPCPR 2012

Miami Cigar & Co. has confirmed details for its upcoming addition to the Nestor Miranda collection, the Nestor Miranda Special Selection Connecticut. Previously, the cigar has only been offered in Nicaraguan Habano Rosado and Oscuro wrappers. The Special Selection Connecticut uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over the normal Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. The Special [...]

News: Rocky Patel Ends Distribution of EO Brands

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 [...]

News: Rodrigo Postpones The Corona Project

George Rodriguez of Rodrigo Cigars has confirmed that The Corona Project, a limited edition run set to debut in the summer of 2012, has been indefinitely postponed. The last update pegged a release in June, but the William Ventura-made project is now shelved due to what Rodriguez described as a cluttered market. Rodriguez told halfwheel: [...]

News: Danielle Hawthorne Returns to the Industry at Christian Eiroa’s Tabacaleras Unidas

Danielle Hawthorne, most recently the brand manager of Davidoff and Zino Classic, will return to the cigar industry after a year and a half-long absence. Hawthorne’s new role will be as chief marketing officer for Tabacaleras Unidas, the parent company for Christian Eiroa’s new venture. Eiroa recently announced the CLE as his first brand, but [...]