March 3, 2014 (Miami, Fla.)—Royal Agio Cigars and Drew Estate Tobacco Company are pleased to announce exclusive distribution agreement effective April 1st 2014. Drew Estate will market, sell, and distribute all Royal Agio Cigar brands in the United States.

This agreement expands Royal Agio Cigars’ reach across the broad channels of tobacco distribution throughout the U.S. and provides the opportunity to market Panter, Mehari’s and Balmoral brands in the optimal way.

Boris Wintermans, CEO of Royal Agio Cigars explains: “Although our companies are quite different, there was an immediate chemistry between our two family businesses. Both companies aim for creating purposeful brands for the long run and are committed to making a difference. We both have the ambition to expand in the U.S. market and the Royal Agio portfolio compliments the Drew Estate brand portfolio perfectly.”

“Drew Estate Tobacco Company, including both the Drew Estate premium division and the popular market side called, “Half a Sandwich” has tremendous respect for the Royal Agio team and the special family tradition behind all of their fine cigars,” explains Jonathan Drew, co-founder.

“At Drew Estate, we understand that success comes through purposeful collaboration. That’s why we are so excited about this new partnership with Royal Agio,” according to Drew Estate President, Michael Cellucci.

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Brooks Whittington

I have been smoking cigars for over eight years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, I spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. I started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in-depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars. I am a co-founder of halfwheel and now serve as an editor for halfwheel.