July 3, 2013 (Lynchburg, Va.) — Founded by Ryan Kohl in 2013, Gramercy Cigars was formed to pay homage to his grandfather.  Ryan’s grandfather, Ed Kohl, has a great, long-standing reputation in the Scotch industry.  “I remember my grandfather teaching me about Scotch at a young age.  I was always fascinated by the processes and the camaraderie in the Scotch industry,” Ryan stated.  He went on to say, “I wanted to create something special that I could share with my grandfather.  He’s been a great inspiration to me, and this is the least I could do.  There’s not a greater feeling than having a dram of Scotch, a cigar, and a great conversation with my grandfather.”

Gramercy Cigars is debuting their first blend, Gravitas, in select markets.  Manufactured at Tabacalera Carreras in Esteli, Nicaragua, Gravitas boasts a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, Condega binder, and filler from Trojes and Esteli. Three sizes (Corona, Robusto, and Toro) are being offered at this time. Having deep roots in the whisky industry, Gravitas was blended to compliment Scotch whisky.  Tasting seminars are being scheduled at select retailers.

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.