Amendola Family Cigar Co. Ships New Core Lines, Updates Upcoming Releases

In June 2020, Amendola Family Cigar Co. announced that it would be updating its portfolio by way of moving production of its cigars as well as adding some new lines. Now, the first wave of those revamped cigars are on their way to retailers.

The Amendola Cremoso, Naturale and Maturo are all on en route to store shelves after production was moved from Tabacalera Kafie factory in Danlí, Honduras to AGANORSA Leaf’s Tabacos Valle de Jalapa factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Each cigar is offered in a single 6 x 52 toro vitola and packed in 20-count boxes. As for the blends, each uses a Nicaraguan binder and filler, with the Cremoso’s wrapper is a shade-grown Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf, the Naturale’s is a Nicaraguan habano, and the Maturo’s is a Mexican corojo 99 maduro.

That trio is joined the Amendola Dessert, a 6 1/2 x 44 lonsdale with an undisclosed blend that has been aged and infused with hazelnut, while the cap has been sweetened with sugar. The factory producing that cigar has not been disclosed.

On their heels are two more cigars, the Amendola Signature Series Speciale and Padrino, which are scheduled to begin shipping at the end of next week.

The Padrino is getting both a new blend and a new vitola. It had previously been released in a 6 x 54 wedge vitola that featured a flattened head, and will now be offered in a 5 3/4 x 52 belicoso. The new blend swaps out the original’s Indonesian Sumatra wrapper for a Connecticut broadleaf, though the rest of the components are not being disclosed. Additionally, it is now being made by A.J. Fernandez after originally being slated to be made at the La Zona Cigar Factory.

The Speciale is a 6 x 54 toro with an oscuro maduro wrapper and an undisclosed binder and filler. It is being made at the La Zona Cigar Factory in Estelí. Both the Specials and Padrino are offered in 20-count boxes.

Still yet to ship are the company’s Signature Series Cannoli Sumatra and Connecticut, both of which are 5 1/2 x 42 coronas that are made at the La Zona Cigar Factory. Amendola said that he anticipates them to begin shipping at the end of January or early February of 2021. When they do ship, they will join the Cannoli San Andrés, which shipped in May, and is a 5 1/2 x 42 box pressed corona.

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 Major League Baseball, 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.