Black Star Line Cigars’ Rosewood 1923 Debuting at PCA 2023

Black Star Line Cigars is turning to Fábrica Oveja Negra for its newest line, which honors the 100th anniversary of the Rosewood massacre.

The Rosewood 1923 is a new line that will debut in a 6 x 48 corona size. It uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic Nicaragua. The MSRP is set at $13.50 and it’s a regular production item that will be offered in boxes and bundles of 20 cigars.

“I have always wanted to work with Oveja Negra. I am a huge fan of their cigars and actually James (Brown) was one of the first people I reached out to when I was looking to enter the cigar industry,” said Aric Bey, owner of Black Star Line Cigars, in a press release. “I ended up gaining JB’s respect through my hardwork and persistence with what I have done thus far with AGANORSA Leaf.”

As for the name, it references the Rosewood massacre, which killed between 7-27 people and destroyed the entire town with the exception of a lone general store. Rosewood was destroyed as part of racially motivated killings. Following a lynching, Black residents of Rosewood began defending themselves against attacks. In response to their defenses, white mobs came to the town and razed the town, which had an independent Black community. Following the massacre, the town was abandoned.

“I love the name because it not only pays homage to the 100-year anniversary of the massacre but also pays homage to my fraternity brother John Singleton who made a movie about Rosewood in the early 90s. I am a member of ‘Greater’ Beta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and Singleton passed away a few years ago.”

That film, Rosewood (1997), starred Jon Voight, Ving Rhames and Don Cheadle.

Black Star Line Cigars says the Rosewood 1923 will begin shipping shortly after the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, which takes place July 8-11 in Las Vegas.

Update (Aug. 18, 2023) — The Rosewood 1923 is listed on the company’s price list for $13.50 per cigar sold in boxes and $12.50 per cigar for cigars sold in bundles. The story originally listed the price at $12.99.