Cigars International Celebrates 20 Years With Davidoff Exclusive

Cigars International is probably not the first retailer that comes to mind when you think Davidoff, but the Pennsylvania-based retailer best known for its internet and online cigar business is a Davidoff appointed merchant and it is celebrating a major anniversary this year, 20 years of business.

That means that it can take part in Davidoff’s retailer anniversary program. Any U.S.-based appointed merchant that is celebrating a major anniversary—one that ends in a 0 or 5—is able to participate. Each year, Davidoff picks a specific size and creates five different blends in that size. The retailers that partake select the blend and then Davidoff packages the cigars with the retailer’s name on both the boxes and bands.

This year’s size is a 6 x 52 belicoso.

Cigars International choose a blend that uses a Dominican Rojiza wrapper over Dominican fillers.

The store took the 300 boxes of 10 required to be part of the program. Suggested retail pricing will be $20 per cigar.

“We’re very excited to present this special collaboration with Davidoff of Geneva, which represents the first of multiple commemorative cigars from our partners around the industry,” said Jeffery Kocher, chief merchant at Cigars International, in a press release.

“This anniversary is an important one, and we’ve been working for a few years to really bring everything together in a way that celebrates our history, our most important suppliers, and our customers who’ve supported us along the way. Our business is cigars, and we’re making cigars the focus of our celebration. This is the first piece, and it’s an exceptionally elegant and rich blend that we’re truly proud to offer.”

Last year only one retailer took part in the anniversary program with Davidoff, this year is expected to be quite different. In addition to Cigars International, nine other U.S.-based retailers are believed to receive exclusive cigars from Davidoff.

In 1996, Keith Meier and John DeMarco founded Cigars International. The company was acquired by Swedish Match in 2007 and is now part of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). It includes a catalog, various internet websites and multiple physical stores in Pennsylvania.