CLE Ships Three PCA 2024 Exclusive Cigars

A trio of cigars from CLE Cigar Co. that were only offered to retailers who attended the 2024 Premium Cigar Association Convention & Trade Show are now on their way to those retailers.

The three cigars come from the Asylum, CLE and Eiroa brands and all use tobacco from CLE Cigar Co.’s farm in South America, though the company is not disclosing any specifics about that tobacco and how it is used, or if it is the same across the three cigars. Where the cigars differ blend-wise is with the wrapper, as the CLE release uses a Connecticut wrapper, the Eiroa release uses a maduro wrapper, and the Asylum cigar gets a habano wrapper.

“We are slowly rolling out this tobacco from our South American farm,” said Christian Eiroa, the company’s founder, via a press release when the cigars were announced in March. “Last year’s PCA exclusives used tobacco from that farm, and it was well received. The tobacco has now gone through another year of aging, so the smoker can expect a more refined smoking experience. I am also excited to share this new and attractive box, which will house one hundred cigars.”

The three cigars are each offered in a unique 100-count display box that uses a honeycomb design and features each blend’s four vitolas inside: a 5 x 50 robusto, a 6 x 52 toro, a 6 x 60 gordo, and the 11/18 vitola, a figurado that measures 6 inches long and has a 48 ring gauge at the head and foot, while the center of the cigar has a 54 ring gauge.

The total price of the box is $1,896, meaning that each of the 100 cigars inside—there are 25 of each vitola—has an MSRP of $18.96.

CLE Cigar Co. produced the packaging in-house, with Eiroa purchasing the equipment to make the boxes, which he said will increase control of the package quality and avoid long wait times.

Final production numbers have not been disclosed, though the company previously said it would be limited to the number of cigars ordered at the trade show.

Images courtesy of CLE Cigar Co.

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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.