Fratello Dropping Four Cigars From Its Portfolio

Fratello Cigars has announced that it is dropping four cigars from its portfolio: the Bianco I, Oro Shorty, Navetta Enterprise and Navetta Inverso Corona Gorda.

The company said that after it conducted a comprehensive assessment of its portfolio, it decided to end production of the cigars based on a number of factors including consumer demand and the cost to produce them.

“While it is always difficult to discontinue a product, we believe that this decision is in the best interest of our company and our customers,” said Omar de Frias, founder of Fratello Cigars, via a press release. “We remain committed to providing our customers with high-quality products and exceptional service, and we believe that this decision will help us achieve that goal.”

The Bianco I is a 6 1/4 x 44 lonsdale that debuted in 2015 as part of the original sizes in the Fratello Bianco line. The Oro Shorty is a 4 x 58 petite gordo which debuted in late 2016 when Fratello added the Oro as the company’s third regular production line and grew to eight vitolas, though one is an exclusive to Europe and another is a retailer exclusive.

The Navetta Enterprise is a 6 1/4 x 54 toro gordo that was one of the four original sizes when the line launched in October 2017. The Navetta Inverso, an offshoot that rearranged the components of the Navetta, debuted in October 2018. The Corona Gorda vitola measured 5 7/8 x 46 and was one of three original sizes in the line.

The company is ceasing production of these four cigars immediately, with the company saying that a limited amount remains in inventory for retailers to order.

“We are excited about the future of Fratello Cigars and remain committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and exceptional service,” said de Frias. “We appreciate the continued support of our customers and look forward to continuing to serve them for many years to come.”

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.