Hooten Young has released its newest cigar, the Paladin Series, which the company calls “a small tribute to the fighters of the U.S. Armed Forces.”

It is a 6 x 52 toro that uses an Ecuadorian habano claro wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The blend was developed with the assistance of Azarías Mustafá Córdoba of Córdoba & Morales, and will be an ongoing production for the company.

It is also one of the company’s most affordable lines, priced at $8 per cigar and $160 for a box of 20 cigars that comes dressed in a camouflage design with aspects of military uniforms incorporated.

While it is debuting in one size, which began shipping to retailers this past Monday, a spokesperson for the company said that there could be more vitolas added in the future. The company also offers its products via its website.

Hooten Young was launched in the winter of 2018 by Delta Force Master Sergeant Norm Hooten and his friend Tim Young, who sought to honor friends and family, and in particular those who have served in the U.S. military. As such, the company donates 10 percent of all profits to charities that serve U.S. military veterans. In addition to cigars, the company also produces several lines of whiskey.

Images courtesy of Hooten Young.

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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.