La Palina may be one of the most relaxed and inviting booths at IPCPR, with some comfy chairs, embroidered pillows and a vibe that make you feel like you’re in Bill Paley’s den, though there were some noisier neighbors making it hard to soak in the vibe completely.

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You’ve heard about the La Palina Goldie No.5 – it was on display and didn’t last long, as word was all 2,500 ten-count boxes sold out sometime Monday.

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Also in high demand was La Palina Collection Mr. Sam, as less than 100 of the 850 ten-count boxes were still available halfway through the show. Like the Goldie No.2 and No.5, it comes from El Titan de Bronze in Miami.

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As for their core line products, the La Palina Maduro adds the 40, a 6 x 40 that I was told is not a KBII Maduro, despite its resemblance. It’s a regular production stick coming from Raices Cubanas and was a refreshing reminder that some manufacturers are still making small ring gauge cigars.

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Three new sizes for the La Palina Classic, which are made at PDR Cigars: a 7×38 Lancero, 5 1/2 ×42 Corona, and a 4 1/2 ×58 Short Robusto. Again, nice to see a pair of smaller ring gauges.

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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 and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, 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.