IPCPR 2013: PDR Cigars

When the announcement of PDR Cigars signing a distribution agreement with El Primer Mundo came out in May, it wasn’t exactly certain how that would be represented at the IPCPR trade show. Would the booths be adjoining, like what we saw with the House of Emilio, or would they share a booth, or would they be in separate spaces? Once it was made known that Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo had taken over the role of Director of Sales for PDR, it became a bit more apparent that they would need to be in the same space, and so they were:

PDR Cigars had announced their two new releases in advance of the show, but as always, nothing can take the place of seeing the cigars in person, and such was the case here. In its largest vitola, the AFR-75 is an impressive figure. The cigar comes in three sizes: a 6 x 58 Edmundo, 5 x 56 Sublime, and 7 x 60 Inmenso, all in 24-count boxes with prices of $14.75, $15.75 and $16.75, respectively. Additional details are here.

The A. Flores Gran Reserva is available in three sizes: Half Corona (3 1/2 × 46), Robusto (5 × 52), Gran Toro (6 × 54). While all are attractive cigars, the Half Corona might be the winner of the bunch, offering a compact smoke that is also offered in five-count tins. Both new lines begin shipping this month.

Also on display though not for sale at this point, is the PDR Sampler, a 12-cigar collection of the brand’s lines. It was being given to retailers at the show, though the idea of turning it into a retail item was likely.

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.