IPCPR 2018: Leaf by Oscar
The beach-themed vibe at “Island” Jim Robinson’s booth was off to a strong start on Saturday morning, with bags of the signature yellow sunglasses on hand for lovers of the wahoo life.
Robinson is continuing to expand his portfolio and distribution network, so much so that the header of Leaf by Oscar doesn’t really apply anymore, though Robinson said he hasn’t come up with anything better. So if you have an idea, reach out to him…
Island Jim San Andrés # Two
The Island Jim line is getting its first line extension, the Island Jim San Andrés, complete with a sombrero-wearing Island Jim on the band. The Honduran core of the cigar stays the same, and it’s made at the Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. factory in Honduras.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Binder: Honduras
- Filler: Honduras
- Island Jim San Andrés # Two (6 x 52) — $9.95 (Boxes of 21, $220)
Production: Regular Production
Launch Date: July 2018
Walk into a cigar shop and ask for “a leaf” and you’ll most likely be directed towards the Leaf by Oscar selections. This summer, that request will likely be met by the question of which one? “Island” Jim Robinson is teaming up with James Brown of Black Label Trading Co. for the Leaf by James, which is said to be on the bolder end of the spectrum and is coming from Fabrica Oveja Negra in Estelí.
It soft-launched at Robinson’s Leaf & Bean Strip cigar shop in Pittsburgh, Pa. last month, becoming the third in the Leaf series, joining an earlier project called Leaf by Esteban, made by Esteban Disla of RoMa Fabrica de Tabacos NicaSueño S.A. fame. However, only the Leaf by Oscar wears the tobacco leaf, something Robinson maintains as an exclusive for Oscar Valladraes.
- Wrapper: U.S.A. (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)
- Binder: Ecuador (Habano)
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Leaf by James (6 x 50) — $9.95. (Bundles of 20, $199)
Production: Regular Production
Launch Date: June 2018
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.
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