July 23, 2018 Patrick Lagreid IPCPR 2018

IPCPR 2018: Pier 28

Pier 28 has become a bit of a cult brand in the San Francisco Bay Area and among online cigar folks for a couple of reasons: first is that brand owner Tim Wong is based in the area and spreading the word throughout that part of the country; the second is that he’s also fairly active online and has been spreading the word that way.

If you’re not familiar with Wong or his cigars, he’s currently a sales representative for Espinosa Premium Cigars and A.J. Fernández, and has previously worked for General Cigar Co., Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Toraño and others.

While he formulated the idea for Pier 28 about 15 years ago, it wasn’t until he went to work for Espinosa that the cigars became a reality, debuting in 2016 with production handled by La Zona Cigar Factory. As such, Pier 28 shared part of the Espinosa booth along with Cubariqueno Cigar Co., with the current Pier 28 collection occupying one of the booth’s display windows.

Pier 28 Habano Lancero (not pictured)

While not on display, the original Pier 28 line is finally getting its lancero, at least as far as widespread availability. It’s been on the radar since 2016, but has never been ready to hit the market for one reason or another. Wong says it should be on shelves by September

  • Wrapper: Brazil (Oscuro)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Pier 28 Habano Lancero (7 x 38) — $8.99 (Boxes of 10, $89.99)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: September 2018

Pier 28 Oscuro

The Pier 28 line debuted in 2016, appearing at that year’s trade show in just one blend, and then announced plans for three more blends within just a few weeks as companies began announcing and releasing cigars ahead of the FDA deadline for cigars to be on the market without prior approval. This year, yet another blend gets added, the Pier 28 Oscuro, wearing a black-and-orange color scheme that is a not-so-subtle nod to the San Francisco Giants, Wong’s favorite baseball team. While the cigars themselves were not on display, it’s on the medium to full side of the strength scale, with delivery to retail beginning possibly by late August, though Wong was more optimistic about September.

  • Wrapper: Brazil (Oscuro)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Pier 28 Oscuro Rabito (6 1/2 x 46) — $7.99 (Boxes of 10, $79.99)
  • Pier 28 Oscuro Robusto (5 x 52) — $$7.99 (Boxes of 10, $79.99)
  • Pier 28 Oscuro Toro (6 x 54) — $8.99 (Boxes of 10, $89.90)
  • Pier 28 Oscuro Perfecto (5 1/2 x 56) — $9.99 (Boxes of 10, $99.90)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: September 2018

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2018 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
IPCPR 2018 Pier 28 Pier 28 Habano Lancero Pier 28 Oscuro Tim Wong
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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 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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