IPCPR 2019: La Familia Robaina

While the big news for La Familia Robaina right before the show was a name change from White Hat Cigars, the company was selling a number of new releases as well, including three blends under the Ilegal—that is with one l—line, as well as three different long filler blends that are packaged in bundles and that feature extremely competitive prices.

The new La Familia Robaina name came with another big change, namely a much larger booth in which to sell its cigars. There was constant foot traffic in and out of the company’s booth every time I walked by. Spence Drake told me that the Pelones bundles, in particular, was doing extremely well.

Ilegal Connecticut

One of three different blends under the Ilegal line, the Ecuadorian-wrapped version holds the distinction of having the cheapest prices for each of the vitolas.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Biner: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Ilegal Connecticut Robusto (5 1/2 x 54) — $9.95 (Box of 20, $199)
• Ilegal Connecticut Toro (6 x 50) — $9.95 (Box of 20, $199)
• Ilegal Connecticut Gordo (6 x 60) — $10.95 (Box of 20, $239)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: mid-August 2019

Ilegal Habano

This version is also covered in an Ecuadorian wrapper, albeit habano instead of Connecticut.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Biner: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Ilegal Habano Robusto (5 1/2 x 54) — $10.95 (Box of 20, $219)
• Ilegal Habano Toro (6 x 50) — $11.95 (Box of 20, $239)
• Ilegal Habano Gordo (6 x 60) — $11.95 (Box of 20, $239)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: mid-August 2019

Ilegal San Andres

As the name indicates, the third version of the blend features a San Andrés leaf sourced from Mexico.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Biner: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Ilegal San Andres Robusto (5 1/2 x 54) — $10.95 (Box of 20, $239)
• Ilegal San Andres Toro (6 x 50) — $10.95 (Box of 20, $239)
• Ilegal San Andres Gordo (6 x 60) — $11.95 (Box of 20, $259)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: mid-August 2019

Pelones Connecticut

All three versions of the company’s bundle releases are hand-rolled with long filler tobacco and are being sold sans bands. They all also feature a different Ecuadorian-sourced wrapper leaf covering an undisclosed internal blend.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Biner: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Pelones Connecticut Robusto (5 x 50) — $4.50 (Bundle of 20, $90)
• Pelones Connecticut Toro (6 x 52) — $5 (Bundle of 20, $100)
• Pelones Connecticut Gordo (6 x 60) — $5.50 (Bundle of 20, $110)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: mid-August 2019

Pelones Habano

Like the Pelones in almost every way, other than the Ecuadorian habano wrapper leaf.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Biner: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Pelones Habano Robusto (5 x 50) — $4.50 (Bundle of 20, $90)
• Pelones Habano Toro (6 x 52) — $5 (Bundle of 20, $100)
• Pelones Habano Gordo (6 x 60) — $5.50 (Bundle of 20, $110)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: mid-August 2019

Pelones Maduro

A maduro cover leaf from Ecuador tops off the third variant in the line, while pricing and packaging are identical to the other two versions.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Maduro)
• Biner: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Pelones Maduro Robusto (5 x 50) — $4.50 (Bundle of 20, $90)
• Pelones Maduro Toro (6 x 52) — $5 (Bundle of 20, $100)
• Pelones Maduro Gordo (6 x 60) — $5.50 (Bundle of 20, $110)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: mid-August 2019

Brooks Whittington

I have been smoking cigars for over eight years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, I spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. I started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in-depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars. I am a co-founder of halfwheel and now serve as an editor for halfwheel.