Jesus Fuego has plans to bring the Heat in 2014, as he told halfwheel that after working on a project for more than three years, he feels confident it will be ready to hit the market early next year.

“I’m experimenting with US grown tobacco that we have been fermenting and aging for a while now, basically this wrapper grown in Pennsylvania,” he said, adding that he obtained the tobacco completely unfermented, “and did the whole process ourselves versus buying it prefermented like everybody else does.”

Fuego said that he has always wanted to work with high quality American tobacco and so far, he’s very happy with what the tobacco has shown. He posted a picture of a Heat prototype cigar to his Facebook page last week:

J Fuego - Heat prototype via FB Sept 10 2013

Numerous details about the Heat project are still being worked out, including a specific release date, pricing, sizes and production numbers. Fuego also said he is considering the pros and cons of making Heat a regional release just for Florida. “I’ve been working on this for over three years already, so I don’t mind waiting a little more,” he said. He mentioned that it should be available in early spring of 2014.

The cigars are being made in Honduras at Tabacos de Oriente S.A.

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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, 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.