While he isn’t expected to be releasing any new projects at the upcoming IPCPR convention and trade show, Eddie Ortega is already working on a project that he says will launch in 2013.

Named the “Dirty Dozen,” Ortega didn’t reveal much about the specifics other than that it’s a project that will have a new release every month and that it’s something he’s been working on for a while. In the Facebook post where he unveiled the graphic, he says that he has been working with Neal Wollenberg on the project. Wollenberg has a Facebook page called Cigart, where he has created graphics for several companies and a cigar message board.

 

The first four names of the new cigars have been announced:

  • January 2013 – Big Bad John “Jack Hammer”
  • February 2013 – Iron Mike “The Brawler”
  • March 2013 – Wild Bill “Widow Maker”
  • April 2013 – Tony the Boss “AR-10 Killer”
Ortega is also accepting suggestions for the other eight releases from his fans via Facebook. A comment from Ortega on Facebook seems to suggest that these could be named for people in the cigar industry, as he said that “Been meaning to develop this project for a long time. I’ve met some very interesting people in my years in the industry….you might recognize some of them when Im done. :) (sic)” He followed that comment by saying that “names are actually relational to someone I’ve either met or know to be kind of crazy guy :)”
The names might not be finalized however, as one commenter noted that Gurkha makes a cigar called the Widow Maker, which would seemingly require Ortega to come up with another moniker.
Ortega Cigar Co. has also announced plans for a pair of new cigar lines, the Aftershock and the Brotherhood, though neither has a planned release date. The Brotherhood is featured on Ortega’s website,

No specifics about the Dirty Dozen have been announced yet, including blend or the factory where it will be produced. Ortega said he will have more complete release information available after IPCPR.

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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 MLB.com, 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.