Gurkha Purchases Martin Family of Cigars

With less than a week until the opening of the 2013 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show, halfwheel has learned that Gurkha Cigar Group has purchased Martin Family of Cigars.

On June 21, halfwheel reported that Martin Family of Cigars had ceased operations, though today it was disclosed that was only partially the case.

On Monday, Maria Martin said that her former company had been purchased by Gurkha and was going to become part of the East India Trading Company. A representative from Gurkha confirmed the news, though it remained uncertain how Martin’s cigars would be positioned in the Gurkha/East India Trading Co. portfolio. However, it was confirmed that there are plans in the works to rebrand the line and introduce new blends “down the road.”

Martin recently joined Gurkha Cigar Group, though her role has not been specified as of yet.

The companies plan on making a formal announcement during the IPCPR Convention and Trade Show, which begins on Sunday, July 13.

The East India Trading Company was as a subsidiary of Gurkha Cigar Group (then known as Beach Cigar Group/Gurkha) in November 2011. Its first release was the Wicked Indie, followed by the Red Witch, with upcoming releases including the Rogue and Prize Fighter.

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.