J. Fuego Adds Connoisseur, Drops 777 Maduro

Jesus Fuego of J. Fuego Cigar Co. recently shot a video with Brandon Puckett of Cigar King in Scottsdale, Ariz., and announced several bits of news, including a new line called the J. Fuego Connoisseur.

The new line will debut in mid-April, and Fuego describes it as a “very rich blend” that uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper from Oliva Tobacco Co. It will debut in three sizes: 6 x 50, 5 1/2 x 54 and 5 x 60, all of which will come in boxes of 12 with prices around $10 per cigar, placing it at the top end of his regular production offerings.

Fuego also talked about details of the 2013 Edición de Familia, with the most notable details being the return of the Toro and Belicoso Fino sizes, and a 5 x 60 vitola that will replace the tubed Robusto. All three will be box pressed and come in boxes of 10 with the same prices of the 2012 edition. The blend will largely be the same as the 2012 version, using the same tobaccos that come from Plasencia and Fuego’s father.

The J. Fuego Gran Reserva has been discontinued due to running out of wrapper and what Fuego described as an effort to “narrow down our portfolio and stick to what works instead of trying to come with something new every year.” The J. Fuego 777 Maduro has also been discontinued, as have Corona or Belicoso sizes in all of the company’s lines. Fuego is adding a 5 1/2 x 60 in the Origen Natural and Origen Maduro lines.

The move comes as part of a recent rebranding of the company and a formal name change from Tabacos S.A. to J. Fuego Cigar Company. The bands will add bar codes in addition to the new artwork.

Fuego also announced that he will be launching a mid-April contest with a grand prize with a grand prize of a three-day fishing trip with him to either the Bahamas or Florida Keys in August. The specifics are still to be announced, but the winner will be picked by selecting a number box of the 2012 Edición de Familia, and whomever has that box will win the trip. Fuego said he is planning to make the contest an annual tradition based around the Edición de Familia.  Details will be announced via J. Fuego’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for further details.

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.