Sindicato Ships Affinity

Sindicato Cigars  has released the second of their three debut lines to retailers, as their Affinity line recently began showing up on store shelves.

The cigar, which was reviewed on halfwheel here, was originally slated to begin shipping in mid-to-late August, but were initially delayed until the end of September or early October. According to Jim Colucci, President and CEO of Sindicato, problems with the box production were the culprit for both delays. They began shipping on November 13, with the final shipments going out on November 20.

Affinity comes in six sizes, all of which are made at Omar Ortez’ factory in Estelí, Nicaragua and use Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. They are billed as offering a “rich, flavorful and complex taste profile that will satisfy the smoker seeking a medium bodied Connecticut wrapped cigar.” The Affinity line is as follows:

• Affinity Corona (5 1/2 x 46) – $5.95 (Boxes of 21, $124.95)
• Affinity Robusto (5 x 52) – $6.50 (Boxes of 21, $136.50)
• Affinity Toro (6 x 54) – $6.95 (Boxes of 21, $145.95)
• Affinity Gran Toro (7 x 54) – $7.30 (Boxes of 21, $153.30)
• Affinity Belicoso (6 1/4 x 52) – $7.30 (Boxes of 21, $153.30)
• Affinity Churchill (7 x 56) – $7.30 (Boxes of 21, $153.30)

Colucci told halfwheel that the third Sindicato line, Hex, is now slated to be released in the last week of December or first week of January. That cigar was reviewed on halfwheel here, and was originally slated for an October release, but as mentioned above, has been delayed by issues with box production. The company released its first line, the bundled Casa Bella, in early September. All three lines were announced shortly before the 2013 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show, where they made their industry debut. At that time, Sindicato was expecting to have all three brands begin shipping in mid-to-late August.

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.