Two of Oscar Valladares’ new releases from the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show will soon be on store shelves, as Alvaro Villatoro, the company’s sales manager, told halfwheel that both the 10th Anniversary and the Raw Dog will begin shipping on Monday, Sept. 19.

The Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary celebrates the company’s first decade in business, as the company debuted in 2012, with its first commercial release called 2012, a nod to the Mayan calendar and the predictions of the world’s end on Dec. 21, 2012 that accompanied that calendar. The cigar uses a dual wrapper, with one leaf from Mexico and the other a Honduran candela, while the binder comes from Honduras and the filler comes from Nicaragua.

While the 10th Anniversary will be an ongoing production, it will be limited in availability as the blend requires that the fillers be aged for at least five years.

  • Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary Toro (6 x 52) — $18 (Box of 10, $180)
  • Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary Sixty (6 x 60) — $20 (Box of 10, $200)
  • Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary Salomon (7 x 52/60) — $23 (Box of 10, $230)

On the other end of the spectrum is the Oscar Valladares Raw Dog, a new regular production line that does not use a wrapper, at least not in the traditional sense. Instead of using a wrapper-grade leaf, the cigar simply uses a binder and filler, both of which come from Honduras. The binder is grown in the Copán region, while the filler comes from Jamastrán and Copán.

It is offered in a single 5 x 60 vitola that is priced at $6 per cigar and offered in 50 count cabinets, which are priced at $300.

Both cigars are produced at Oscar Valladares’ factory in Danlí, Honduras.

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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.