Patoro & CLE Cigar Company Announce U.S. Distribution Deal

In addition to Gentili humidors, Christian Eiroa’s CLE Cigar Company will now be distributing Patoro Cigars, a Swiss-based company who has been selling cigars since 2001. The company was founded by Patrick J. Martin and added Dr. Pablo Richard last year, now Patoro heads to the U.S.

Later this year, Patoro will launch a new cigar made specifically for the U.S. market as it begins its distribution agreement with CLE. Richard told halfwheel it will be in the “same style and philosophy” as the brand carries in Europe, which likely means ultra-exclusive and also probably expensive. In Europe, Patoro cigars can command upwards of $50 per cigar—some of which is due taxes—but does nothing to change the fact that the cigars are oftentimes the most expensive in the humidor.

“I am very impressed with the energy and strict philosophy with this brand,” said Eiroa. “I am especially attracted to the energy, commitment and focus from Dr. Richard, who at only 28 years of age, knows exactly what he is looking for.”

The cigars the company sells in Europe are made at Corporación Cigar Export, S. R. L. (Augusto Reyes) in the Dominican Republic. That factory is in the running for production of the U.S. cigars, but Richard indicated they would be open to other manufacturers. The company has been known to boast about their commitment to quality, including limiting rollers to 50 cigars per day, compared to the 125-250 cigars per day average at many factories.

The name Patoro combines Pat from Patrick and oro, Spanish for gold.

“We are happy and proud to announce our partnership with Christian Eiroa of CLE Cigars,” said Dr. Richard in a press release. “We have very similar philosophies and backgrounds, both of us being fourth and third generation’s tobacco men. With the CLE Cigars infrastructure we will have the freedom to develop PATORO Cigars with the attention and relationships necessary to be successful”.

In addition to being grandsons of tobacco men, the trio also share a connection to Davidoff. Eiroa’s family sold Camacho to the Swiss giant over five years ago, Martin worked at the company in the 1990s and Richard is the grandson of Dr. Ernst Schneider, who led the Oettinger’s purchase of Davidoff from Zino Davidoff in 1970 and served as the chairman of Oettinger Imex AG until 2006.

CLE Cigar Company distributes the Asylum, CLE, EH Cigars, Eiroa, Hechicera, Pura Soul and Wynwood cigar brands. Earlier today it announced it would begin distributing Gentili humidors.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.