PCA 2021: Espinosa Premium Cigars
While a good number of manufacturers have opted not to release new products this year, or are limiting their new releases to a single item, Espinosa is going with one of the fuller lineups of new offerings. The company is adding the latest installments to its very popular Warhead and Las 6 Provincias lines, it’s bringing back the 601 Black as a limited release, moving a previous limited edition into an ongoing, national release, and adding a full new line to its portfolio. In short, Espinosa had a good amount of new releases to show off to the retailers stopping by.
As for the booth, Espinosa dialed it back a bit this year like many companies, going for an open concept with a couple of seating areas, display cases and a backdrop that listed the company’s recent honors and awards for its cigars. While it would have been impressive to see a new incarnation of the cardboard booth used in 2019, it wasn’t to be this year.
The 601 Black is finally ready for its release. This latest version of the cigar debuted in November 2020, and while a few made it out to retailers after the company’s La Zona Palooza event, its widespread release has been delayed since originally being slated for a January release and then pushed to a spring shipping date. It’s now shipping to retailers, as in the company is sending out orders placed during the show. It’s also becoming an annual limited edition, with a different vitola released every year, similar to the company’s Warhead line. The first vitola is the ubiquitous 6 x 50 toro, with production to be determined by demand, as it will remain available for retailers to order through early December or so.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- 601 Black Toro (6 x 50) — $10 (Box of 10, $100)
Production: TBA
Release Date: July 2021
The annual limited edition is back, as Espinosa Premium Cigars is planning to release the seventh installment in its Warhead Series next month. It’s a beefy Nicaraguan puro, and if the past six cigars are any indication, will pack a hearty punch of flavor and strength. Of note about this year’s release: the production numbers are not fixed in stone. The company is doing an initial run of 2,000 boxes of cigars, though has left the door open to produce more before the end of the year, when they officially cease production on it.
- Wrapper: Nicaragua (Broadleaf)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- 601 La Bomba Warhead VII (7 x 50) — $10 (Box of 10, $100)
Production: 2,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars
Release Date: August 2021
Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo
The Laranja line gets a third member, this time one that gets its name from a Portuguese word for a blue shade found on glazed tile. The wrapper is now an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf, while the binder comes from Brazil and the filler is said to draw on all of Nicaragua’s growing regions.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra)
- Binder: Brazil (Arapiraca)
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Corona Gorda (6 x 46) — $11 (Box of 20, $220)
- Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Robusto Grande (5 1/2 x 54) — $11.60 (Box of 20, $232)
- Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Toro (6 x 52) — $12.05 (Box of 20, $241)
- Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo (6 x 60) — $12.70 (Box of 20, $254)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: Late August 2021
The third installment in Espinosa’s Las 6 Provincias line is one that honors the Cuban province of Las Villas, which was the center of the Cuban cattle industry in the 18th and 19th centuries before shifting to sugar production in the 20th century. The curio-style box was designed by Eden Gutierrez, a Cuban artist based in south Florida, that depict scenes from Las Villas before the revolution. He also did the artwork for the previous two Las 6 Provincias releases as well as the Warzone release.
- Wrapper: Nicaragua
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Las 6 Provincias LV (5 1/2 x 54) — $22 (Box of 10, $220)
Production: 1,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars)
Release Date: Late August 2021
Sensei’s Sensational Sarsaparilla
The collaboration between Espinosa Premium Cigars and Cigar Dojo that first debuted in 2014 is coming back for a national release this summer, returning in its original shape and with its original blend. It will also be a national release as opposed to a store exclusive, and is being moved to an ongoing, seasonal production as opposed to a limited edition. Finally, it now comes in boxes as opposed to paper-wrapped bundles, giving it a more refined presentation.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andres)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua (Condega and Estelí)
- Sensei’s Sensational Sarsaparilla (5 1/2 x 52) — $10 (Box of 10, $99.95)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: August 2021
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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.
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