PCA 2022: ADV & McKay Cigars Co.
While ADV & McKay Cigars Co. debuted in its own booth a few years ago, since adding distribution by Sutliff is has since joined that booth along with the other companies who are also distributed by Sutliff. As you might have read in other posts, most of the brands get a bookcase on which to display their products, but this year ADV & McKay was part of an island display at one end of the booth, which afforded them a bit more real estate on which to display their cigars.
It also seemed to reflect that the company has gained an impressive number of retailers, as there was a fairly constant number of existing clients, both domestic and international, stopping by the booth while I was there.
The company released a pair of new offerings, one a new chapter in the tale of ADVentura, the other the first in a line of cigars that will only be offered to the company’s top retailers.
ADVentura Barbarroja’s Invasion
The next chapter of ADVentura & McKay is taking a darker and more aggressive turn, “in a world domination sort of way,” according to the company. It’s a dark cigar visually, and while I haven’t had the chance to smoke it yet, some chatter around the booth suggested it’s got a fairly full flavor. The company promises some interesting packaging for this cigar, and I have to admit that when I first saw it I wasn’t quite sure they delivered. Then Marcel Knobel closed and reopened the lid, and I suddenly understood what he meant. You’ll see for yourself in the video below.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- ADVentura Barbarroja’s Invasion Corona (6 x 44) — $13.20 (Box of 20, $264)
- ADVentura Barbarroja’s Invasion Robusto (5 x 52) — $14.20 (Box of 20, $284)
- ADVentura Barbarroja’s Invasion Toro (6 x 54) — $15 (Box of 20, $300)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: August 2022
ADV & McKay has created La Llorona as a line that will be exclusively available through its elite accounts, which numbered 14 stores when the cigar was announced in late June, but had climbed to about 20 by the time I visited the booth. The company says that this is its way as a smaller brand to compete for shelf space, and without having to utilize deep discounting and free goods. It will be a limited production and limited availability, with a second size already in the works though the company has not yet disclosed what that size will be. As for the name, it comes from a character in Latin American folklore known as the crying woman, though in this case it is a widow who is trying to hunt pirates. It also features some interesting packaging, with a moving image of the La Llorona character on the lid transforming as you view her from different angles.
- Wrapper: Ecuador
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaragua
- La Llorona Robusto (5 x 52) — $16 (Box of 10, $160)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: August 2022
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.
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