PCA 2022: Day 3 Recap

As I sit down to write this late into Monday evening and with a very satiating dinner in my belly, it’s a bit of a challenge to think back about all the things that I have seen and conversations I have had on the show floor over the past few days. In some ways, it feels like trying to remember all the billboards you saw on a long drive; some stand out, and while you want to acknowledge those that did, it’s not always clear exactly why they rose above the others.

Much like my colleagues, I have had my share of discussions about what has caught my eye on the floor, what I think about the recent FDA ruling, how I think the show is going and any other number of common topics that come up year after year. And while I think the show is a bit better on the whole, I don’t think that’s going to be one of the takeaways from the week or bullet points of this article.

In terms of the things that I saw that have caught my attention this week:

• The Barbarroja’s Revenge Box — One of two new offerings from ADV & McKay Cigars, this cigar features an added surprise: Barbarroja himself greeting you when you open the box. While it does remind me a bit of those greeting cards that play music or other sounds when you open them, and I’d hate to think of being in a humidor when someone decides to open and close a few boxes at the same time, I have to give ADV & McKay credit for finding a way to add a new dimension to its newest release.
• QI 3.0 — This was the term that Alex Goldman, the company’s new president, used when I stopped by the Quality Importers Trading Co. booth to see what the company had on display, and it stuck with me after I departed the booth. In addition to Goldman, Michael Giannini was hired as chief of customer engagement, giving some new leadership to the company that owns the XIKAR, Palió and Humidor Supreme brands, among others. What this next chapter hold means remains to be seen, and not just in terms of products. It could mean new approaches in marketing, customer relations, and retailer relations. Given the portfolio and capabilities of the company, it could certainly be poised to make some moves in the near future with some new voices and energy in the room.
• The Quick Hits — Instead of one more main thing, I feel compelled to share some of the highlights from the last day or so, which while not inherently huge on their own, will probably be the things I think back on most fondly when I’m back home. They include:
  • Talking agronomy and smuggling seeds out of Cuba with Gonzalo Puentes in the Esteban Carreras booth.
  • Seeing Alec Cuevas and his Sangre Nueva line as the focus of the Casa Cuevas booth, as well as the next generation of other families take on roles in the industry, including Sara Rodriguez of West Tampa Tobacco Co. and the daughters of ACE Prime’s Luciano Meirelles.
  • Drinking very old and very rare Cognac with Zaya Younan of El Septimo, which he said dates back approximately 200 years.
  • Seeing the cardboard version of J.C. Newman’s El Reloj factory back on the show floor. (Editor’s Note: it’s actually a different cardboard booth with the same design.)
  • And finally, the Fuente y Padrón Legends reveal announcement, and the crowd gathered around to see it, which is the kind of energy I want to see on the trade show floor more often.