PCA 2022: Quality Importers Trading Co.

Having covered the IPCPR/PCA Convention & Trade Show for several years now, there are still companies where I have to pause and remind myself what all might be awaiting me inside the booth before I enter. One of those companies is Quality Importers Trading Co., which in the decade or so that I have been doing this has added a number of brands to its portfolio and now includes XIKAR, Palió, Stinky, Humidor Supreme, Cigar Caddy, Hydra, Hygroset, Shuriken, Get-a-Grip Cigar Clip, and Div Pro.

But what I also had to remind myself of was that the company added two new people since the last trade show: Alex Goldman, who joined the company in August 2021 as chief operating officer and added president to his title in July; and Michael Giannini, who joined the company in June as its new chief of customer engagement. While this site writes a lot about new products, there are people behind those products, and the addition of Goldman and Giannini—seems like there’s a nickname waiting to be created there—will take Quality Importers and its brands into its next chapter, which was being referred to as QI 3.0. We know from his time at General Cigar Co. with La Gloria Cubana and Ventura Cigar Co. that Giannini brings a unique and distinctive approach to branding and marketing, so I am intrigued to see how he makes his mark in this new role.

In addition to the new products that were on display in the cases on the perimeter of the booth, Quality Importers was also making special mention of what it refers to as the Swag Bunker, its in-house customization studio that can add logos and artwork to a number of the company’s products. It has been an important part of Quality Importers’ offerings for several years, and the company recently invested in new, upgraded equipment to produce higher quality options and to produce more than it had been capable of previously.

Humidor Supreme Porto First Responder Series

Quality Importers is paying tribute to firefighters, police officers and members of the military with its First Responder Series of humidors. Each is printed at the company’s Swag Bunker and holds between 40 and 70 cigars. The humidor measures 12.5 x 8.75 x 4.5 inches and includes a humidifier, cedar lined interior, Spanish cedar divider, a hygrometer and gold-plated hinges.

MSRP: $139.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: September 2022

Humidor Supreme Traveler 20 Greek Mythology Series

The Traveler 20 is getting a trio of new designs that draw on Greek mythology, namely Hercules, Poseidon and Atlas, from left to right. The Traveler 20 is a smaller humidor that holds about 20 cigars and measures 10.625 x 8.75 x 3.1875 inches and comes with a humidifier.

MSRP: $57.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: October 2022

Hydra BLACK

The Hydra electronic humidifier is adding a black color option. The Hydra is offered in two sizes, the LG—or large—which can handle humidors up to 16 cubic feet, while the SM—or small—is designed for humidors up to 8 cubic feet. Both feature a large LED display, humidity reports every 30 seconds, Hygroset adjustable technology, two external fan ports, and an audible and visual low water indicator. The LG adds a second internal fan and a handheld remote with a 54″ wire.

MSRP: $340.99 (Large), $177.99 (Small)

Production: Regular Production.

Release Date: September 2022

Palió Lazio

The Lazio is a slim single torch lighter designed to be both pocket- and wallet-friendly. The flame is angled up and away from the body of the lighter’s metal body, while a large flame adjuster on the bottom makes dialing in the ideal flame height easy, and a large fuel window shows how much butane is left in the tank. It is offered in five colors: red, blue, black with a rubberized finish, chrome plated and gunmetal plated.

MSRP: $14.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2022

Palió Tazza

This new ashtray from Palió features eight cigar rests and features an internal bowl dimension of  7 x 4 inches. It is made of metal and finished in plating or powder coating for durability, with four colors offered: polished stainless steel, black nickel plated, copper plated and matte blue.

MSRP: $59.99 – $69.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: October 2022

Palió Tazza Alta

The Tazza is available in another configuration, still offering eight cigar rests, though the ring on this version is removable so that the bowl can be customized by the Swag Bunker team. It is a slightly different shape, with its internal dimensions measuring 6 x 6 inches. Like the Tazza above, the Alta version is made of metal and finished in plating or powder coating for durability, and comes in polished stainless steel, black nickel plated, copper plated and matte blue.

MSRP: $64.99-75.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: October 2022

Palió V-Cutter

The Palió brand gets a new, refreshed v-cutter that can handle cigars up to 64 ring gauge. The composite body also features a bit of texture for added grip and control, and it is contoured so that the cutter can double as a cigar rest. It can also be customized via Quality Importers’ Swag Bunker.

MSRP: $24.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: October 2022

Stinky Mini Me Ashtray

The Stinky line of ashtrays gets a smaller version with three stirrups and measures 5 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches tall. The Stinky Mini Me is all metal and available in seven colors: polished stainless steel, copper plated, black nickel plated, matte black, matte brown, red, and matte blue.

MSRP: $34.99-35.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: August 2022

XIKAR 10mm Punch

This new punch features a center awl that allows the user to center the cutter on the cigar cap more precisely before moving forward with the actual cut from the stainless steel blade. It also offers two cutting depths, as twisting the punch from closed to open comes with a pair of stops. The punch comes with a keyring and is available in four colors: bronze, gunmetal, gold and silver. If this sounds like another product you’ve seen on the show floor, you’re not crazy—the two companies have a relationship and are sharing the design.

MSRP: $64.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2022

XIKAR Xi80

If your cigars have outgrown your current XIKAR cutter, here’s a potential replacement. This cutter uses the company’s Xi silhouette and can handle cigars up to 80 ring gauge. It is made of a lightweight ABS plastic body, while the double guillotine blades are made of stainless steel. The Xi80 is currently available in black, and the company noted that it makes for a great customized piece via the Swag Bunker, Quality Importers’ in-house personalization studio.

MSRP: $49.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: November 2022

XIKAR Revolution

This is one of the most eye-catching new items in the booth and for good reason. XIKAR is known for its cutters—the Xi1 is an icon in the cigar accessories game—and this new design pays tribute to it while adding a unique spin on cutting a cigar.

As you’ll see in the video, the blades are spring-loaded and then uses a rotary action to cut cigars up to a 70 ring gauge, which the company refers to it as a power-assisted cutting action. Having used it just a couple of times, the motion is certainly new and different from pretty much every cutter I’ve ever used, and I’m intrigued to see how long it would take me to be able to reach a point where I can consistently get the kind of cut I want with this cutter. It is currently available in just three colors: black with stainless steel blades and silver with black stainless steel blades and a limited edition 22-karat rose gold option that features black stainless steel baldes.

It is individually numbered to 250 pieces and priced at $249.99.

MSRP: $159.99/$249.99

Production: Regular Production/250 Cutters (Rose Gold)

Release Date: July 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.