PCA 2023: Artesano del Tobacco
Artesano del Tobacco, the New York City-based cigar company behind the Viva La Vida and El Pulpo cigar lines, came to the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show with a fairly small booth and only one new product, but it was one of the more unique products that ends up on store shelves.
The booth itself was a tidy 10′ x 10′ space, and while there isn’t any seating in the picture, the company did have a table and chairs that was positioned in front of the back panel, though having just completed a couple of meetings and needing to tidy up when I stopped by, they decided it was easiest to just pull it out of the booth for a moment.
The company had four display cases with products from their portfolio on display, including a new retail tray that it will begin offering to stores as a way to display cigars beyond the existing boxes and bundles.
I don’t recall seeing many—any, if I’m being honest—culebras on the show floor this year, but there was one at the Artestano del Tobaco booth, as the company is adding one to its octopus-themed El Pulpo line with a comparison to the tentacles of the animal. The three cigars each measure 7 x 38, which if straight, would be a typical lancero vitola. Unlike the other sizes in the line, Octo Ocho is a round cigar, not box-pressed. Production is handled by AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano Factory in Nicaragua. While not a limited edition, it will be offered in batches just three times per year.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- El Pulpo Octo Ocho (7 x 38) — $13.33 (Culebra of 3 Cigars, $40)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: August/September 2023
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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