PCA 2023: CLE Cigar Co./Asylum

The CLE Cigar Co. booth has moved through several iterations over the past few shows. Like many companies, the booth at PCA 2021 was quite sparse. In 2022, some additional structure was added back. But this year, there are quite a few new additions.

The first thing I noticed was the eye-catching CLE sign at the front of the booth. Stand-alone displays with branded banners lined the back of the booth, and along the right side is a wall with the regular production boxes displayed on shelves. The sign is new, but the other two features are iterations of the ’21 and ’22 booth, now joined to create a more defined perimeter.

The other thing I noticed was these flat-pack wooden trashcan/ashtray combos that you can see in the lower right-hand corner of the picture above. From what I could tell, they would be easy to break down and store between shows. I was able to notice all these details because I had to wait for Christian Eiroa, owner of CLE, who was swamped with customers. Once he had a minute to come up for air, I shot a quick video about the new cigars before retailers swept him away again.

Asylum Cool Brew

The Asylum brand continues its exploration into aromatic flavors with its newest line, Cool Brew, debuting here at the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show. It follows on the heels of the Asylum 867, unveiled earlier this year.

• Wrapper: Undisclosed Maduro
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Honduras

• Asylum Cool Brew 50X5 — $10 (Box of 25, $250)
• Asylum Cool Brew 54X6 — $11 (Box of 25, $275)
• Asylum Cool Brew 60X6 — $12 (Box of 25, $300)
• Asylum Cool Brew 70X7 — $13.50 (Box of 25, $337.50)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2023

Asylum PCA Exclusive 2023

The Asylum PCA Exclusive release is back in its limited capacity, complete with the box lid ashtray featured by the previous PCA Exclusives.

• Wrapper: Undisclosed
• Binder: Undisclosed (South America)
• Filler: Undisclosed (South America)

• Asylum PCA Exclusive 2023 50X5 (5 x 50) — $17 (Box of 20, $340)
• Asylum PCA Exclusive 2023 11X18 (6 1/4 x 52/60) — $18 (Box of 20, $360)
• Asylum PCA Exclusive 2023 52X6 (6 x 52) — $18 (Box of 20, $360)
• Asylum PCA Exclusive 2023 60X6 (6 x 60) — $19 (Box of 20, $380)

Production: 150 Boxes of 20 Cigars (3,000 Total Cigars) Per Size

Release Date: July 2023

CLE PCA Exclusive 2023

New this year is the CLE PCA Exclusive. Previously, only the Asylum and Eiroa brands got an exclusive, but now CLE has joined the ranks with a royal blue box and baby blue treatment for the cigars inside, both of which will look very attractive on retailer shelves.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Binder: Undisclosed (South America)
• Filler: Undisclosed (South America)

• CLE PCA Exclusive 2023 50X5 (5 x 50) — $17 (Box of 20, $340)
• CLE PCA Exclusive 2023 11X18 (6 1/4 x 52/60) — $18 (Box of 20, $360)
• CLE PCA Exclusive 2023 52X6 (6 x 52) — $18 (Box of 20, $360)
• CLE PCA Exclusive 2023 60X6 (6 x 60) — $19 (Box of 20, $380)

Production: 150 Boxes of 20 Cigars (3,000 Total Cigars) Per Size

Release Date: July 2023

Eiroa PCA Exclusive 2023

Last of the now three PCA Exclusives is from the Eiroa line. In the previous two years, the color scheme for this release was primarily red, but for 2023 we get a black theme with red lettering and accents, which looks quite sharp.

• Wrapper: Honduras (Corojo)
• Binder: Undisclosed (South America)
• Filler: Undisclosed (South America)

• Eiroa PCA Exclusive 2023 50X5 (5 x 50) — $17 (Box of 20, $340)
• Eiroa PCA Exclusive 2023 11X18 (6 1/4 x 52/60) — $18 (Box of 20, $360)
• Eiroa PCA Exclusive 2023 52X6 (6 x 52) — $18 (Box of 20, $360)
• Eiroa PCA Exclusive 2023 60X6 (6 x 60) — $19 (Box of 20, $380)

Production: 150 Boxes of 20 Cigars (3,000 Total Cigars) Per Size

Release Date: July 2023

Asylum 867

While the new packaging for the Asylum 867 is not ready for the show, the new bands for the cigars are, so bundles are on display. And now, a quick note from our editor:

This is a rebrand of a line of cigars that was previously known as Deadwood Tobacco Co. Chasing the Dragon. These debuted in 2022 as store exclusives for Deadwood Tobacco Co. in Deadwood, S.D. In February, CLE/Asylum began selling these cigars nationwide.

Last month, Vaughn Boyd, the former owner of Deadwood Tobacco Co., and Drew Estate filed a lawsuit against Deadwood Tobacco Co. The plaintiffs claim that a 2016 licensing agreement made between Boyd and Drew Estate—before Boyd sold her shares in Deadwood—grants Drew Estate the exclusive rights to use the Deadwood name for cigar lines.

CLE/Asylum was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, though the Deadwood Tobacco Co. Chasing the Dragon line is the product that spawned the suit.

Within 24 hours of the lawsuit being filed, CLE/Asylum announced that the cigars would no longer be called Deadwood Tobacco Co. Chasing the Dragon, and instead would be rebranded to Asylum 867. The blends remain the same—the cigars are infused using a steeping process—and the individual lines will keep their existing names: Auntie, Midnight Oil, and Zero.

The new packaging is expected in stores in September. — Charlie Minato.

Asylum 12

Finally, every year CLE shows off the next year’s Asylum Twelve release and takes preorders for it, aiming to ship them before the show the following year. While this year’s packaging is still impressive, the matte finish gives it a much different look from the previous high-gloss finishes.