PCA 2023: GTO Cigars

While this is hardly my final booth write-up, GTO Cigars was the last company I visited at PCA 2023. I had stopped by its booth, located in the Boutique Cigar Association Pavillion, the day before, but the booth was too crowded for me to try to get what I needed. It was nice to finally meet Dr. Oscar Rodriguez, someone I’ve been emailing for quite some time.

Rodriguez told me that the trade show was shaping up to be an excellent one for him. One of the largest retailers in attendance had placed an order, a major accomplishment for any brand, but especially for a smaller one like GTO Cigars.

As for the booth, it’s more or less the same as any of the others in the BCA Pavillion: a singular display table that has an attached shelving unit. In the center of the BCA Pavillion were tables for meetings.

33 Oaks Connecticut Toro Elegante

This is a new 6 1/2 x 54 vitola for the 33 Oaks Connecticut line, which includes tobacco that has been aged for up to 12 years. Some of those tobaccos are aged in bourbon barrels, which must be made of American white oak, hence the “oak” in the name. This size is a PCA 2023 exclusive, meaning retailers need to place orders during the trade show to get the cigar.

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic

• 33 Oaks Connecticut Toro Elegante (6 1/2 x 54) — $12 (Box of 24, $288)

Production: 1,000 Boxes of 24 Cigars (24,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: August 2023