PCA 2023: Serafin de Cuba Cigars

The story of Serafin de Cuba starts nearly a century ago in Cuba, where current owner Arnold Serafin’s great-grandfather Don Antonio Serafin started rolling cigars at his farm. From there,  Antonio’s son, Ramon, opened a cigar factory in 1940 but was forced to close after the Cuban Revolution. Ramon Sr. passed his knowledge of cigars down to his son, Ramon Jr., who then passed it down to his son, Arnold.

With cigar making in their blood, Ramon Jr. and Arnold started Serafin de Cuba Cigars in 2003, eventually setting up shop in the Tampa area. This year, looking to expand nationally, the decision was made to exhibit at the PCA Convention and Trade Show for the first time.

The booth itself was smaller, as many first-time exhibitor booths tend to be, but Serafin de Cuba lucked out with some prime placement right off one of the main aisles leading back from the entrance. Arnold mentioned that this had given them a good bit of traffic, considered this show a success, and was hoping to return in 2024.

El Principe de Gales

Arnold has continued the family tradition by bringing his son, Brandon, into the fold at the company. One of the things they’ve worked on since Brandon joined in 2019 has been resurrecting old cigar brands that were once made in the Tampa area. The first on the list is El Principe de Gales, a brand created in 1853 by Vicente Martinez Ybor at his factory in Havana, Cuba.

• Wrapper: Undisclosed (Connecticut)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Nicaragua

• El Principe de Gales Robusto (5 x 50) — $12 (Box of 20, $240)
• El Principe de Gales Toro (6 x 52) — $12 (Box of 20, $240)
• El Principe de Gales Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52) — $12 (Box of 12, $144)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: 2021

Flor de Tampa

The next historic brand resurrected is Flor de Tampa, a brand that Serafin describes as dating back to the late 1800s during the heyday of cigar-making in Tampa. They are offered in boxes of 12 and come in two different sizes.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Flor de Tampa Toro (6 x 52) — $12 (Box of 12, $144)
• Flor de Tampa Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52) — $12 (Box of 12, $144)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: 2021

Serafin Don Ramon 1917

The first of two cigars, alphabetically at least, honoring the Serafin patriarchs is the Don Ramon 1917. This limited edition honors Ramon Serafin Sr. and only comes in one size.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo 98)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Serafin Don Ramon 1917 (7 x 48) — $12 (Box of 20, $240)

Production: 1,200 Boxes of 20 Cigars (24,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: January 2023

Serafin Don Ramon 1942

Named after Ramon Serafin Jr., the Don Ramon 1942 is alphabetically and genealogically second, but chronologically was released before the Don Ramon 1917. It is limited production and also only comes in one size.

• Wrapper: Undisclosed (Connecticut)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Serafin Don Ramon 1942 (7 1/2 x 50) — $12 (Box of 20, $240)

Production: 1,200 Boxes of 20 Cigars (24,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: July 2021