Press Release: John Howard Graysmith – A Marriage of Old & New Tobacco

July 14, 2013 (Nassau, Bahamas) — Graycliff Cigar Company acknowledges the past, and staying true to its roots, has created a blend that is fit for a king and harnessed by a pirate. Named after the original proprietor of the Graycliff residence, this cigar is a wonderful marriage of old and new tobacco and truly a celebration of the pirate that founded Graycliff.

Captain John Howard Graysmith, once a famous pirate of the Caribbean, commanded the notorious schooner Graywolf and plundered treasure ships along the Spanish Main before trading his seafaring days for a pardon from the British and settling down in Nassau, Bahamas to build his beloved home, Graycliff, in 1740.

“We delved into our much-treasured stockpile of the original tobacco we had when we started the company to bring to you this special blend,” said Paolo Garzaroli, President of the Graycliff Cigar Company.  “We always knew that there was going to come a time for us to use these amazing keepsakes and could not find a better-fitting tribute to our pirate founder.”

This new blend, John Howard Graysmith, launched at the annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association Convention in Las Vegas this week, is available for shipping this August.

Packaged as a five-pack in sleek black boxes with a pirate theme.  Inside one will find the a bit of Captain Graysmith’s history printed on parchment along with a replica Spanish coin from the 1700s, these cigars are available in two vitolas, both with a slight shaggy foot:

• Cannon (straight)             Ring Gauge of 60 x 7″
• Buccaneer (torpedo)          Ring Gauge of 60 x 7″

The suggested retail price is $29 per cigar, or $145 per five-pack.

Specifications:

• Country of Origin: The Bahamas
• Manufacturing Method: Hand Rolled / Entubado
• Wrapper: Ecuador
• Binder: Costa Rica
• Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras

Each cigar is unique in shape, being hand-rolled without the use of molds. The new larger sizes and shapes are fitting to carry the name and remind you of the ‘good old days’ when life was simple and the only tools used to make a fine cigar were the hands of the torcedore behind the craft.

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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.