RoMa Craft Teases Weaselitos

RoMa Craft Tobac has a trio of new cigars, though they don’t have a place to sell them, yet.

On Wednesday night Skip Martin posted the company’s latest concept to social media, Weaselitos, a 3 1/2 x 38 half lancero using the three of the company’s core blends, CroMagnon, Aquitaine and Neanderthal. However they won’t be sold under those names. Instead, they will be differentiated by the wrapper used, so there will be the Weaselitos US Connecticut Broadleaf, Weaselitos Ecuador Habano, and Weaselitos Mexican San Andrés.

Martin told halfwheel that the cigars would be bunched just like the company’s existing lanceros, the CroMagnon and Aquitaine Atlatl, along with the Neanderthal OM. However, prior to the wrapper being applied, the bound bunches would be cut in half, and then the top leaf would be added. “This really improves the blend and construction performance over trying to bunch a small cigar,” he said, adding that the cigars would come without a cap.

While pricing is still being determined, he estimated that the Weaselito US Connecticut Broadleaf would be priced at $2.75 per cigar, the Weaselito Ecuador Habano at $3, and the Weaselito Mexican San Andreas at $3.25. Each will come in 100-count boxes containing two 50-count bundles, similar to how the company’s WunderLust line is packaged.

The name is one that will be instantly identifiable to fans of RoMa Craft Tobac, as Martin frequently references the art of “weaseling” a cigar from someone, and fans of the brand often identify themselves as weasels.

Martin said that he will have the cigars on display at this summer’s IPCPR Convention and Trade Show, although he’s not sure where the cigars will be sold. He said the approval process for Germany is too lengthy for a small project, and current FDA regulations would prevent the cigar’s release in the United States without getting the agency’s approval, which is a costly and lengthy process. However, Martin said Roma Craft continues to develop new products and market them, should the FDA Deeming regulation date change. “With this approach, we will be able to accelerate the introduction of these products onto the US market should that happen,” he said.

He noted that the company has developed a growing market in Managua, Nicaragua, through a partnership with Nostalgia Cigar, and the market for premium cigars in Estelí continues to grow. The company sells the majority what it calls its Segundo inventory, effectively cigars that for some reason aren’t deemed to be of export quality, through its Fabrica de Tabacos NicaSueño S.A. factory in Estelí, as well as throughout Nicaragua.

Images courtesy of Skip Martin/RoMa Craft Tobac.

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.