Tobacco World Gets Exclusive from Ortega Cigars, New Series Coming

It appears that Eddie Ortega has plans to launch a new line of store-exclusive cigars line dubbed the South Eastern Series that will debut in 2014. Ortega was reluctant to confirm details of the cigar series with halfwheel, but one retailer has already begun to take pre-orders for their cigar.

Tobacco World in Marietta, Ga. was the first store to announce that they would be one of four retailers chosen to receive the line. At the store’s 15th anniversary party on Saturday, the retailer was taking pre-orders for the new cigar, dubbed the Big Red Machine, that will be a 6 1/2 x 48 Churchill vitola, with 100 boxes of 20 cigars produced, for a total of 2,000 cigars. It uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan filler from Estelí and Jalapa, with an undisclosed binder. The cigar is named for Red Grantham, owner of Tobacco World, and comes with a suggested retail price of $8.50 per cigar and $170.00 per box. The line will be comprised of four sizes:

• Ortega Big Red Machine Churchill (6 1/2 x 48)  — First Quarter 2014 —  $8.50 (Boxes of 20, $170.00) — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)
• Ortega Big Red Machine Belicoso (6 x 52) — Second Quarter 2014 — $9.10 (Boxes of 20, $182.00) — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)
• Ortega Big Red Machine Toro (6 1/2 x 50) — Third Quarter 2014 — $8.90 (Boxes of 20, $178.00) — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)
• Ortega Big Red Machine Robusto (5 x 50)  — Fourth Quarter 2014 — $8.70 (Boxes of 20, $174.00) — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)

The store did not have an anticipated arrival date for the first cigar, other than to say it will be sometime in the first three months of 2014. They have begun circulating artwork for the cigar:

(Image courtesy of Tobacco World)

According to a story on Cigar-Coop.com, three other retailers will be part of the series, but Ortega would not confirm that when asked.

Ortega told halfwheel that he is still working on plans for the cigar series and originally did not intend on discussing details about the cigar.

“I didn’t really want to start promoting (the cigar), but I drank a little too much Jägermeister and opened my big mouth.”

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 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.