TPE 2024: The New Cigars
The Total Product Expo 2024 is underway in Las Vegas. The three-day trade show has become an increasingly important event on the cigar industry’s calendar. While most of TPE isn’t about cigars—there’s a large amount of vape, CBD and alternative products—it’s become an event that sees an increasing number of product launches. Below is a running list of the new cigar releases Patrick Lagreid and I have seen on the trade show floor in Las Vegas.
This is the second year in a row that JRE Tobacco Co. has brought a new Aladino Candela to the TPE trade show. Like the Candela Robusto that was shown off last year, this is a limited production release as JRE Tobacco Co. decides whether to make this a regular production line. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Honduras (Corojo)
- Binder: Honduras (Corojo)
- Filler: Honduras (Corojo)
- Aladino Candela Toro (6 x 50) — $10.50 (Box of 20, $210)
Production: 1,200 Boxes of 20 Cigars (24,000 Total Cigars)
Release Date: February 2024
Artista Art 56
For a mixed-filler bundle cigar, the Artista Art 56 has one of the better backstories among new releases on the show floor. Artista opened up a rolling school in La Vega, Dominican Republic, and these cigars come from the people who have passed the course and are moving on to roll other cigars for the company. The cigars are Dominican puros, with three different wrapper options to select from. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Claro/Natural/Maduro)
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Artista Art 56 Robusto (4 3/8 x 54) — $2.80 (Bundle of 10, $28)
- Artista Art 56 Toro (5 1/2 x 50) — $2.90 (Bundle of 10, $29)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
It’s so refreshing when a cigar manufacturer says that they realized they needed to improve. Blackbird’s Jonás Santana said that the company spent more time focusing on quality, in particular with tobacco processing, and less time on new products. But since it opened its new factory, it now feels like it’s time to start creating again. Superb—the company’s first habano blend—has an all-new look for Blackbird, featuring boxes that will be coming to the company’s existing lines at some point in the future. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
- Binder: Undisclosed
- Filler: Undisclosed
- Blackbird Superb Robusto Gordo (5 x 54) — $9.36 (Box of 21, $196.56)
- Blackbird Superb Toro (6 x 52) — $10.72 (Box of 21, $225.28)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
Blue Mountain Crown Royal Series
A new line of cigars that get a dip in one of several flavors of Crown Royal Whiskey. It’s available in Black, Peach & Vanilla, Peach, Apple and Caramel. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Blue Mountain Crown Royal (6 x 52) — $15.04 (Box of 5, $75.20)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
Blue Mountain Jamaica
This new sampler features three blends, one of which uses a Connecticut-seed wrapper, one of which uses a habano-seed, and the third of which is a barber pole featuring both wrappers. All the tobacco is grown in Jamaica, with three of the Connecticut, three of the habano and one barber pole in each sampler. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Jamaica (Connecticut-seed/Habano-seed)
- Binder: Jamaica
- Filler: Jamaica
- Blue Mountain Jamaica (6 x 52) — $12 (Box of 7, $84)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
Blue Mountain Premium Tube Limited Edition
This new line is a Nicaraguan puro that comes in dressed-up black tubos. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Blue Mountain Premium Tube Limited Edition (6 x 52) — $17 (Box of 4, $68)
Production: Undisclosed
Release Date: February 2024
Davidoff Winston Churchill The Late Hour Petit Panetela
This cigar was originally released for non-U.S. markets as a limited item in early 2020, but it’s now back for a sophomore release as a regular production item sold worldwide, including the U.S. On Jan. 18, the cigars began shipping to American stores for the first time. It’s a mixed-filler cigar, though one that I would have loved to have smoked in Vegas given the size. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano Oscuro)
- Binder: Mexico (San Andrés Negro)
- Filler: Dominican Republic (Olor, Piloto, San Vicente, Sumatra) & Nicaragua (Condega, Estelí)
- Davidoff Winston Churchill The Late Hour Petit Panetela (4 x 38) — $10.10 (Tin of Four, $40.40)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: January 2020
Esteban Carreras hasn’t generally been known to release new lines at TPE, but this year, Craig Cunningham decided to release a brand-new cigar called Soga de Oro. Soga is the Spanish word for rope, which refers to the thin twist of tobacco that sits where the band would otherwise be. When he was working on the blend and sharing it with others, he found that people latched onto the Soga name, going so far as to call their get-togethers Soga parties. While this will be an ongoing release, availability will be limited as the company is planning on releasing just 50 boxes of each size per month. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Binder: Nicaragua (Condega)
- Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí and Jalapa)
- Esteban Carreras Soga de Oro Boolit (4 3/4 x 46) — $9 (Box of 50, $450)
- Esteban Carreras Soga de Oro Toro (5 3/4 x 54) — $12 (Box of 50, $600)
- Esteban Carreras Soga de Oro Sixty (6 x 60) — $14 (Box of 50, $700)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
Fratello Premium Fresh Pack (2024)
Normally, we do not write about samplers, but this one includes five cigars, one of which is new. The Fratello Navetta Toro in the 6 x 50 size has never been sold before. The Navetta blend uses an Ecuadorian oscuro wrapper over a Dominican binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It debuted in 2017 and is made at Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A.
Inside each sampler is one of the following:
- Fratello Arlequín Toro (6 x 50)
- Fratello Bianco Toro (6 x 50)
- Fratello Classico Toro (6 x 50)
- Fratello Navetta Toro (6 x 50)
- Fratello Sorella Toro (6 x 50)
- Wrapper: Varies
- Binder: Varies
- Filler: Varies
- Fratello Premium Fresh Pack (2024) — $30
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: April 15, 2024
Unlike the aforementioned Firecracker Connecticut, this is a limited production item, though production numbers have not been disclosed. I am curious to see what the even amped-up version of this blend tastes like as I already find it to be quite powerful. If nothing else, this seems like a perfect amuse-bouche for this cigar. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo Shade)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- JFR Lunatic Loco Firecracker (3 1/2 x 50) — $7.50 (Box of 20, $150)
Release Date: June 2024
Production: Undisclosed
This new line is named for the character in Greek mythology who attempted to use wings made out of wax to soar to the heavens, only to have the sun’s heat melt the wings and send him into the Aegean Sea. “Icarus, like tobacco leaves kissed by Tennessee fire, soared too close to the sun. Ambition met flames, a cautionary tale in every ember,” the company wrote in a press release. More sizes are planned, but there’s no schedule for when they will be released or details on what all they will be. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés Maduro)
- Binder: Dominican Republic (Olor)
- Filler: U.S.A. (Tennessee Fire-Cured and Pennsylvania Broadleaf) and Dominican Republic (Criollo 98 and Piloto Cubano)
- Jake Wyatt Cigar Co. Icarus (6 x 54) — $12 (Pack of 5, $59.99)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
La Aurora Small Batch Lot No. 003
The headline here is that these cigars are 19-years-old, meaning that they were rolled when George W. Bush was president. With just 400 boxes, La Aurora said it quickly sold out of the cigars. Also of note, I spotted a La Aurora 120 Anniversary Lancero in the hands of Manuel Inoa, the company’s master blender. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Ecuador
- Binder: Cameroon & Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua & Peru
- La Aurora Small Batch Lot No. 003 (5.78 x 58) — $13 (Box of 10, $130)
Production: 400 Boxes of 10 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2024
This is actually the second Mil Días maduro. Unlike the Mil Días Marranitos, which used an Ecuadorian Sumatra maduro wrapper, this cigar will be a regular production offering. The internal blend is described as the same as the regular Mil Días blend. Also, shout out to Crowned Heads for good booth lighting. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
- Binder: Ecuador (Habano)
- Filler: Nicaragua (Condega, Jalapa & Ometepe)
- Mil Días Maduro Edmundo (5 3/8 x 52) — $10.95 (Box of 20, $219)
- Mil Días Maduro Sublime (6 x 54) — $12.50 (Box of 20, $250)
- Mil Días Maduro Topes (4 7/8 x 56) — $12.25 (Box of 20, $245)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: February 2024
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Midnight Twist
Two years ago, Altadis U.S.A. introduced the Reserva Real Twisted Love Story, a barberpole version of the original Reserva Real line. Now, the Reserva Real Nicaragua is getting the barberpole treatment. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Nicaragua
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Midnight Twist Love Story (4 1/4 x 46) — $9.92 (Box of 25, $248)
- Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Midnight Twist Toro (6 x 54) — $10.92 (Box of 25, $273)
Release Date: March 2024
Production: Regular Production
Saint Luis Rey Carenas Ultramar
There are many unheralded brands in the Altadis U.S.A. portfolio, Saint Luis Rey is one of them. This is a follow-up to the Saint Luis Rey Carenas, released in 2021. Both are regular production lines produced at La Flor de Copan in Honduras. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano)
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Saint Luis Rey Carenas Ultramar Corona (5 5/8 x 45) — $9.10 (Box of 20, $182)
- Saint Luis Rey Carenas Ultramar Robuso (5 x 50) — $9.64 (Box of 20, $192.80)
- Saint Luis Rey Carenas Ultramar Toro (6 x 52) — $9.75 (Box of 20, $195)
- Saint Luis Rey Carenas Ultramar Magnum (6 x 60) — $10.69 (Box of 20, $213.80)
Release Date: February 2024
Production: Regular Production
Sinistro’s value-oriented El Burro line is getting a new petit figurado called El Conico. The cigar’s foot has a 60 ring gauge, though by the time it gets to the head, it tapers down to a 36 ring gauge. All three El Burro lines are getting the new size. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut) / Dominican Republic (Corojo) / Mexico (San Andrés)
- Binder: U.S.A. (Pennsylvania)
- Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, U.S.A. (Pennsylvania)
- Sinistro El Burro Connecticut Conico (5 x 36/60) — $6.50 (Box of 50, $325)
- Sinistro El Burro Corojo Conico (5 x 36/60) — $6.50 (Box of 50, $325)
- Sinistro El Burro Maduro Conico (5 x 36/60) — $6.50 (Box of 50, $325)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: Mid-March 2024
This cigar got a soft launch with Luxury Cigar Club in December, but its full launch is taking place during TPE 2024. — Patrick Lagreid.
- Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Corojo)
- Binder: Sumatra
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Somm Rioja Robusto (5 x 54) — $13.50 (Box of 10, $135)
- Somm Rioja Toro (6 x 52) — $14 (Box of 10, $140)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: December 2023
Te Amo, the Original San Andrés Valley Cigar
Don’t call it a comeback. Te-Amo, the Mexican cigar brand, is back with a new line and a new look; somehow the dash didn’t make the transition. This Mexican puro is made in Mexico by the Turrent family, which owns the brand. Alejandro Turrent was in Vegas for the launch and he’ll be doing select cigar events in the spring, though he told me that the details of those events are still getting worked out. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Binder: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Filler: Mexico (San Andrés)
- Te Amo, the Original San Andrés Valley Cigar Robusto (5 x 54) — $10.39 (Box of 20, $207.80)
- Te Amo, the Original San Andrés Valley Cigar Toro (6 x 52) — $11.22 (Box of 20, $224.40)
- Te Amo, the Original San Andrés Valley Cigar Magnum (6 x 60) — $12.71 (Box of 20, $254.20)
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2024
Production: Regular Production
United Cigars Firecracker Connecticut
Unlike most of the Firecracker cigars released over the years, this will be a regular production addition to the United Cigars portfolio. Like the other regular production items, this is made at Tabacalera Magia Cubana. — Charlie Minato.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut Shade)
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- United Cigars Firecracker Connecticut (3 1/2 x 50) — $6 (Box of 25, $150)
Release Date: April 2024
Production: Regular Production
VegaFina Year of the Dragon 2024
While there are nearly 7,000 boxes in total, just 500 boxes of the VegaFina Year of the Dragon are available to U.S. stores and they are already on their way to American shops.
- Wrapper: Ecuador
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
- VegaFina Year of the Dragon 2024 (6 3/4 x 54) — $15 (Box of 18, $270)
Release Date: December 2023
Production: 6,888 Boxes of 18 Cigars (123,984 Total Cigars)
Charlie Minato
I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.
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