W. Curtis Draper in Washington, DC will mark their 125th anniversary this year and will be releasing four limited edition cigars made by some of industry’s biggest names as part of a year long celebration.

The first release comes from Pete Johnson of Tatuaje, who will be producing a special Cabaiguan that is “reminiscent of the famed Draper’s 120th Anniversary blend.” To celebrate the new cigar and the store’s anniversary, both of Draper’s locations will have release parties: Friday, February 3 at their downtown DC location, and Saturday, February 4 at their Bethesda, Md. location. Both events will be from 12 noon – 6 pm.

The other three anniversary cigars will come from Guillermo León of La Aurora Cigars, Jorge Padrón of Padrón, and Carlito Fuente of Arturo Fuente Cigars. Specifics on the blends of each cigar and the subsequent release dates are still to be announced.

Each production will be limited to just 250 boxes, with releases set for April, July and October.

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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.