Episodes

Friday Aug 04, 2023
PCA 2023: Montecristo - Part 2 of 2
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
One of the most exciting things about Altadis U.S.A. returning to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show is that the Montecristo brand was also back at the show. Montecristo can be considered the most premium brand in the Altadis U.S.A. portfolio, which is exactly how Altadis U.S.A. positioned it. The focus for Montecristo was around the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line. Made by AJ Fernandez, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line was released during the pandemic, and this was the first time it was on display at a PCA Trade Show. Altadis U.S.A. also showcased a luxury humidor known as Tesero de Oro. In addition, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante, a new blend under the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary line, got a full launch. The Diamante is being positioned as a more premium release than the 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. Not only was the Diamante the star of the Altadis U.S.A. booth, but it also was one of the stars of the Show.
In part one of our Montecristo coverage, we take a look at the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q9F

Friday Aug 04, 2023
PCA 2023: Montecristo - Part 1 of 2 (Audio)
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
One of the most exciting things about Altadis U.S.A. returning to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show is that the Montecristo brand was also back at the show. Montecristo can be considered the most premium brand in the Altadis U.S.A. portfolio, which is exactly how Altadis U.S.A. positioned it. The focus for Montecristo was around the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line. Made by AJ Fernandez, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line was released during the pandemic, and this was the first time it was on display at a PCA Trade Show. Altadis U.S.A. also showcased a luxury humidor known as Tesero de Oro. In addition, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante, a new blend under the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary line, got a full launch. The Diamante is being positioned as a more premium release than the 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. Not only was the Diamante the star of the Altadis U.S.A. booth, but it also was one of the stars of the Show.
In part one of our Montecristo coverage, we take a look at the Montecristo Tesoro de Oro humidor.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q9F

Friday Aug 04, 2023
PCA 2023: Montecristo - Part 1 of 2
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
One of the most exciting things about Altadis U.S.A. returning to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show is that the Montecristo brand was also back at the show. Montecristo can be considered the most premium brand in the Altadis U.S.A. portfolio, which is exactly how Altadis U.S.A. positioned it. The focus for Montecristo was around the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line. Made by AJ Fernandez, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua line was released during the pandemic, and this was the first time it was on display at a PCA Trade Show. Altadis U.S.A. also showcased a luxury humidor known as Tesero de Oro. In addition, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante, a new blend under the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary line, got a full launch. The Diamante is being positioned as a more premium release than the 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. Not only was the Diamante the star of the Altadis U.S.A. booth, but it also was one of the stars of the Show.
In part one of our Montecristo coverage, we take a look at the Montecristo Tesoro de Oro humidor.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q9F

Friday Aug 04, 2023
PCA 2023: My Father Cigars (Audio)
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Don Pepin Garcia set up shop at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Little Havana in 2003. That year, he created a cigar for a newcomer named Pete Johnson and released his own brand called Don Pepin Garcia. That first Don Pepin Garcia (aka the Don Pepin Garcia Original or Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label) would eventually lead to the formation of My Father Cigars - a powerhouse vertically integrated operation out of Nicaragua. This year, the Garcia family and Pete Johnson are both celebrating their 20th anniversary - and the two released a collaboration called La Union which might have been the most exciting release at the 2023 PCA Trade Show. Meanwhile, the Garcias have a couple of limited edition cigars to commemorate 20 years of the Don Pepin Garcia brand. They have also decided to take one of their older brands, Vegas Cubanas, and bring it fully into the Don Pepin Garcia brand as the "Green Label." Finally, there are some new and exciting sizes for the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial brand. All of this made the My Father Cigars booth one of the most impressive ones at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. The icing on the cake for the Coalition Team was to present our selection for Large Factory of the Year for 2022 to the Garcia family.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q9z

Friday Aug 04, 2023
PCA 2023: My Father Cigars
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Don Pepin Garcia set up shop at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Little Havana in 2003. That year, he created a cigar for a newcomer named Pete Johnson and released his own brand called Don Pepin Garcia. That first Don Pepin Garcia (aka the Don Pepin Garcia Original or Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label) would eventually lead to the formation of My Father Cigars - a powerhouse vertically integrated operation out of Nicaragua. This year, the Garcia family and Pete Johnson are both celebrating their 20th anniversary - and the two released a collaboration called La Union which might have been the most exciting release at the 2023 PCA Trade Show. Meanwhile, the Garcias have a couple of limited edition cigars to commemorate 20 years of the Don Pepin Garcia brand. They have also decided to take one of their older brands, Vegas Cubanas, and bring it fully into the Don Pepin Garcia brand as the "Green Label." Finally, there are some new and exciting sizes for the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial brand. All of this made the My Father Cigars booth one of the most impressive ones at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. The icing on the cake for the Coalition Team was to present our selection for Large Factory of the Year for 2022 to the Garcia family.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q9z

Thursday Aug 03, 2023
PCA 2023: Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale (Epic Cigars, Audio)
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
The premium cigar industry always loves when a mainstream celebrity enters the business, and this year, Oscar-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri has come on board. Palminteri is teaming up with Epic Cigars and Paul DiSilvio of La Casa Grande Tobacco company to launch A Bronx Tale. It is named for the play that was written by and starred Palminteri. This play would go on to become a motion picture and really put Palminteri on the map. In the movie, there is a character named Calogero, which happened to be the name of Palminteri's grandfather.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q98

Thursday Aug 03, 2023
PCA 2023: Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale (Epic Cigars)
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
The premium cigar industry always loves when a mainstream celebrity enters the business, and this year, Oscar-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri has come on board. Palminteri is teaming up with Epic Cigars and Paul DiSilvio of La Casa Grande Tobacco company to launch A Bronx Tale. It is named for the play that was written by and starred Palminteri. This play would go on to become a motion picture and really put Palminteri on the map. In the movie, there is a character named Calogero, which happened to be the name of Palminteri's grandfather.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q98

Thursday Aug 03, 2023
PCA Report: La Flor Dominicana (Audio)
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was quite special for La Flor Dominicana. There was a lot of excitement over the return of owner Litto Gomez's eponymous line, the Litto Gomez (LG) Diez. It's the first time we've seen the LG in nearly eight years. This year we talked to owner Litto Gomez and his son Tony, in what we have been told is the only interview that Litto recorded at this year's PCA. While we did talk some about the LG and last year's groundbreaking NFT project, the discussion evolved into one about stories and family.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q95

Thursday Aug 03, 2023
PCA 2023: La Flor Dominicana
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was quite special for La Flor Dominicana. There was a lot of excitement over the return of owner Litto Gomez's eponymous line, the Litto Gomez (LG) Diez. It's the first time we've seen the LG in nearly eight years. This year we talked to owner Litto Gomez and his son Tony, in what we have been told is the only interview that Litto recorded at this year's PCA. While we did talk some about the LG and last year's groundbreaking NFT project, the discussion evolved into one about stories and family.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q95

Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Prime Time Special Edition 144 Audio: 2023 Cigar Coop Coalition PCA Post Game Show
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Tonight the Cigar Coop Coalition Team gathers together for Post Game Show on the 2023 PCA Trade Show.
We will talk about what we saw, what we liked, what we didn’t like – and we will take you behind the scenes on what the happenings and drama that is associated with a PCA Trade Show. Plus we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments.

