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PCA 2023: Diesel

One of the more remarkable stories in the cigar industry over the past six years has been the Diesel brand of cigars. Diesel is a brand that was initially a catalog brand developed in collaboration with AJ Fernandez. In 2017, the decision was made to transition Diesel to a brick-and-mortar line under the General Cigar portfolio. At the time, Justin Andrews was tasked to make this transition happen. Since then, the portfolio has introduced several regular production and limited edition releases. The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the fourth one for Diesel. It’s the first time the brand has been at PCA/IPCPR since 2019. It is also the first time Diesel was showcased at PCA/IPCPR under the Forged Cigar Company banner. This year, the focus was on a new regular production line, the Diesel Vintage Series.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q2b

PCA 2023: Chillin’ Moose (Audio)

Back in 2014, General Cigar Company would release a value priced cigar under its Foundry Cigar Company subsidiary known as Chillin' Moose. It was one of the most unorthodox names for a cigar, but it would soon become a popular offering in the company's portfolio.  Along the way, General's parent company Scandinavian Tobacco Group would sell the Foundry to Kretek International, but Chillin Mose would remain. Today Chillin' Moose it is not just a singlecigar line, but a full-fledged cigar brand. At this year's Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, a fifth line in under the Chillin Moose umbrella was released with the Bull Moose Maduro. This would add a large ring-gauge, value-priced, Maduro offering into the portfolio.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q1C

PCA 2023: Chillin’ Moose

Back in 2014, General Cigar Company would release a value priced cigar under its Foundry Cigar Company subsidiary known as Chillin' Moose. It was one of the most unorthodox names for a cigar, but it would soon become a popular offering in the company's portfolio.  Along the way, General's parent company Scandinavian Tobacco Group would sell the Foundry to Kretek International, but Chillin Mose would remain. Today Chillin' Moose it is not just a singlecigar line, but a full-fledged cigar brand. At this year's Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, a fifth line in under the Chillin Moose umbrella was released with the Bull Moose Maduro. This would add a large ring-gauge, value-priced, Maduro offering into the portfolio.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q1C

PCA 2023: Perdomo Cigars (Audio)

When it came to a list of highly anticipated cigars being released at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, it’s hard to find one that was more anticipated than the Perdomo 30th Anniversary line. The Perdomo 30th Anniversary is a release that Perdomo Cigars had been talking about for quite some time. The release was scheduled for last year – which was actually when Perdomo Cigars celebrated its 30th anniversary. After-effects from the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in supply chain delays on the packaging side. As a result, a decision was made to postpone the release until this year. In a true grand fashion, Perdomo waited until the doors of the 2023 PCA Trade Show opened to unveil the Perdomo 30th Anniversary – and judging from the looks of the cigars, it’s clear Perdomo is going to have another stellar line to carry it through the next decade and beyond.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q1u

 

PCA 2023: Perdomo Cigars

When it came to a list of highly anticipated cigars being released at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, it’s hard to find one that was more anticipated than the Perdomo 30th Anniversary line. The Perdomo 30th Anniversary is a release that Perdomo Cigars had been talking about for quite some time. The release was scheduled for last year – which was actually when Perdomo Cigars celebrated its 30th anniversary. After-effects from the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in supply chain delays on the packaging side. As a result, a decision was made to postpone the release until this year. In a true grand fashion, Perdomo waited until the doors of the 2023 PCA Trade Show opened to unveil the Perdomo 30th Anniversary – and judging from the looks of the cigars, it’s clear Perdomo is going to have another stellar line to carry it through the next decade and beyond.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q1u

 

PCA 2023: Los Statos Deluxe (Audio)

In 2022, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) resurrected a brand it had the trademarks to called Los Statos Deluxe. The brand traces its roots back to Cuba in 1940, where it was termed “Los Statos De Luxe.” STG decided to add the brand to the Forged Cigar Portfolio. To resurrect the brand, the team of Justin Andrews and Matt Booth set out to reimagine the brand from both a tobacco and branding standpoint. Last year, the revamped and resurrected Los Statos Deluxe made its debut. The cigar actually made a surprise appearance at Matt Booth’s Room101 booth at PCA 2022 (shortly after the Room101 brand) acquisition. That cigar featured an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. This year, Forged Cigar Company had a new addition to the Los Statos Deluxe featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper called Los Statos Deluxe Maduro.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q13

PCA 2023: Los Statos Deluxe

In 2022, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) resurrected a brand it had the trademarks to called Los Statos Deluxe. The brand traces its roots back to Cuba in 1940, where it was termed “Los Statos De Luxe.” STG decided to add the brand to the Forged Cigar Portfolio. To resurrect the brand, the team of Justin Andrews and Matt Booth set out to reimagine the brand from both a tobacco and branding standpoint. Last year, the revamped and resurrected Los Statos Deluxe made its debut. The cigar actually made a surprise appearance at Matt Booth’s Room101 booth at PCA 2022 (shortly after the Room101 brand) acquisition. That cigar featured an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. This year, Forged Cigar Company had a new addition to the Los Statos Deluxe featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper called Los Statos Deluxe Maduro.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q13

PCA 2023: Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co (Audio)

Last year, Oscar Valladares celebrated ten years in the tobacco business. To say that Oscar and his company have become a powerhouse would be an understatement. Not only has Oscar built a successful brand, but he has established a thriving factory and acquired many acres of farms. This year debuted perhaps the most exciting set of new releases I have seen from the brands under Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. Oscar Valladares didn’t launch a new brand, but rather new blends we added to arguably the three most successful brands produced by Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q0R

PCA 2023: Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co

Last year, Oscar Valladares celebrated ten years in the tobacco business. To say that Oscar and his company have become a powerhouse would be an understatement. Not only has Oscar built a successful brand, but he has established a thriving factory and acquired many acres of farms. This year debuted perhaps the most exciting set of new releases I have seen from the brands under Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. Oscar Valladares didn’t launch a new brand, but rather new blends we added to arguably the three most successful brands produced by Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q0R

 

PCA 2023: C.L.E. Cigar Company (Audio)

Without a doubt, one of the more intriguing booths at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show was C.L.E. Cigar Company. In the past, when going to the C.L.E. booth, one could look forward to new releases featuring Authentic Corojo under C.L.E. and Eiroa and large ring gauge offerings from Asylum. But 2023 was very different. This year we saw a trio of PCA Exclusive Cigars highlighted by tobacco from C.L.E.'s "South American" farm and some new Asylum "aromatic lines using exotic tobacco." This made for one of the more interesting booths at the PCA Trade Show.

Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q05