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The Cigar Industry Centric Podcast
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Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Fratello Cigars certainly had a busy 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Each year I try to come up with a theme for a booth, but when it comes to Fratello owner and founder Omar de Frias, there is one word that comes to mind - "excitement". Omar brings an energy and genuine excitement to the projects he is developing. Like each year, Fratello's booth is quite busy in 2025, but our team managed to get to Omar on day one as opposed to trying to catch him before the Trade Show closes on the final day.
With over a decade in the cigar business, Fratello Cigars has built up a nice portfolio of core and limited edition offerings. 2025 saw several new additions introduced at PCA 2025.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wfl
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Fratello Cigars certainly had a busy 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Each year I try to come up with a theme for a booth, but when it comes to Fratello owner and founder Omar de Frias, there is one word that comes to mind - "excitement". Omar brings an energy and genuine excitement to the projects he is developing. Like each year, Fratello's booth is quite busy in 2025, but our team managed to get to Omar on day one as opposed to trying to catch him before the Trade Show closes on the final day.
With over a decade in the cigar business, Fratello Cigars has built up a nice portfolio of core and limited edition offerings. 2025 saw several new additions introduced at PCA 2025.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wfl
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show marked our first visit with Manny Iriarte Enterprises and The OpusX Society. Iriarte has long worked with Arturo Fuente on packaging and box design. Recognizing the power of the Fuente Fuente OpusX brand, Iriarate worked with Carlito Fuente to create The OpusX Society. The OpusX Society offers another outlet to cater to the rabid fan base of OpusX. This includes both accessories and exclusive products with original art inspired by the OpusX brand. This is a separate company from Arturo Fuente, but it nonetheless receives the company's support. Manny Iriarte's company has been attending several trade shows, and this year, there were plenty of products for fans of OpusX.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wfA
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show marked our first visit with Manny Iriarte Enterprises and The OpusX Society. Iriarte has long worked with Arturo Fuente on packaging and box design. Recognizing the power of the Fuente Fuente OpusX brand, Iriarate worked with Carlito Fuente to create The OpusX Society. The OpusX Society offers another outlet to cater to the rabid fan base of OpusX. This includes both accessories and exclusive products with original art inspired by the OpusX brand. This is a separate company from Arturo Fuente, but it nonetheless receives the company's support. Manny Iriarte's company has been attending several trade shows, and this year, there were plenty of products for fans of OpusX.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wfA
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Micallef Cigars' President, Dan Thompson, opened our interview at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) with the word "momentum." Thompson has said Micallef Cigars has momentum with its Color Series. This year, that momentum continues with the fourth installment of the Color Series with Micallef Purple. In addition, the momentum doesn't stop with Purple as Micallef Green and Micallef White are on the horizon.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-we1
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Micallef Cigars' President, Dan Thompson, opened our interview at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) with the word "momentum." Thompson has said Micallef Cigars has momentum with its Color Series. This year, that momentum continues with the fourth installment of the Color Series with Micallef Purple. In addition, the momentum doesn't stop with Purple as Micallef Green and Micallef White are on the horizon.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-we1
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Foundation Cigar Company celebrated its tenth anniversary at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. In 2024, owner and Master Blender Nicholas Melillo made significant changes by revamping the Wise Man line and rebranding Metapa as Aksum. He expected 2025 to be a more relaxing year. However, a recent fire at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua has impacted Foundation, as many of its lines are produced there. Despite these challenges, Melillo is determined to move forward.
Foundation has a limited edition, a line extension, and a new event-only cigar. The common denominator is that all of these projects will involve Connecticut tobacco, as Connecticut is Melillo's home state and the location of Foundation Cigar Company's headquarters.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wdY
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Foundation Cigar Company celebrated its tenth anniversary at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. In 2024, owner and Master Blender Nicholas Melillo made significant changes by revamping the Wise Man line and rebranding Metapa as Aksum. He expected 2025 to be a more relaxing year. However, a recent fire at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua has impacted Foundation, as many of its lines are produced there. Despite these challenges, Melillo is determined to move forward.
Foundation has a limited edition, a line extension, and a new event-only cigar. The common denominator is that all of these projects will involve Connecticut tobacco, as Connecticut is Melillo's home state and the location of Foundation Cigar Company's headquarters.
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wdY
Saturday Apr 26, 2025
Saturday Apr 26, 2025
One of the staple companies of the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show is Gran Habano Cigars. For the past couple of years, Gran Habano has been showcasing its Gran Habano Corojo No 7. Initially released in the Gran Robusto (6 x 54) size, the Gran Habano Corojo No. 7 was finally introduced to the market late in 2024. This year, Gran Habano is introducing two new line extensions: a Robusto (5 x 52) and a Corona (7 x 46).
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wcW
Saturday Apr 26, 2025
Saturday Apr 26, 2025
One of the staple companies of the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show is Gran Habano Cigars. For the past couple of years, Gran Habano has been showcasing its Gran Habano Corojo No 7. Initially released in the Gran Robusto (6 x 54) size, the Gran Habano Corojo No. 7 was finally introduced to the market late in 2024. This year, Gran Habano is introducing two new line extensions: a Robusto (5 x 52) and a Corona (7 x 46).
Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wcW