Category Archives: News

News: Ventura Cigar Company Will Keep Everyone Rolling at Big Smoke 2019

More news from Ventura Cigars, who is determined to show that they are here to stay despite the less than positive perception left by the recent downsizing (I know how that feels!) I’ve been a student of Michael’s on several occasions in the areas of rolling as well as blending and you can’t have a better instructor.  I imagine this  will be a real treat for the Big Smoke attendees.

Ventura Cigar Company to Hold Rolling Event with  Michael Giannini + Indiana Ortez at Big Smoke 2019.  Two industry stars share secrets of their craft as attendees learn to roll their own Psyko Seven Nicaragua Cigar.

 

Ventura Cigar Company will keep everyone rolling at Big Smoke 2019. Happening November 15 – November 17 at the Mirage in Las Vegas, Cigar Aficionado’s annual event is a popular draw for premium cigar enthusiasts. It offers attendees the opportunity to meet, greet, pose, and sample wares from top industry names. Ventura Cigar will be taking things to the next level, rolling PSyKo Seven Nicaragua cigars in their booth on Friday and Saturday, and offering a Rolling Seminar on Sunday, 11/17, where attendees will roll their own Archetype Axis Mundi cigar.

 

Michael Giannini, General Manager of Ventura Cigar Company, will be heading up the Ventura Cigar Company team and leading the rolling events.

 

“It’s great to be coming back to Big Smoke,” says Giannini. “Ventura Cigar is honored to be here, and excited to be rolling this weekend. The Cigar Aficionado team always puts on a solid event. And they ranked our Archetype Axis Mundi cigar as #13 of the top 25 for 2017, so we’re stoked to give Big Smoke attendees the opportunity to create their own on Sunday. We hope everyone also comes by the Ventura Cigar booth on Friday and Saturday to check out the PSyKo Seven Nicaragua cigars that we’ll be rolling with Indiana Ortez. It’s not often to get the chance to create with a cigar’s creator. It’s going to be such a good time.”

 

Indiana Ortez, rising industry star and the mastermind behind the PSyKo Seven Nicaragua blend will be rolling alongside Giannini at the Ventura Cigar Booth, and during Sunday’s Rolling Seminar. Hailing from the renowned Ortez tobacco family in Nicaragua, Indiana first collaborated with Ventura Cigar in 2018 on the Fathers, Friends, and Fire cigar, and has continued to add her expertise and youthful vibrance to their portfolio. The duo will share stories and behind-the-scenes info as they give Big Smoke attendees a hands-on rolling experience throughout the weekend.

 

“This won’t be as easy as people think,” says Ortez. “There’s a lot of factors that go into rolling, including patience, skill, and intuition- especially while using Connecticut Desflorada wrappers from a 2017 crop, like we’ll be doing for the PSyKo Seven Nicaragua cigars. But I know it’s going to be fun, and I’m looking forward to it!”

 



For tickets to Big Smoke 2019, visit thebigsmokes.com . For Big Smoke updates, more info on PSyKo Seven Nicaragua, and the other Ventura Cigar Company cigars, please visit venturacigar.com, or follow @venturacigar on Instagram. 

 

 

About Ventura Cigar Company

Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is a unique cigar brand born in sunny Southern California that is on a mission to create memorable, complex cigar blends that excite the senses and reward discriminating palates. Their flagship Archetype, Case Study, Project805, and PSyKo SEVEN brands offer multiple award-winning blends that earned 90+ ratings in Cigar Aficionado, Cigar & Spirits, and Cigar Snob. And Archetype’s Axis Mundi won #13 Cigar of the Year for 2017 from Cigar Aficionado. Ventura Cigar Company also distributes Silver Dollar Nasal Snuff and the 4th Generation Tobacconist and Comoy’s of London lines of pipe tobacco products, extending its reach and tradition of offering top-quality tobacconist products. Pipes and blends under these brands are cultivated through generations of craftsmanship, making them longtime favorites of pipe tobacco enthusiasts. 

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News: Ventura Cigar Company Still Strong After Recent Layoffs

This was reported a couple of days ago by a popular outlet (whom I consider to be friends, by the way), in a rather over the top doom and gloom manner, and subsequently defended on social media as being the end of the company. Maybe it’s best not to rely on recently released employees as 100% credible sources of information, there might be some emotions involved. Their sources are purely speculation on my part, but we have some responsibility to report things accurately. Clearly, the folks at Ventura are vehemently denying that they are going away. Considering Kretek’s involvement in actively bringing premium cigars into the Tobacco Plus trade show lately, I couldn’t imagine them divesting themselves of their premium cigar brand, especially one that’s been gaining traction. How this effects other distribution arrangements remains to be seen. 

 

Ventura Cigar Company Still Strong After Recent Layoffs

Kretek International, Inc., Parent Company of Ventura Cigar, restructures in anticipation of FDA Action within Overall Tobacco Industry.

 

Ventura Cigar Company has just announced the restructuring of its national sales organization in advance of new FDA regulations expected to hit the tobacco industry in the coming months. In a continually evolving environment, Ventura Cigar Company, through Kretek International remains a strong and profitable company and will continue to deliver high quality products and service to our valued consumers and customers.

 

Michael Giannini, General Manager of Ventura Cigar Company said “Making tough decisions has kept Kretek International strong throughout the decades, and I commend the company for recognizing the changing market landscape and taking necessary steps to remain an industry leader. We are grateful for the contributions of our employees and wish everyone well as they continue their journeys.”

 

For more information about Ventura Cigar Company, please visit venturacigar.com.

 

 

About Ventura Cigar Company

Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is a unique cigar brand born in sunny Southern California that is on a mission to create memorable, complex cigar blends that excite the senses and reward discriminating palates. Their flagship Archetype, Case Study, Project805, and PSyKo SEVEN brands offer multiple award-winning blends that earned 90+ ratings in Cigar Aficionado, Cigar & Spirits, and Cigar Snob. And Archetype’s Axis Mundi won #13 Cigar of the Year for 2017 from Cigar Aficionado. Ventura Cigar Company also distributes Silver Dollar Nasal Snuff and the 4th Generation Tobacconist and Comoy’s of London lines of pipe tobacco products, extending its reach and tradition of offering top-quality tobacconist products. Pipes and blends under these brands are cultivated through generations of craftsmanship, making them longtime favorites of pipe tobacco enthusiasts. 

 

 

About Kretek International, Inc.

Kretek International, Inc., parent company to Ventura Cigar Company, DRYFT Sciences, LLC, Phillips & King, and Tobacco Media Group (TMG) is America’s number one importer, marketer, and distributor of specialty tobacco products sold by convenience, mass, and national retailers. For over 30 years, Kretek has enjoyed a strong reputation for providing exceptional customer relationships and top-quality goods. The company continues to offer standout brands like Djarum, Cuban Rounds, and Djeep Lighters to distribution channels across the United States and Canada, bringing value, high margins, and growth to retailers and distributors. 

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News: Herrera Esteli Norteño Edicion Limitada Released to Drew Diplomat Retailers

I’m a bigger fan of the Norteño than I am of the rest of the Herrera Esteli line, so I’m always excited about this edicion limitada. Don’t get me wrong, I like Willie’s work, I’ve known him a long time. I actually met him and Sean Williams at the same time at the 2011 IPCPR show when Willie was blending Sean’s El Primer Mundo cigars at El Titan de Bronze.  I felt short that day, and I’m six feet tall. Anyway, check out the poop on this year’s Norteño EL.

Drew Estate Announces the Limited Release of the Herrera Esteli Norteño Edicion Limitada

Drew Estate announces today the limited release of the Herrera Esteli Norteño Edicion Limitada Churchill to Drew Diplomat retailers nationwide. Originally released in 2015, this limited edition is a favorite among cigar connoisseurs and retailers alike.

 

The Herrera Esteli Norteño Edicion Limitada showcases extensively aged tobaccos from the Estelí and Jalapa growing regions of Nicaragua, coupled with a spicy Honduran binder and a rich, bold Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper. Packaged in 15 count boxes, this 7 x 48 box pressed Churchill features a unique Norteño blend allowing for a smoother and complex smoke.

 

From La Gran Fabrica in Esteli, Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera notes, “The Norteño Edicion Limitada is a killer stick bro, at all of my events consumers come up and ask when it is coming back. I am happy to say this limited release will satisfy some of the demand, but they better grab them quick before they disappear.”

 

The Herrera Esteli Norteño Edicion Limitada Churchill is available in 15 count boxes with an MSRP of $217.96. 

 

ABOUT DREW ESTATE

Founded in New York City in 1996, Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”, Drew Estate has led the “Boutique Cigar” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that attract new and traditional cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Herrera Estelí Norteño, Isla del Sol, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Larutan by Drew Estate, Nica Rustica, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial, Undercrown, Florida Sun Grown, and Java by Drew Estate.

 

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News: Villiger Cigars Announces Cuellar Black Forrest

I was secretly hoping this was the Trill blend renamed, but the Trill had a Habano wrapper…I could still get my wish one day…Trill was a great cigar with a bad name. This one sounds tasty. The Cuellar Kreme Connecticut was a good smoke, as are many from Tabacalera La Palma.

 

VILLIGER CIGARS TO UNVIEL THE VILLIGER CUELLAR BLACK FOREST

 

Villiger Cigars proudly announces the release of the Villiger Cuellar Black Forest. The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest will serve as a line extension, to the very popular Villiger Cuellar Connecticut Krēmē. The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest is a Dominican made cigar, which will feature a dark, rich, oily, and flavorful maduro wrapper. This, inspired by the mystical Black Forest, located on the Southern side of Germany, close to the border of Switzerland where the Villiger headquarters resides.

 

Villiger Chairman of the Board Mr. Heinrich Villiger grew up close to the Black Forest, which is the birthplace of many legends, fairytales, and haunted happenings, that most are very familiar with today. The Black Forest name is due to a hundred mile stretch of large pine trees, which block the sunlight from reaching the forest ground. This combined with constant fog create an eerie ambiance, unnerving enough to have given birth to legends of werewolves, haunted monasteries, castles, and ancient Celtic cemeteries. German based authors, the Brothers Grimm based many of their dark fables on the Black Forest. The packaging of the Villiger Cuellar Black Forest visually communicates the aura of the Black Forest. It is carried out through the dark, and rich maduro wrapper of this cigar, manufactured by Master Blender Jochy Blanco at Tabacalera La Palma in the Dominican Republic.

 

The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest features Dominican fillers and binder housed inside a gorgeously oily maduro wrapper. Mr. Henrich Villiger together with Jochy Blanco feel that the Black Forest boasts deeply rich flavors, with a distinct sweet finish which sets it apart from other blends. The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest is a medium to full-bodied, full-flavored cigar.

 

Heinrich Villiger said:” We very much look forward to releasing the Villiger Cuellar Black Forest, as it marries Caribbean artisan tobacco craftmanship with German/Swiss folklore, culture, and mysticism. Both our passion for tobacco and the Villiger culture are represented in this cigar.”

The Villiger Cuellar Black Forest is expressed in four sizes. MRSP is $7.80 to $8.40.

 

Robusto        5 x 48  

Toro Gordo  6 x 54

Churchill       7 x 50

Torpedo       6.25 x 52

 

ABOUT VILLIGER SONS LIMITED:

Villiger Sons Limited was established in 1888 by Jean Villiger in the small town of Pfeffikon, Switzerland, where Villiger remains headquartered to this day. The company manufactures and sells more than 1.5 billion cigars annually, world-wide. Today, under the leadership of Heinrich Villiger, the company prides itself in its commitment to quality, in all their products made in many countries around the globe.

 

Follow Villager Cigars on social @VilligerCigar #TheOriginalClassic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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News: Fratello Cigars Announces Return of the DMV

A lot of news this week!  That works well for me because I have the time and haven’t had a cigar in a few days! This time it’s my amigo Omar announcing another regional release with his DMV, which doesn’t stand for Department of Motor Vehicles, it stands for Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, locally known as DelMarVa, the region surrounding Washington DC, where the Fratello brand got it’s start. I know it says something different below, but I’m from PA, this is my interpretation! I could say that NASA falls under the Department of Motor Vehicles if I wanted…

 

The DMVs own Fratello Cigars has announced the return of its popular regional release of the cigar line made as a tribute to the region that birthed the company. 

 

DMV stands for District (Washington DC), Maryland and Virgina and also includes Delaware. Similar to last year’s release, each DMV member gets their own unique size.  This year Fratello is taking the next step by giving each state their own blend.  

 

The blends: 

  • Delaware – Brazil Arapiraca (5 x 47) $9.95 MSRP per cigar
  • Washington DC – Ecuador Habano (5 x 50) $10.95 MSRP per cigar
  • Virginia – Corojo Ecuador (5 x 54) $11.95 MSRP per cigar
  • Maryland – San Andres (5 x 58) $11.95 MSRP per cigar

“I decided to bring a twist to this year’s Fratello DMV.  The success we experienced with last year’s blend blew us away.  We are going for the repeat, only this time each state gets their own blend and different vitola.  This project is exciting for me as DMV is home to Fratello and the region that put us in the map,” said de Frias.

Similar to last year a portion of the proceeds will go to support the state association for cigars at each state.   

 

George “Shorty” Koebel, President of the Cigar Association of Virginia, states, “We are constantly making the case that with less regulation and good fiscal practices, businesses will thrive…and that’s a win for the state and our consumers. Fratello being involved and more Virginia retailers joining our cause will ultimately help us achieve our goal.”

 

All 4 DMVs are manufactured at the La Aurora factory in Dominican Republic.  Cigars will begin shipping December 1st 2019. Production is limited to 150 Boxes per state. 

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