I’m disappointed in this news for a few reasons. I was looking forward to the cigars, and I feel like the reasoning is pretty weak. I think it’s pretty safe to assume this was killed due to the word “Monstah” infringing on Pete Johnson’s “Monster” trademark, but I fail to see how there could be any confusion. The only thing I can understand is that the trademark has to be defended in an evenhanded manner, if he allows one person to get away with one permutation of the word, someone else can find another loophole. It seems crappy, but I suppose the owners of United would defend their trademarks as well (and probably have).
United Cigar is disappointed to announce that its 1st Stadium Series releases has been halted. The Asylum Green Monstah, a collaboration with CLE Cigars and United Cigars, was due to ship to United retail partners just in time for opening day of baseball scheduled for April 1, 2021. This limited release was produced in two vitolas packaged in 9 count boxes representing the nine innings of baseball. The box is shaped as home plate with both sides fashioned after the iconic left field wall of Fenway Park: The Green Monstah.
“This project meant more than cigars,” said Oliver Nivaud, Director of Operations at United Cigar. “Baseball is America’s pass-time; stadiums delivered sports, music and life before the pandemic and we wanted to share our passion with other enthusiasts. My connection to Boston’s Fenway Park is deeper than just a cigar project, I named my son after the park in 2004. I never expected the cancel culture to show itself in the cigar industry, especially not because we named our first series after a green wall that was built in 1912.”
United Cigars is regretfully pulling the Stadium Series Green Monstah from the market for now until a direction is decided upon. This decision was made after another cigar brand owner reached out to CLE directly and said that a portion of the name of would need to be concealed. As this was not an option United Cigars wanted to accommodate, the decision was made to pull the series to avoid further distress to their friends at CLE.
This will not stop the Series Unidas Stadium Series however, United Cigars has new plans for this annual release and has begun the early steps for the next one which should be announced by this Fall.
A rare Saturday morning post, I was going to do this one last night, but I didn’t get around to it. Funny, because I had candela on my mind, but that’s a story for another day. I like a candela, and Christian Eiroa made one of my favorite Candelas when he made the Camacho Monarca in Candela years ago. I really miss that cigar, I smoked through a box of them a dozen years ago or so. Maybe this will be similar blend? I guess I’ll have to get my hands on some and see (if my memory holds up). As far as the stadium series goes, I can only hope they don’t do one for Vet Stadium, as many great memories I have of that stadium, it really wasn’t what I’d call a great baseball stadium (and there’s already a Phillies cigar, and I ain’t smoking it)!
With nearly a year behind us since we have had the opportunity to visit a stadium to cheer on our favorite athletes, United Cigars has decided to bring the stadium to you. Teaming up with Christian Eiroa and Tom Lazuka of Asylum Cigars, United Cigars is launching a new line as part of their Series Unidas collection and will ship to retailers next week in time for baseball’s opening day. The Green Monstah cigar release will pay tribute to the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park as the launch of a planned United Cigars Limited Edition Stadium Series line.
A collectible series honoring America’s beloved stadiums, the Green Monstah boxes will showcase the iconic scoreboard and celebrate our love of the game. Available in two classic Asylum Cigar vitolas, 6 x 60 and 7 x 70, the Green Monstah limited series features an Ecuadorian candela wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Esteli and Jalapa. This Limited Edition Stadium Series production was kept to 250 boxes of each size and will be available in boxes of 9 cigars for 9 innings of baseball. The boxes were constructed to resemble home plate, so this is perfect for every baseball enthusiast’s collection and cigar lover’s humidor.
“The sounds at the ballpark have always been a part of my Spring,” said Oliver Nivaud Director of Operations for United Cigars. “Now we have an Asylum cigar to smoke for opening day. Fenway Park is my Holy Cathedral, but we have a few more stadiums in mind for this stadium series.”
Tom Lazuka, Co-Founder of Asylum Cigars added, “This was an exciting project as both Christian and I are huge baseball fans. We worked hard to have a candela in a large format, turned out to be an amazing cigar that has filled a few of my ashtrays.”
The Green Monstah will begin shipping to retailers on March 22nd in limited quantities. MSRP on the 6 x 60 is $79.99/$8.88 and the 7 x 70 will retail for $89.99/$9.99.
About United Cigars
United Cigar began as a US based cigar store chain in 1901 growing to nearly 3,000 shops. United Cigar eventually became part of the corporation that bought Marvel Comics in 1968. The United Cigar chain represented the interests of the Consolidated Tobacco Company, the tobacco trust that controlled the American Tobacco Company.
Today United Cigars distributes and manufactures premium cigars within the United States. Distribution agreements with Selected Tobacco (Atabey, Byron & Bandolero) as well as Jose Dominguez cigars. United Cigars has its own brands including the quick-selling bundle line Classic, La Gianna Havana, and our flagship brand United to name a few. United Cigar Series Unidas, a collaboration with respected manufacturers, provides premium cigar retailers with Limited Release productions.
