News

Drew Estate Expands Availability of Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo

Drew Estate Liga Privada H99

Drew Estate’s prized Liga Privada H99 (Hybrid 99) Connecticut Corojo is now available as a regular production cigar exclusively to qualifying Drew Diplomat Program participants.

While all Liga Privada cigars have limited production capacity due to the rarity of the tobacco leaves used in each of the offerings, the magnificent capa leaves from the Connecticut River Valley that stand as the hallmark for each Liga Privada expression remain by far the most difficult component to procure. This has been especially true for Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo. 

Just one Connecticut River Valley farmer cultivates Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo’s capa leaf, a hybrid derived from Stalk-Cut Habano and Connecticut Corojo tobaccos that’s grown exclusively for Drew Estate. Since introducing Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo cigars in 2018, Drew Estate has only periodically released small batches of them due to the rarity of the capa leaf. Working alongside this farmer, we planted more H99 hybrid tobacco every growing season, and we have steadily aged and stockpiled this precious leaf. We are ramping up Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo’s production, and it is now regularly available to all qualifying Drew Diplomat Program partners and their customers.

Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo’s capa leaf is naturally sweet and contrasts perfectly with the robust spiciness of the Mexican San Andres Otapan Negro Último Corte capote and the dense earthy notes from the well-aged blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran and Pennsylvania Green River One Sucker tripa tobaccos. These cigars offer complex earth, leather and espresso notes, which dance on the palate in a luxurious and deceptively full-bodied smoking experience that builds with every puff and climaxes in an attention-grabbing finish.

“The H99 Connecticut Corojo is the triumphant result of hybridity, including traits of … dysfunction, functionality, flexibility, adaptability, survival, replicability, and most importantly procreation,” says Drew Estate Founder and President, Jonathan Drew. “In all my 26 years of experience as a tobacco man, I have never witnessed a tobacco hybridization with the depth and body of this Stalk-Cut Habano and Connecticut Corojo leaf. It’s nice to walk into the storage area at the factory and finally see some bales aged and stacked up, ready for production. Get your lighters ready … let’s burn.”

Available exclusively at qualifying Drew Diplomat Program participants, Liga Privada H99 Connecticut is packaged in 24-count boxes with an MSRP of $382.80/box and $15.95/cigar.

Protocol Pool Party Year 1 Cigar

Protocol Pool Party

Protocol Cigars announces a special limited edition release cigar called the Protocol Pool Party Year 1. The cigars were produced at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The Protocol Pool Party Year 1 is offered in a Corona Gordo: 5 5/8 X 46 vitola. They are presented in a 10 count paper bundle. Only 100 Bundles have been produced. The packaging is symbolic of fun summer time pool parties. This cigar is wrapped in a Mexican San Andreas Maduro Leaf, Connecticut Shade Binder, and Nicaraguan Corojo from Esteli and Condega filler. The Protocol Pool Party Year 1 is a solid medium to medium plus with spicy rich flavors and a long sweet creamy finish. 

The Protocol Pool Party will not be for sale. These limited edition cigars will instead be given to the first 100 attendees to the Protocol Pool Party on Saturday, August 1st, 2020. This is a ticketed event in Neptune, NJ.  The event is not the first of its kind. In the past the Protocol Pool Party was held at the home of co-owner Kevin Keithan. The event has steadily outgrown that location. The company has decided to make the party a yearly ticketed event. This event is 100% outdoor and on a 7 acre picnic ground with an Olympic size pool. This event is 100% compliant with all NJ State Covid Rules and Regulations. The company has implemented several levels of protection to all attendees.  “We wanted to do something special for our supporters, especially since everyone has been locked at home for the last several months. The demand to attend and numbers have grown exponentially for this event and needed move to a bigger venue. We have implemented safety precautions to ensure everyone’s wellbeing. The health of our supporters is of the utmost importance to us.  With that said everyone will be safe and a phenomenal time will be had by all!” Juan Cancel, co-owner Protocol Cigars. For more detailed event information visit the company’s website at ProtocolCigars.com or their social media platforms. 

Joya de Nicaragua introduces Cinco Décadas El Doctor

Cinco Decades El Doctor

Estelí, Nicaragua – Two years ago, when Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua reached its 50th anniversary, it released its most emblematic blend to date: Cinco Décadas, a commemorative cigar conceived as a tribute to all of those that have shaped the company and thus the Nicaraguan cigar industry.

Every Cinco Décadas vitola has been named after historic icons, Diadema as it was the first shape ever made at the factory, El Fundador is a tribute to founders of the company, and El General, reminds us of one of the pioneers of tobacco in Nicaragua. Today, Joya de Nicaragua introduces “El Doctor”, a 6×52 Torpedo honoring , Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, JDN’s visionary Chairman and Owner since the early 90s, and an impactful leader of our organization and industry

“Giving identities to these special products is one of the most exciting things we do when we are about to release one of these gems that we have created at the factory. With Cinco Décadas it hasn’t been easy, as we want to recognize all the important icons or milestones that have shaped our history in the last five decades. For me it was very touching when our agency and marketing team proposed to me to name this vitola after my father, because it was a realization of how much he has been an influence to all of us,” said Juan Ignacio Martínez, Executive President.

This very special limited batch of just 600 boxes will be sold exclusively in the UnitedStates, and only by retailers that belong to the Drew Diplomat Retailer Program. Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas El Doctor will be shipping in August 2020, and will be available along with the 2020 annual batch of 600 boxes of each of the rest of the sizes in the Cinco Décadas series.“ Cinco Décadas is the cigar we are most proud of in Joya de Nicaragua. We are truly limited in the amount of cigars we can roll in this blend, because we use our most talented torcedores and because we use the best tobacco in our factory. Our plan is to release one new size every year until the next big anniversary, but this year we may have another surprise, so stay tuned,” said Daniel Barrios, Global Commercial Director of Joya de Nicaragua. This limited edition cigar will be introduced to the public by Juan Ignacio Martínez and the Drew Estate sales team in digital events across the country next month. Priced in line with the rest of the vitolas in the brand, Cinco Décadas El Doctor will be sold at MSRP/$20.00 per stick or $200/box.