The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) is bringing The Cigar Academy to South Korea. The launch event takes place in Seoul, South Korea, from December 7-10. The event is being held in partnership with Pierre Ltd, a South Korean importer and distributor. The sessions are intended to establish a long-term platform. This will focus on premium cigar education, professional development, community building, and connections between South Korea and the international cigar industry.
The program will take place at Pierre Ltd’s Seoul lounge and will have two limited-edition sessions. One session will serve cigar and hospitality professionals and selected industry partners. The second session will cater to Pierre’s adult clients, collectors, and cigar enthusiasts. Both will include structured education, guided cigar tastings, curated pairings, discussions, and formal assessments. Ricardo Carioni, PCA’s Director of International Affairs and Education and TCA co-founder, will lead the sessions. Participants will receive access to TCA’s digital learning platform and certification upon successfully completing the required assessments.
“PCA’s international work is about creating year-round value and stronger bridges between cigar communities. Korea has a knowledgeable and increasingly connected premium cigar culture, and Pierre is the kind of respected local partner that makes meaningful engagement possible. Together, we can pair rigorous education with local culture and build something designed to last well beyond a single visit, commented Joshua Habursky, Chief Executive Officer of the Premium Cigar Association, in a press release.
“For Pierre, this is much more than the introduction of an educational program. We see it as the beginning of a long-term platform connecting PCA’s international knowledge and network with Pierre’s community and the broader premium cigar culture in Korea. We are proud to welcome PCA and The Cigar Academy to Seoul and to create an experience that is educational, social and memorable for professionals and aficionados alike, “added Matthias Reuben Cohen-Aknine, Chief Executive Officer, Pierre Ltd.
“A premium cigar may be enjoyed in an hour, but within it are years of agriculture, fermentation, aging, craftsmanship and human knowledge. Education gives that story context and allows it to be passed forward. I have long admired Asia’s respect for craft, ritual and hospitality, and I am especially looking forward to meeting Korea’s cigar community in person – not to arrive with a formula, but to listen, share and build together,” said Ricardo Carioni.
The PCA will be in Asia just prior to the South Korea TCA launch. From December 4-6, PCA is partnering with Cigraal for the PCA Connect Asia Event in Hong Kong.
