Fratello Cigars has announced the launch of its Concealed Carry II series, beginning with a cigar called Fidel.
Concealed Carry is a small-batch, narrative-driven cigar series built around historical events, classified themes, and undisclosed blends. Each edition combines storytelling and packaging while keeping production details confidential. The first Concealed Carry Series featured six small-batch releases around the theme of Prohibition. Concealed Carry II tells a broader story about the U.S. embargo on Cuba.
Fratello Cigars began that narrative with Fidel, named after Fidel Castro, who came to power in Cuba in 1959 and ruled the country for decades under an authoritarian regime. It’s a cigar name that some in the cigar community are upset about, many of whom are of Cuban descent and have suffered firsthand because of it.
The name is sensitive. Castro’s legacy remains deeply painful for many Cuban Americans, particularly those whose families experienced political repression, imprisonment, or exile under his government. As a result, naming a cigar after Castro may trouble some in the cigar community, regardless of the historical storytelling behind the series.
Fratello owner Omar de Frias has published a dossier examining the historical background of the Cuban embargo and Castro’s role in the events surrounding it. Distinguishing between exploring a historical figure and appearing to honor that figure matters, especially given the cigar industry’s close ties to the Cuban exile community.
“Concealed Carry was created to remove preconceptions and let the tobacco tell a story of intrigue and craftsmanship,” said Omar de Frias, Creator of Concealed Carry, in a press release. “With ‘The Cuban Embargo theme’, we are pulling back the curtain on a historical moment that forever reshaped our industry. ‘Fidel’ is just the beginning of a six-part journey that will take collectors deep into the secret history of 1962.”
While the first Concealed Carry series around Prohibition came in cans, Fidel will come in boxes. Fidel ships this month.
