Category: Industry News

PCA has partnered with Higginbotham, one of the nation’s leading independent insurance firms, to explore whether an insurance program designed specifically for PCA members can be built. The goal is straightforward: better coverage, better pricing, and a carrier relationship that actually understands the premium cigar industry. Before they can take that to market with confidence, data is needed. Carriers respond to numbers — and the stronger the picture

If you go on a tour of the Joya de Nicaragua factory, you will be part of a formal program that follows a specific order of events. Every tour I’ve taken has started in Joya de Nicaragua’s conference room, where you can find two of halfwheel’s cigar of the year trophies on display. While I imagine things have changed since I last took a tour, every time I’ve been in

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you are probably aware that this year marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of America. Anniversaries of any sort seem to be a great reason for companies to release a new cigar, so the past six months or so have seen a multitude of announcements for new cigars to celebrate the Semiquincentennial from a list of companies

Topper Cigar Co., which lays claim to be the oldest continually-operated family-owned cigar company in the U.S., has a handful of new releases. Some are part of a new line, while others are a new vitola for the company, and one cigar is a combination of both. The Topper 1894 Broadleaf is the new regular production line, a spin-off from the Topper 1894 line, which is named after the year

Registration for the 2027 Puro Sabor Festival in Nicaragua is slated to open today at 7 p.m. Eastern time on the festival’s website. The festival, which runs from Jan. 25-30, 2027, showcases the Nicaraguan cigar industry through visits to cigar factories, farms, tobacco processors and other facilities. There is also a portion of the trip dedicated to exploring Nicaraguan culture, which will be highlighted by a tour of key landmarks

In mid-April, Warped added a new size to its La Colmena line, one that’s exclusive to DROP Cigar Club, the online retailer and subscription service that was founded by Warped’s creator, Kyle Gellis. It’s called the La Colmena Amado No. 40, and it’s a 5 x 40 petit corona that has a closed foot and a small twist of tobacco on the head. The blend remains the same as the

First, there was the Patina Red Pill, offered in two box-pressed robusto and toro options. Earlier this year, the company added a third vitola, this time a toro that is round. Next, there will be a Red Pill with a different wrapper. Mo Maali, founder of Patina Cigars, has teased a Red Pill Sumatra. He told halfwheel that the wrapper is a Sumatra-seed oscuro varietal grown in Ecuador, though said other

Ahead of his return to the UFC’s octagon this weekend, Conor McGregor’s cigar brand has begun shipping two new lines. Unapologetic and Crème de la Crème are the two newest releases from Notorious Cigars, the line launched by the former UFC champion. The company calls Unapologetic “a bold and unapologetically rich smoking experience,” because of its medium to full-bodied profile that uses a U.S.-grown Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed

AG Cigars, a brand owned by Alejandro “Alex” González Arias, has two new releases made for some famous cigar-smoking celebrities. There are two new cigars released under a new series called Legendary Moment, one for Jamie Foxx, the actor, and another for Ray Lewis, the retired NFL star. The Legendary Moment Jamie Foxx is a 5 9/10 x 58 parejo that uses an Ecuadorian wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and

In March, at Smoke Inn’s annual The Great Smoke event, Casa Carrillo previewed an upcoming new line inspired by the ocean. The Perez-Carrillo Deep Blue Limited Edition 2026 is a new release for the company’s higher-end Perez-Carrillo brand. At least for 2026, it’s offered in a lone 6 x 56 toro extra vitola, using a wrapper from Jalapa, Nicaragua, over a Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. In the above video,