On the evening of June 10, 2026, The Tobacconist of Greenwich hosted the Titans of Tobacco Experience. The Tobacconist of Greenwich didn’t just put together an event; it put together what was a one-of-a-kind experience. This experience brought together six of the most influential “houses,” along with their principals and their families, to raise money for Cigar Rights of America (CRA). About 300 people attended the experience at the Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. The evening showcased rare cigars, exclusive product launches, a five-course dinner, an open bar, entertainment, and both live and silent charity auctions. Most importantly, this event raised $228,350 for the CRA.
The Titans
The following are the principals (“titans”) from the six families at the experience.
Arturo Fuente
Titan: Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr.
Arturo Fuente Cigars was established by Arturo Fuente in 1912. The business was expanded by Arturo’s son, Carlos Fuente Sr., and is currently led by Carlos’s son, Carlito Fuente. Along with Carlito, who was present at the event, his sister, Cynthia Fuente, his son, Carlos Jr., and Fuente President, Ciro Cascella, were also in attendance.
Padrón Cigars
Titan: Jorge Padrón
Padrón Cigars is a renowned company founded by the late José Orlando Padrón in 1964. Remarkably, the experience took place on the hundredth anniversary of his birth. Today, the operation is led by his son, Jorge Padrón, with other members of the Padrón family also in attendance.
La Flor Dominicana
Titan: Litto Gomez
In 1994, Litto and his wife, Ines, founded Los Libertadores, which was later rebranded as La Flor Dominicana (LFD). Today, LFD operates as a fully integrated cigar company. Litto’s sons, Tony and Litto Jr., are also becoming prominent figures in the industry. Tony oversees production in the Dominican Republic, while Litto Jr. manages sales and distribution in the United States. The entire family—Litto, Ines, and their children—was present.
Kelner Cigar Factory
Titans: Henke Kelner and Klaas Kelner
Henke Kelner founded TABADOM Holdings, which was purchased by Davidoff in 2020. Henke has somewhat retired from day-to-day work, but two of his sons – Hendrik Kelner Jr. and Klaas Kelner own factories. Klaas was in attendance, and while the factory has only been operational since 2023, it was our 2025 Small/Medium Factory of the Year.
Tabacalera Díaz Cabrera
Titan: Eladio Díaz
Eladio Díaz founded Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera in 2021 after a 35-year career with TABADOM, which was the production arm of Davidoff. He worked with Henke Kelner for many years. Today, Tabacalera Díaz Cabrera makes its own cigars and produces cigars for others. Díaz was joined in the experience by his son, Emmanuel.
Foundation Cigar Company
Titan: Nicholas Melillo
Nicholas Melillo founded Foundation Cigars in 2015 after a lengthy career at Drew Estate. He is the “Titan” representative from Connecticut, where The Tobacconist of Greenwich is located, and the Titans of Tobacco Experience was held.
The Pre-Game
The days leading up to (and the day of) the Experience saw many of the principals and attendees gather at The Tobacconist of Greenwich. It wasn’t an official part of Titans of Tobacco, but it became a part of the overall experience. This was my first time at The Tobacconist of Greenwich, but this retailer has been in business for over half a century.
Many people were gathered both inside and outside the store. I didn’t grab a picture of the folks sitting outside, but it reminded me of being in Chicago, smoking in front of some of the cigar stores.
Inside the store, there are many high-quality cigars, including some of The Tobacconist of Greenwich’s exclusive “Rare Finds.” These cigars are made specifically for The Tobacconist of Greenwich.
The Date
June 10 was not a random date; it held significant meaning. It would have marked the 100th birthday of José Orlando Padrón, the founder and patriarch of what we now know as Padrón Cigars. Additionally, June 10 is the anniversary of the death of James Lacerra, affectionately known as “Jimmy Cigars,” who founded The Tobacconist of Greenwich, the host of this experience. He passed away on June 10, 2011, while The Tobacconist of Greenwich was celebrating its 40th anniversary. Both Mr. Padrón and Mr. Lacerra were honored with tributes at the 2026 Titans experience.
As mentioned, members of the Padrón family were in attendance on this significant day.
The Auction
This was the primary fundraising mechanism for the event. Some items were sold at a live auction, while others were available at a silent auction. Even if you weren’t bidding, there were plenty of interesting items to see. The offerings included a collection of rare cigars and memorabilia. The rare cigars featured a mix of limited-edition releases and cigars that had been aged in the humidor for several years.
As a former “Stogie Geek,” I found it exciting to see some of these rare items on display. Although they couldn’t open the boxes, just looking at the items brought back some wonderful memories.
One thing I’d never seen was the “Long Day Tonight” package featuring Tony Gomez’s La Nox and Litto Jr’s Solis.
The memorabilia was offered via the silent auction.
The Masters package was one of the live auction lots, and it was a trip for two to the Championship round of The Masters (it also included airfare and hotel – something I wish we saw more of with trip packages).
The live auction featured the following 18 lots:
Watching a live auction is always fun. Below was the bidding for some first production runs of products from Foundation Cigar Company featuring Nicholas Melillo.
The Cigars
Each Titan crafted a limited-edition cigar for the Experience. These cigars were available for pre-order at the Titans of Tobacco Experience and some are still available post-experience.
Everyone in attendance received a sampler containing two cigars from each blend. All of the cigars were Toro-sized and had never been released before.
Here is a walk-through video of the cigars on display at the Experience.
There were also cigars handed out when you walked in to smoke during the evening, including a Padrón 60th.
Arturo Fuente: OpusX 25 Years Toro
Full Details: Fuente Fuente OpusX 25 Toro
Padrón Black Box-Pressed Toro
Full Details: Padrón Rare Finds Titans of Tobacco Collection
La Flor Dominicana: LFD 30 Years Toro
Full Details: La Flor Dominicana Rare Finds Titans of Tobacco Collection
Kelner Cigars Factory: Kelner 80th Toro
Full Details: Kelner Rare Finds Titans of Tobacco Collection Announced | Cigar News
Tabacalera Díaz Cabrera: Rare Finds Toro
Full Details: Eladio Diaz Rare Finds Toro
Foundation Cigar Company: 10 Year Aniversario Toro
Full Details: Eladio Diaz Rare Finds Toro
The Entertainment
Entertainment included both live music and aqua bubble performers. Thank you to The Tobacconist of Greenwich for keeping the live music volume at a manageable level where you can have a conversation.
I think this was the first time I ever saw Aqua Bubble performers. This was pretty cool.
The Food
Unfortunately, I didn’t capture pictures of the actual food at dinner, but the menu was truly world-class and it delivered.
Pizza was being made outside the entrance to the experience. I did manage to grab a photo there.
The final product was excellent!
The Wine
Each table featured special Titans of Tobacco-branded wines. Each bottle featured an image of one of the Titans. All of the wines were the same – a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley in California.
Titans of Tobacco is also selling a limited number of wines from the collection on its website. There are six bottles in the collection, and each contains one of the Titans on the label.
The Speech
One of the highlights of the 2026 Titans of Tobacco Experience was a speech given by Carlito Fuente, Litto Gomez, and Jorge Padrón. Carlito was asked to come to the stage and, in turn, asked Litto and Jorge to join him. These three gentlemen played a key role in forming the CRA and spent considerable time discussing important issues. They delivered an impassioned speech emphasizing the significance of advocating for cigar rights and freedom.
The Notebook
Here are my personal notes from the experience:
- The 2026 Titans of Tobacco Experience was a perfect example of a well-organized experiential event. It was thoughtfully planned and executed.
- The event was filled with activities and engagement, which was inspiring to see, especially in a time when many events are marketed as “huge successes” despite being nearly empty.
- This isn’t the only major charity experience being hosted by The Tobacconist of Greenwich. On October 7, the retailer will host the 2026 Opus Xodus experience with proceeds benefiting The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation.
- Offering pizza outside the experience was a great thing. It was the little things that made this experience special.
- From 1997 to 1999, I had a residence in Stamford, CT, the next town over from Greenwich. It had been 26 years since I spent any time in this area, so it was fun to go back. Back then, I didn’t smoke cigars, so this was my first time at The Tobacconist of Greenwich.
- I would definitely recommend getting into Greenwich at least one day before any future experience events like this one. The Pre-Game at The Tobacconist of Greenwich enhances the overall experience.
- I’ve been saying for years that The Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) needs to adopt common packaging for its annual exclusive cigar releases. I’ve been told it couldn’t be done. Somehow, The Tobacconist of Greenwich pulled this off – and it was flawless.
- I appreciated the artwork that went into the experience, as well as the cigars and the wine.
- I loved the entrance to the experience. As you walked in, you saw the brands being represented along the red carpet.
Acknowledgements
- The CRA team was also in attendance. This included Executive Director Mike Copperman and Communications Director Cody Carden. I appreciated them talking “shop” with me at the experience and answering my questions.
- Ra’ed Saqfelhait easily traveled the furthest for this experience. He came all the way from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. This shows how far the reach of the Titans of Tobacco extended.
- I had the opportunity to meet many old and new friends for the first time. The crew from X at One Ocean was present, and it was wonderful to meet Peter from The Cigar Collective. I want to give a special shout-out to Skinny Money, whom I met in person and who kindly got me a water when I really needed one. I also want to acknowledge my good friend Darren Conrad, who came up to join in the experience. I spent time with other great people, including Les and Jennifer Mann, Erik Calvino, and many more. I apologize for any names I may have left out.
- Special thanks to The Tobacconist of Greenwich team, including CEO Michael Carfagno and COO Dylan Austin. The whole team made me feel very welcome.
Media Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted.
