Quesada Cigars is celebrating fifteen years of the Casa Magna Colorado brand with a limited-edition Casa Magna XV Anniversary cigar debuting at PCA 2023, in Las Vegas. 

Celebrating the milestone of their brand, Casa Magna brings a handcrafted limited-edition cigar to perfection in honor of the craftsmanship, passion, and dedication that have made Casa Magna cigars a favorite among cigar enthusiasts and fans of the brand. 

“Raquel and I started working on this project with the factory team last summer. We knew since day one what we wanted but took us a while to figure it out. Sometimes a project comes to life as fast as the first blend thought in mind, and this was not the case.” Said Manolo Quesada. “We were looking for specific flavors, something richer and with a more complex taste but in the same Casa Magna blending style.” Said Raquel Quesada. 

“Back in 2008 we came out with a cigar that set the standard for a full flavor cigar. This limited-edition cigar is a tribute of our commitment to find new avenues to pleasure. In blending differently the regions of Nicaragua with a new approach, we came up with a cigar that brings distinctive flavors and nuances and crafted a new addition to the Casa Magna family of cigars.” Said Manolo Quesada 

The Casa Magna XV Anniversary will be available to customers by this summer and an allocation program will start June 1st for the US Market. “Being part of such a milestone for the Quesada family is a great honor. The Casa Magna XV has distinctive flavors and nuances, blended in the Casa Magna style with an amazing presentation. Boxes will be a collector’s item.” Said Hector Becerra, National Sales Manager. 

Box of 15 – Casa Magna XV Anniversary – 6 x 54 – MSRP $15.00 / Cigar Total boxes = 3,500

Wrapper: Habano 2000, Ecuador
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Manufacturer: Tabacos de Exportación, INC (TABADEX), Dominican Republic. 

500 boxes of the total production are heading to the European market with their distributor partner Longfiller Company in the Netherlands. 

Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) announces today that the company has expanded its Forged Cigar Company and General Cigar Company field sales organizations to include new senior leadership positions and new sales territories to provide stronger customer service and support its growing brand portfolio.

Gene Richter, Vice President of Sales for STG North America said, ”As we integrate the Alec Bradley cigar brands and continue to grow STG’s handmade cigar portfolio, we are taking proactive steps to ensure we are well-positioned to support our brands now and into the future. With a larger team and increased coverage, we will be better equipped to serve the demands of our valued retail partners.”

The Forged Cigar Company sales organization has been expanded to include two new leadership roles and five new selling territories. Michael Serota, former head of sales for Alec Bradley, will assume his new role as Forged Cigar Company’s South Region Sales Manager. He will oversee six sales representatives including two new hires, and report to Sean Hardiman, National Sales Manager of Field Sales. Michael had been with Alec Bradley for twelve years during which time he developed strong relationships with the trade and advanced his career through roles of increased responsibility in the company’s sales organization. Among those reporting to Michael are Jeremy Lemke and Jedidiah Jocelyn, high-performing sales professionals who joined Forged Cigar Company from the Alec Bradley cigar business and have been appointed to Account Representative roles. Jeremy is a cigar industry veteran who began working in the category in 2008. He has spent six years in premium cigars, the last two of which were in a sales role with Alec Bradley. He will oversee the state of Illinois for Forged Cigar Company. Jedidiah is a rising star who spent two years developing relationships in the handmade cigar category while a member of the Alec Bradley sales team. He will call on accounts in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tenneessee.

John Troiano, a former sales representative of Alec Bradley has been recruited to join Forged Cigar Company as an Account Representative in a newly-established Upstate New York territory. John has a long tenure in the business, having spent 18 years at a premium cigar brand before moving to Alec Bradley five years ago. He is joined by fellow Alec Bradley sales team alumnus Ryan Ponist who also comes to the Forged Cigar Company from Alec Bradley. Ryan spent the past eight years in field sales for Alec Bradley and in his new role as Account Representative for Forged Cigar Company will oversee Western Pennsylvania and Ohio. Both John and Ryan will report to Sean Hardiman. 

To deliver increased support on the General Cigar Company portfolio, STG has appointed David Mealey to a new role of National Sales Manager, Field Sales, reporting to Gene Richter. David joined STG in 2021 from Nat Sherman and has consistently demonstrated strong leadership skills, with an ability to deepen relationships with the trade.

Additionally, two former Alec Bradley sales team members, John Vinaccia and Jarid Casebolt have recently accepted positions as Premium Sales Managers with the General Cigar Field Sales Team in the Western Region, reporting to Michael Radecki, West Region Sales Manager. John spent three years with Alec Bradley and the two years prior with another premium brand before joining General Cigar where he is focused on the Southern California market. Jarid worked for Alec Bradley on the inside sales support team for two years before joining General Cigar. His sales territory includes Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. 

Tabacalera presents exclusively for the Spanish market the 5th special edition of Tauromaquia, a tribute to the great bullfighter Mazzantini by Montecristo No. 2.

This new special edition of Tauromaquia, exclusive for the Spanish market, pays tribute to the Spanish bullfighter -of Italian father and Basque mother- José Luis Mazzantini y Eguía, also known as “the king of the volapié”, remembered for his style and skill in his thrusts, as well as for having succeeded in introducing the drawing of the bulls, since until then the main matador could choose the bulls he wished to fight. His name is the origin of the expression “ni Masantín el torero”, very popular and used on the island of Cuba, which refers to the challenge of achieving great victories, of courage and daring, worthy of the world of bullfighting. 

Tauromaquia and Mazzantini reaffirms the historic relationship between Habanos and bullfighting. The brand and vitola chosen for this 5th edition is Montecristo No. 2 (52 ring gauge and 156 mm in length, vitola de galera Pirámides). This special edition consists of 1,000 numbered boxes, carefully presented in a lacquered wooden case featuring an evocative illustration of the bullfighter. The cigars have a special ring at the foot in homage to the figure of Mazzantini and the art of bullfighting. 

Tauromaquia y Mazzantini Montecristo No. 2 can be found in Spanish tobacconists at a price of €30/cigar and €300/box of 10 cigars.

Originally posted on April 27, 2023 @ 11:17 pm