Cigar Coop Prime Time Show

Topper Cigar Company is a regular stop for the Cigar Coop Coalition team at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, and 2025 was no exception. Last year, Topper Cigar Company made a significant release with the Topper 1894 line, a cigar celebrating its 130th anniversary. This release came just three years after the company launched its 125th-anniversary cigar. The reason for this accelerat...

Topper Cigar Company is a regular stop for the Cigar Coop Coalition team at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, and 2025 was no exception. Last year, Topper Cigar Company made a significant release with the Topper 1894 line, a cigar celebrating its 130th anniversary. This release came just three years after the company launched its 125th-anniversary cigar. The reason for this accelerat...

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show saw Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. go back to its roots with its two new releases.  Over the past decade, Oscar Valladares has built a significant factory and farming operation in Honduras. One of the first people Valladares started working with was Jim Robinson, a Pittsburgh retailer. That project would be the Leaf by Oscar. Subsequently, Va...

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show saw Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. go back to its roots with its two new releases.  Over the past decade, Oscar Valladares has built a significant factory and farming operation in Honduras. One of the first people Valladares started working with was Jim Robinson, a Pittsburgh retailer. That project would be the Leaf by Oscar. Subsequently, Va...

For Prime Time Episode 342, we are honored to welcome back the Artesano Del Tobacco guys, Billy and Gus Fakih. Billy and Gus are the folks behind the brands of Artesano Del Tobacco. This includes Viva La Vida and El Pulpo. It’s been a little while since we last had them for a full show, and tonight we will get updates on the latest on what’s happening. Plus we will have our special “Under the Sea”...

For Prime Time Episode 342, we are honored to welcome back the Artesano Del Tobacco guys, Billy and Gus Fakih. Billy and Gus are the folks behind the brands of Artesano Del Tobacco. This includes Viva La Vida and El Pulpo. It’s been a little while since we last had them for a full show, and tonight we will get updates on the latest on what’s happening. Plus we will have our special “Under the Sea”...

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA Trade Show marked the third consecutive one for Serafin de Cuba. This year, Serafin de Cuba introduced a new limited-edition cigar. Unfortunately, before the Trade Show, they had to swiftly rebrand this product to Reserva 2506 to avoid a potential trademark issue. Fortunately, Serafin de Cuba completed the rebranding and was able to highlight this new releas...

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA Trade Show marked the third consecutive one for Serafin de Cuba. This year, Serafin de Cuba introduced a new limited-edition cigar. Unfortunately, before the Trade Show, they had to swiftly rebrand this product to Reserva 2506 to avoid a potential trademark issue. Fortunately, Serafin de Cuba completed the rebranding and was able to highlight this new releas...

Aganorsa Leaf consistently brings fresh surprises to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, and 2025 was no different. This year, they unveiled two exciting releases centered around two of their most prominent brands: JFR and Supreme Leaf. The JFR brand is marking its 20th Anniversary, and to celebrate this significant milestone, a new regular production line has been launched. Meanwhile,...

Aganorsa Leaf consistently brings fresh surprises to the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, and 2025 was no different. This year, they unveiled two exciting releases centered around two of their most prominent brands: JFR and Supreme Leaf. The JFR brand is marking its 20th Anniversary, and to celebrate this significant milestone, a new regular production line has been launched. Meanwhile,...

One company that was not a cigar company we visited at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was Abbina Craft Sipping Soda. Abbina (Italian for “to match” or “to combine”) Craft Sipping Soda was created by Charlie Albanetti, who sought a more interesting non-alcoholic beverage pairing for cigars than other commercially available sodas. The company emphasizes that Abbina’s unique flav...

One company that was not a cigar company we visited at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was Abbina Craft Sipping Soda. Abbina (Italian for “to match” or “to combine”) Craft Sipping Soda was created by Charlie Albanetti, who sought a more interesting non-alcoholic beverage pairing for cigars than other commercially available sodas. The company emphasizes that Abbina’s unique flav...

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show marked a unique year for AJ Fernandez Cigar Company. Naturally, everyone's thoughts were with the company following the recent factory fire that occurred a few weeks prior. Despite this challenge, the company had several intriguing releases to showcase. First, they celebrated the tenth anniversary of the New World brand with a special commemorati...

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show marked a unique year for AJ Fernandez Cigar Company. Naturally, everyone's thoughts were with the company following the recent factory fire that occurred a few weeks prior. Despite this challenge, the company had several intriguing releases to showcase. First, they celebrated the tenth anniversary of the New World brand with a special commemorati...

While not a new exhibitor at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, JM Tobacco was a first-time visit for the Cigar Coop Coalition team. Last year, Kevin Shahan of Cigar Prop warmly introduced JM's President, Anto Mahourkian, to our team. JM Tobacco is a company that has achieved success in the value-priced cigar market, but more recently, they have been expanding their premium brand...

While not a new exhibitor at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, JM Tobacco was a first-time visit for the Cigar Coop Coalition team. Last year, Kevin Shahan of Cigar Prop warmly introduced JM's President, Anto Mahourkian, to our team. JM Tobacco is a company that has achieved success in the value-priced cigar market, but more recently, they have been expanding their premium brand...

The Oveja Negra Brands booth at the  Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was bustling with activity in 2025, as always. While our interview couldn't capture all the excitement happening there, it was anything but slow. A major highlight is that Black Works Studio is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a series of special releases. Additionally, Black Label Trading Company and Emilio are...

The Oveja Negra Brands booth at the  Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was bustling with activity in 2025, as always. While our interview couldn't capture all the excitement happening there, it was anything but slow. A major highlight is that Black Works Studio is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a series of special releases. Additionally, Black Label Trading Company and Emilio are...

  On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 160, we look at the Last 25 Years in Music. Basically the year 2025 starts the second quarter of this century. In this episode, we look back at the first quarter of this century – 2000 to 2024 (the last 25 years) and we look at the trends, artists, and innovations from the world of music that shaped that first quarter century. Plus, we’ve got music news, cigar news,...

On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 160, we look at the Last 25 Years in Music. Basically the year 2025 starts the second quarter of this century. In this episode, we look back at the first quarter of this century – 2000 to 2024 (the last 25 years) and we look at the trends, artists, and innovations from the world of music that shaped that first quarter century. Plus, we’ve got music news, cigar news, N...

One of the more interesting stories behind a cigar release at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show came from Black Star Line Cigars. The cigar is called Meadowood, MLK, and it's a cigar that pays homage to Martin Luther King. Meadowood was a tobacco farm located in Simsbury, Connecticut, owned by the Cullman Brothers. Before attending college, King worked at this farm, where he foun...

One of the more interesting stories behind a cigar release at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show came from Black Star Line Cigars. The cigar is called Meadowood, MLK, and it's a cigar that pays homage to Martin Luther King. Meadowood was a tobacco farm located in Simsbury, Connecticut, owned by the Cullman Brothers. Before attending college, King worked at this farm, where he foun...

When thinking about C.L.E. Cigar Company's theme for the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show , one word came to mind - smorgasbord. There was a little bit of everything going on at C.L.E. across the company's three brands: C.L.E., Asylum, and Eiroa. There were new lines, reblends, rebrands, innovative packaging, and a flavored cigar. However, all these releases dwarfed Asylum's 134 x 1...

When thinking about C.L.E. Cigar Company's theme for the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show , one word came to mind - smorgasbord. There was a little bit of everything going on at C.L.E. across the company's three brands: C.L.E., Asylum, and Eiroa. There were new lines, reblends, rebrands, innovative packaging, and a flavored cigar. However, all these releases dwarfed Asylum's 134 x 1...

Didier Cigars is a newcomer to the U.S. market and the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Founded by Didier Lazare Benitah, born in France and now residing in Miami, the brand draws inspiration from the fashion industry, where Didier worked for several decades. He brings the concept of Haute Couture to the cigar industry. Haute Couture refers to exclusive, custom-fitted clothing foun...