La Aurora Debuts Fuerte Sol - the first edition of the Family Creed Series
La Aurora USA has announced the La Aurora Fuerte Sol, the first edition of the Family Creed Series. Just as the sun represents power and endurance, “Fuerte Sol” captures the strength and resilience inherent in the León family values. The León Family, founders of La Aurora cigars, have built a legacy on their unwavering commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and tradition. The reason can be found in the León Family Creed, a set of principles that has guided, and continues to guide, every León family member. Each blend in this series takes its name directly from the Family Creed.
“The Family Creed Series is a new commitment to the U.S. market as we continue to innovate and listen to our consumers, as well as stay true to the Family Creed that has led our business for decades,” Said Guillermo León, President of La Aurora. “To honor our family creed, we are launching a new cigar blend line that embodies the very essence of our legacy. This collection is not just a tribute to our past but a statement about our future—crafted with precision, sourced from the finest tobaccos, and blended with an understanding of both tradition and the evolving tastes of the modern connoisseur. Innovation and persistence were the keystones of this creation, as we refined every detail to ensure a cigar that speaks to both heritage and progress. Through this line, we are not just offering a product; we are shaping the future of our company, proving that legacy is not about standing still, but about continuously setting new standards for excellence.”
La Aurora Fuerte Sol seamlessly blends traditional craftsmanship with innovative techniques, honoring the Leon family’s heritage while meeting the evolving tastes of modern cigar enthusiasts. This medium-full strength cigar is a bold testament to their unyielding commitment to excellence. For the first time, exclusively at PCA 2025 in New Orleans, La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol will be available to the public in two formats: Box-Pressed Robusto (5x50) and Box-Pressed Toro (5.75x54). A third format is slated for release in Q4 2025: Box-Pressed Gran Toro (6x58).
Fuerte Sol features a complex blend of Pennsylvania, Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua filler tobaccos, wrapped in a dark, oily, Mexican San Andrés wrapper and all harmonized by a Nicaraguan binder providing for notes of spicy cedar, cocoa, toasted nuts, oak, and citrus. The new box-pressed cigar joins the La Aurora portfolio boasting a creamy and sweet smoke with medium to full-bodied strength.
Available in dress boxes of 20 handmade cigars, this first edition of the Family Creed Series will be at PCA and then shipping to retailers in early May. (MSRP: Box-Pressed Robusto - $310/box or $15.50/cigar; Box-Pressed Toro $360/box or $18.00/cigar; Available in Q4 2025 Box-Pressed Gran Toro $370/box or $18.50/cigar).
Treasure Box
La Aurora also shared brand new packaging for La Aurora’s Treasure Box. The Treasure box captures all the best-selling Preferidos blends in the perfecto format. From the smooth Sapphire (Connecticut wrapper) to the decadent Ruby (Maduro wrapper), this will be a gift that is sure to please the most discerning aficionado in your life.
The Preferidos perfectos are each packaged in a beautiful tubo and named after precious gems. The brand-new box provides more details on the entire portfolio and shows off the beauty of the brand. Rolled in the original format that made La Aurora famous, the doble figurado or perfecto, these tubos are entrusted to be rolled only by torcedores with over 15 years of experience. The Treasure Box is complete with six Preferidos blends in Perfecto (5x54) formats: Connecticut (Sapphire), Cameroon (Platinum), Sumatra - Ecuador (Emerald), Connecticut Broadleaf (Diamond), Maduro – Brazil (Ruby), and Corojo – Ecuador (Gold). New packaging for Treasure Box will begin shipping to retailers in early May (MSRP: $171.00 per box).
“The Treasure Box is really the perfect gift for introducing La Aurora to those in the U.S. who may not be familiar with the brand,” said John Ferrigan, National Sales Director. “With a new box that features the blends and better shows off the beautiful tubos, it makes for a great grab-and-go gift whether it’s a family member that knows nothing about cigars, or an aficionado that understands the legacy behind the brand.”
E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company is Proud to Announce its fourth Pledge98 Campaign to Benefit Els for Autism Foundation®.
E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company announces its fourth "Pledge98" campaign benefitting the Els for Autism Foundation. This campaign is set to raise awareness and funds for the non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of people with autism and those who care for them through lifetime services and collaborative partnerships. This is the fourth year in a row for Pledge98, the first few years included several campaigns, events and in-kind donations that raised over $150,000 for the foundation.
In the spirit of the Pledge Prequel earning a 98 rating when it was selected as the Cigar of the Year in 2020, E.P. Carrillo is donating $9.80 per every Pledge Prequel (5x50) box sold in April 2025 which is World Autism Month and as part of the Carrillo Cares initiative. E.P. Carrillo will also be hosting Pledge98 events throughout the country and participating in Els for Autism golf tournaments throughout the year. "Our first three Pledge98 campaigns with Els for Autism surpassed all of our expectations," said Lissette Perez-Carrillo, Co-Owner of E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company. "We hope our fourth campaign will continue to engage the retailers and consumers just as much.”
JC Newman Begins Shipping Tampa Smokers Cigars
Today J.C. Newman Cigar Co. began shipping its new Tampa Smokers cigars to more than 100 cigar retailers around the country. This first release includes boxes of Tampa Smokers cigars handmade by J.C. Newman in Tampa and a baseball-inspired cigar case handcrafted by Brizard in California along with a retro Tampa Smokers cap and a 1947 vintage Tampa Smokers program.
“Baseball and cigars are two of America’s historic pastimes,” said fourth-generation owner Drew Newman. “It is only fitting to celebrate the new baseball season with a special cigar that honors Tampa’s first professional baseball team, the Tampa Smokers.”
A century ago, Tampa was known as the Fine Cigar Capital of the World. The 200 cigar factories in Tampa handcrafted more than 700 million cigars per year. In 1919, Tampa’s first baseball team was named the Tampa Smokers to celebrate its place as Cigar City. Many famous athletes played for the Tampa Smokers, including Al Lopez, who was the son of cigar workers and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Tampa Smokers cigars are handmade in J.C. Newman’s iconic El Reloj cigar factory in Tampa with Ecuadorian Shade wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and filler tobaccos from Latin America where baseball continues to be a favorite pastime. This release includes 500 boxes of 11 Tampa Smokers cigars: ten 6" x 52 toros ($20 SRP) and a 7" baseball bat ($40 SRP). This release also includes 250 limited edition and numbered Tampa Smokers case handcrafted by Brizard in California with authentic leather used on vintage baseball gloves and ash wood that is used in baseball bats. Each case includes three Tampa Smokers toro cigars.
Tampa Smokers cigars are handmade in J.C. Newman’s iconic El Reloj cigar factory in Tampa with Ecuadorian Shade wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and filler tobaccos from Latin America where baseball continues to be a favorite pastime. This release includes 500 boxes of 11 Tampa Smokers cigars: ten 6" x 52 toros ($20 SRP) and a 7" baseball bat ($40 SRP). This release also includes 250 limited edition and numbered Tampa Smokers case handcrafted by Brizard in California with authentic leather used on vintage baseball gloves and ash wood that is used in baseball bats. Each case includes three Tampa Smokers toro cigars.