(TAMBORIL, DO) – EL Artista Cigars announces a new line extension for the David Ortiz line of cigars. “David’s brand recognition is growing across many of his projects,” states Radhames ‘Ram’ Rodriguez, President of El Artista Cigars, “and over the last 3 years we have seen good growth in the Big Papi cigar line and we want cigar fans to have something new”.
Titled “The Slugger” after Ortiz’s signature Home Run style, the new brand is stronger and larger than its predecessor. The new blend features a stippled deep brown San Andres maduro wrapper, flavorful Dominican Negrito binder, and fillers from Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and US. In contrast to the first Ortiz Project, Big Papi, which was a medium blend, The Slugger includes several ligero tobaccos for a noticeably stronger smoke.
Developed by El Artista Cigars in conjunction with Ortiz, the blend was created as a response to Big Papi fan and retailer requests, “We have hosted dozens of events with Big Papi since 2016 and gathered a lot of feedback from fans about what the next blend should be like.” Says Kevin Newman Director of Sales & Marketing for El Artista Cigars, “Our Big Papi fans asked us to increase the power for the next blend; we not only increased the strength but made a bigger cigar packed with even more flavor”. At a recent press conference David Ortiz quipped: “I wanted a cigar size that better fits in my big hands, something that is big like me”.
The Slugger comes in one size: Gordo XL, 60×7”. Fans of the original Big Papi blend will recognize the handsome red and white Big Papi band on The Slugger, which is adorned with a contrasting navy-blue foot ribbon. Twenty cigars come in a beautiful blue and white piano-finished box. Retail priced at $12.50 per cigar.
World-wide launch of “The Slugger” is set for the 87th Annual IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas and El Artista expects to ship orders starting the second week of July, 2019.
ABOUT EL ARTISTA CIGARS
Tabacalera El Artista S.R.L. started operations in Tamboril, Dominican Republic in 1956. Today TEA is one of the nation’s largest producers of premium cigars. TEA produces millions of cigars each year and distributes throughout Europe, Canada, United States, and Asia. Additionally, TEA manages farms in the Caribbean and South America where it grows premium tobacco leaf which it utilizes in its proprietary blends as well as sells to top cigar manufacturers in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Dominican Republic.
