If you’re a retailer attending this year’s Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) conference, you’ll be eligible to carry The Angel’s Anvil TAA Exclusive 2014, which is a new cigar from Crowned Heads created exclusively for attendees. It’s a 7 1/8 inch by 49 ring gauge Churchill that features a Nicaraguan binder and filler draped in an Ecuador Havana wrapper.
“I didn’t want to just add a new shape to an existing Crowned Heads brand and call it a TAA exclusive,” said brand owner Jon Huber. “This is an actual TAA brand developed specifically for the occasion. Production is limited to 1,000 boxes of 20, and the cigars are available only to the retailers who attend the show.”
The name Angel’s Anvil is based on a story about a fallen angel determined to make his way back into heaven. According to Huber, the wingless, outcast angel wanders the earth until he finds a blacksmith who equips him with a hammer and anvil-the tools necessary to forge new wings. You won’t, however, find this quasi-biblical story in the Old Testament, New Testament or any testament. The tale was penned by Huber himself, who intended it as a metaphor for his own experiences in the cigar business. Formerly of CAO International, Huber was left in a jobless limbo after CAO was acquired in 2010 and the original staff disbanded. The Angel’s Anvil is a tribute to his industry comeback.
Astute observers may notice that The Angel’s Anvil shares its initials with the TAA. The Masonic-looking logo also incorporates a T-square and two drafting compasses to form the letters T, A and A. The Tobacconists’ Association of America is a trade organization established in 1968. Its 46th meeting and convention will be held on March 23 to March 27 at the Sheraton del Mar Golf and Spa Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
The Angel’s Anvil cigar is made in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera La Alianza, along with the core Crowned Heads and Headley Grange brands.
This story first appeared in the March 4 issue of Cigar Insider.
Source: Cigar Aficionado