What began in 2013 as a test blend marketed at cigar shops in New Mexico, Texas and Maryland, KILO was a labor of love for Barry Stein and was originally made at La Aurora in the Dominican Republic. Originally the Director of Social Media for Miami Cigar & Company, he parted ways with them in the spring of 2014 when he relocated to New Hampshire to work for David Garofalo. As a parting gift for his service to the company, they allowed him to keep the trademark KILO.
Today, KILO is set to launch nationwide via United Cigar Group but it isn’t the same cigar that debuted at Primo Cigar Shop in Sante Fe, New Mexico in September of 2013. The cigar, which is available in 18 count boxes, is available as a 5 x 50 Robusto ($9.00 MSRP) and 6 x 52 Toro ($9.50) and will be made in Nicaragua by Noel Rojas who owns Guayacan Cigars.
According to Barry Stein who blended KILO, “I always wanted to work with Noel but my former employers were already locked into a factory in Nicaragua. Noel was one of the first friends I made in Miami and he taught me a lot about tobacco and blending that complimented what I learned at La Aurora from their master blender, Manuel Inoa. When the original KILO came out, Noel and I brainstormed on some tweaks to the blend that take the cigar to the next level and I am happy to bring this to cigar smokers via United Cigar Group.”
KILO features an Ecuador Habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan Corojo 2006 binder. The filler contains 3 different variations of ligero is aged for three years and come from Rojas’s farms in Nicaragua and from Aganorsa. According to Noel Rojas, “Having known Barry since his days in Miami and playing numerous games of dominoes we discussed KILO many times. I am very happy to finally be working with him and am honored to have my factory play a role in making his dream come true.”
KILO will make its debut at the Selected Tobacco booth 17719 at IPCPR in New Orleans,Louisiana on July 18th 2015.
About United Cigar Group
United Cigar Group is the distributor for all Selected Tobacco’s brands; Atabey, Byron and Bandolero in the United States as well as the Garofalo, Fleur de la Reine, La Gianna and KILO. They can be found on the web at www.unitedcigargroup.com
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