Rick Rodriguez and Luciano Meirelles, have joined forces to unveil a collaboration cigar. This partnership has been eagerly awaited by the Kentucky cigar community, and its release at the esteemed “My Old Kentucky Herf” event has left enthusiasts in awe. The limited-edition cigar is exclusively available nationwide and distributed by “My Old Kentucky Herf” (Fatash Cigar cigars and lounge).
Dwight Adkins, co-owner of Fatash and My Old Kentucky Herf, expressed his delight, stating, “Luciano Meirelles and Ricky Rodriguez have been strong supporters of our endeavors from day one, and their presence has always been cherished by our community. We are truly honored that they chose us to release this exceptional collaboration. I’m still speechless; it’s a dream come true.”
The collaboration between Rick Rodriguez, co-founder of West Tampa Tobacco, and Luciano Meirelles of Luciano Cigars came to fruition during a spontaneous visit to Esteli, Nicaragua. Rick Rodriguez, mesmerized by the exceptional variety of rare and hard-to-find tobaccos stocked by Luciano, proposed an extraordinary idea: to create something together that would be unique, rare, and exquisitely limited.
During the event both artists shared their experience working together: “Luciano’s tobacco collection, featuring tabacos from Brazil, Connecticut, Ecuador, and Nicaraguan cold-fermented tobaccos from the finest years, was like being in tobacco Disneyland for me,” said Ricky Rodriguez, Co-Founder of West Tampa.
The deep friendship between the two master blenders was further strengthened by their shared connection with Dwight and Shannon Adkins, owners of FatAsh Cigars. The annual “My Old Kentucky Herf” event, initiated by Dwight and Shannon, provided a platform for Ricky and Luciano to bond over their passion for cigars. This event became a resounding success, celebrated for its lively music, vibrant ambiance, premium bourbons, and unforgettable festivities.
“In our last encounter, we had already discussed the idea of creating something special for ‘My Old Kentucky Herf’ as a tribute to Dwight, Shannon, and the entire Fatash family. However, with Ricky’s visit to our pre-industry earlier this year, the idea was reignited. We decided to craft a cigar where Ricky would curate the tobaccos, and I would blend the first prototype,” shared Luciano Meirelles, co-owner of Luciano Cigars.
After two months of meticulous craftsmanship, “The Maker” was born. The cigar, personally signed by both artists, boasts a Broadleaf Ecuadorian Hybrid Wrapper, Brazilian Matafina (2018) and Nicaraguan “Chincagre” binders, and fillers sourced from Brazil (Arapiraca 2016), Pueblo Nuevo (2019), Jalapa (2019), and Mexican San Andrés (2016). The size of the cigar is 5 1/4 x 54, delivering a rare flavor profile where sweetness, aroma, and strength are perfectly balanced.
“The Maker” is exclusively available at Fatash Cigar who is shipping nationwide, with only 200 boxes of 10 cigars each released. During the “My Old Kentucky Herf” event, 100 boxes were made available and immediately sold out, An additional 100 boxes are being released today, resulting in a total of 2,000 cigars.
