J.C. Newman Cigar Co. is shipping the first release of Tampa Smokers

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 photo of the 1947 Tampa Smokers team from the Smithsonian Institution.

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.

J.C. Newman launched Tampa Smokers last month at a sold-out event with 150 cigar-loving baseball enthusiasts and local baseball celebrities at the Tampa Baseball Museum.  Fox 13 Tampa Bay also aired a story highlighting our new Tampa Smokers cigars and the deep connection between baseball and cigars in Tampa.