J.C. Newman Celebrates the 137th Anniversary of First Cigar Rolled in Tampa By Reintroducing Sanchez y Haya Cigars

Sanchez y Haya Rolled the First Cigar in Tampa on April 13, 1886

One hundred thirty-seven years ago today, Sanchez y Haya rolled the first cigar in Tampa, Florida.  Many others followed, causing Tampa to become known as “Cigar City” and the “Fine Cigar Capital of the World.”  In celebration of this anniversary, J.C. Newman has recreated the original Sanchez y Haya cigars and will reintroduce them at a celebration this evening at Hotel Haya in Ybor City.  Hotel Haya is located on the site of the original Sanchez y Haya cigar factory in Tampa’s Ybor City historic cigar district.

Although Vicente Martinez Ybor decided to build the first cigar factory in Tampa, his friends Serafin Sanchez and Ignacio Haya opened their factory a few weeks before Ybor’s factory was complete.  Because of this, Sanchez y Haya was designated as “Factory No. 1” in Tampa.

Because cigars were much smaller a century ago, J.C. Newman’s recreated Sanchez y Haya cigars are short robustos measuring 4.5” x 50.  Each is hand rolled with either a Sumatra Sungrown or a Oscuro Maduro wrapper and Cuban-seed binder and filler tobaccos, just like Sanchez y Haya used in 1886.  These cigars are sold individually inside vintage Sanchez y Haya cigar boxes with a suggested retail price of $8.  Sanchez y Haya cigars are sold exclusively in Tampa.  In addition to Hotel Haya, they are available at the J.C. Newman Factory Store in the historic El Reloj Cigar factory and other select premium cigar retailers in Cigar City.

J.C. Newman Honors Veterans Day with The American Cigar
 

Each retailer will have a special selection of The American cigars that were rolled with the 2019 crop of Florida Sun Grown wrapper and have been aged for one year.   Each retailer will also be giving away a selection of The American hats and felt pennants, which are also made in the United States.  The grand prize at each store is an authentic Louisville Slugger baseball bat emblazoned with The American shield.

The American is a highly acclaimed medium-bodied cigar.  As J.C. Newman rolls just 160 of them per day, The American is a very special, limited, boutique cigar.  The American received the Cigar Trophy for Best Brand and Cigar from the United States in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

“There is simply no cigar like The American,” said Drew Newman.  “We invite cigar enthusiasts to tour our El Reloj cigar factory in Tampa so that we can show you how we hand roll The American and keep America’s historic cigar-making tradition alive.”

The American Veterans Day Participating Retailers

J.C. Newman Celebrates 127 Years with Cuesta-Rey No. 95 Cameroon
These special cigars are an El Reloj factory exclusive.
 

“After the Cuban Embargo was imposed in 1962, my grandfather, Stanford J. Newman, scoured the world for new types of tobacco. He discovered exquisite African Cameroon Wrapper (ACW) and was the first premium cigar maker to use it in the United States. Stanford wrapped ACW with a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and long filler tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic to create the Cuesta-Rey No. 95. It was smooth, elegant, and flavorful, and became the top-selling premium cigar in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s.  Sixty years later, we are proud to have recreated the original blend of my grandfather’s most famous cigar, the Cuesta-Rey No. 95.”

Before we could start on the major restoration we just completed at our El Reloj Cigar Factory in Tampa, our team had to clear out almost 70 years’ worth of items from the building. During this process, we uncovered some hidden gems.

One of those was a trap door from the 1930s with a secret staircase that went from the General Managers’ office down into the basement where he could hide when the Tampa Mafia would come through looking for payroll cash. Another was J.C.’s travel trunk that accompanied him on his voyage from Hungary to Cleveland in 1889. But perhaps the most exciting find for fans of our brands was a stash of 10-year-old Brick House cigars that was tucked away in the basement years ago to age and wait for a special occasion to arise. When we rediscovered them during our 125th year, we thought that sharing them with our TAA retailers would be a perfect fit.

Fans of Brick House will recognize the flavor of its distinctive blend but will taste some notable differences in this aged version. The many years that have passed since these were rolled have created a smooth and balanced taste that only time has the ability to do. Through the aging process, the flavors have married and created a cigar more mellow and a bit less spicy than its contemporary counterpart. Discover a taste of history and savor this once-in-a-decade Brick House. 

This cigar has now shipped and will be arriving on TAA Retailers’ shelves soon.

Brick House Beginnings – TAA Exclusive Original Aged Blend
Mighty Mighty Maduro (6 ¼” x 60)
10 cigars per box
$9.80
 
Mighty Mighty Natural (6 ¼” x 60)
10 cigars per box
$9.80
 
Churchill Natural (7 ¼ x 50)
10 cigars per box
$9.60

Brick House Beginnings Retailers