J.C. Newman has announced a special cigar project, made in collaboration with the LeRoy Neiman and the Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation. The luxury cigars, dubbed LeRoy Neiman 2023 Collector’s Edition, pay tribute to the late, iconic, cigar-smoking American artist, LeRoy Neiman.
“Art has been an integral part of the cigar industry for more than 150 years,” said Drew Newman, fourth-generation owner of J.C. Newman. “No artist is more famous for creating his work while enjoying fine cigars than LeRoy Neiman. It is a true privilege to honor LeRoy’s legacy by creating this one-of-a-kind cigar.”
“LeRoy Neiman embodied a richly textured blend of creativity, passion, and exuberance, which found expression in his iconic artwork and a signature appreciation for fine cigars,” said Tara Zabor, LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation Executive Director. “He was the quintessential artist who understood the intricate dance between culture, taste, and craftsmanship. His fondness for cigars was more than just a habit; it was an intrinsic part of his persona, a ritual that paralleled his artistic process—taking time to savor, to contemplate, and to create.”
Like other super-premiums from J.C. Newman of late, the LeRoy Neiman 2023 Collector’s Edition was rolled out of the company’s newly refurbished El Reloj factory in Tampa’s historic Ybor City. The 2023 release was limited to 10,000 cigars, offered in a single 6″ x 52 toro format. The blend includes a Havana rosado wrapper, a Florida Sun Grown binder, and a blend of aged filler tobaccos from Latin America. Packaged in 500 cabinets of 20 cigars ($20/cigar MSRP), LeRoy Neiman Collector’s Edition arrives with LeRoy Neiman artwork throughout the presentation, including an authentic lithograph of his 1978 painting “Irish-American Bar” (which is also found on the cigar’s sleeve) and an image of Neiman’s paint-splattered New York City studio floor.
J.C. Newman and the Foundation will be donating all profits from this collaboration to support arts education in Tampa’s public schools, including those surrounding the El Reloj cigar factory. LeRoy Neiman 2023 Collector’s Edition cigars are currently aging in the basement of El Reloj, and will be on display at this week’s PCA trade show in Las Vegas before shipping later this November.
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