Casa Carrillo will mark Veterans Day with a limited release called Battleborn Warriors, a 6″ x 56 cigar inspired by decorated U.S. Navy veteran and longtime company team member Lionel H. McKoy. The project draws on McKoy’s two decades of service aboard carriers including the USS Midway, USS Forrestal, and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm.
“Lionel is part of our family. He served our country for twenty years, carried responsibilities most of us will never know, and then came here to work alongside us. I’ll never forget my first conversation with him about his time in service. At one point, he got emotional and a tear ran down his face. In that moment, I knew I was in the presence of a true hero — and Battleborn was conceived right then.” — Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III
The cigar uses a USA Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over Mexican and Nicaraguan binders with Nicaraguan fillers. The run is capped at 2,500 numbered boxes of 20, each packaged with a Battleborn logo dog tag. MSRP is $22 per cigar, with broader shipping scheduled for mid-October.
“Serving on carriers like the Eisenhower, Midway, and Forrestal during Desert Storm and the Gulf War shaped who I am. To see a cigar created in honor of that journey — and to know it will help other veterans — means more than I can put into words.” — Lionel H. McKoy
Casa Carrillo says the rollout includes retailer events benefiting organizations that support veterans and first responders. The first stop is Finck’s Lone Star Cigar Bash in San Antonio, TX on Sept. 20, 2025, where the company plans a pre-release and a $6,000 donation from box sales to the Fisher House Foundation.
“Through Carrillo Cares, we’ve always believed our company should give back. To date, our contributions through this initiative are over $200,000. Our partnership with Els for Autism was the beginning. Battleborn is a natural extension of that — using our craft not only to honor veterans like Lionel but to support organizations that make a difference in their lives.” — Lissette Perez-Carrillo
“I’ve been making blends for 55 years, but this one felt different. Battleborn is not just about tobacco — it’s about respect rolled into every leaf. It’s our way of saying thank you.” — Ernesto Perez-Carrillo
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