In an industry where just about every brand is trying to
grab your attention with loud labels, outrageous names, ginormous sizes, and
exotic blends, it’s refreshing to see a cigar brand that just wants to create a
great cigar. La Palina Cigars is just that brand.
Founded in 1896 by Sam Paley as the Congress Cigar Company
in Chicago, Illinois, the nascent company’s first cigar was the called the “La
Palina” which was named after the founder’s wife, Goldie Drell Paley. In 1910,
Sam Paley moved the company to Philadelphia. Soon after, his son, William S.
Paley joined the company as its Vice President of Advertising.
William S. Paley sponsored a radio show called “The La
Palina Hour.” The sponsorship helped increase cigar sales. It also got William
S. Paley more and more involved in the broadcast industry. After acquiring a
few radio stations, William Paley went on to become the founder of the Columbia
Broadcasting System, better known by its acronym CBS. Sam Paley eventually
retired and the La Palina Cigar line was retired too. But not for long.
Sam’s grandson, William C. Paley, aka as Bill, a successful serial
entrepreneur, had a strong desire to bring back an important part of his
family’s rich history. In 2010, Bill was able to reacquire the rights to the La
Palina Cigars. Armed with a hand-picked dream team of cigar industry
heavyweights, Bill has not only been able to resurrect, but restore La Palina
Cigars to the well-renowned brand it was over 120 years ago.
Recently, Sam Phillips, President of La Palina Cigars, along
with Patrick Vivalo, his Regional Sales Manager visited Neptune Cigars’ Little
Havana store, and sat down with me for a little Q&A.
Neptune: So Sam, tell why do you think Bill Paley wanted to
revive the La Palina brand?
Sam: It was a simply a matter of wanting to return to his
family’s roots. Bill’s father had become a broadcasting giant made possible in
part by his grandfather’s success in the cigar business. Bill also wanted to
bring back the fine art of crafting a great cigar. It was all about family
pride.
Neptune: La Palina that’s an interesting name. How did it
come about?
Sam: The founder named the cigar in honor of his wife Goldie
Drell Paley. It literally means, “The female Paley”. Goldie’s image appears on
the cigar bands and boxes. The Goldie cigar was also named in honor of Bill
Paley’s grandmother.
Neptune: What is La Palina’s focus?
Sam: La Palina Cigars is not interested in how many cigars
we make or how many we sell. At La Palina Cigars, our goal is create a great
cigar.
Neptune: A lot of cigar brands work with only one or two
factories. Or they are vertically integrated, meaning the company owns the
farm, the factory and the brand. How does La Palina compare to the other guys?
Sam: We believe that by working with only one farm or
factory limits you in the assortment of cigars you can offer your customers. La
Palina works with various manufacturers from Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican
Republic and the United States. For example, the Mr. Sam cigar (named after La
Palina founder Sam Paley) is made in El Titan de Bronze Cigar Manufacturer
right here in Miami, Florida which is not too far from Neptune’s Little Havana
location. The La Palina
Nicaragua Oscuro is made in Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez. The point is by
working with various factories we are able to offer a greater variety of flavor
profiles.
Neptune: Speaking of flavor. What can you tell us about La
Palina’s flavor profiles?
Sam: We blend for flavor first. When creating a new cigar,
we first determine the flavor profile before anything else. We work in steps.
We don’t want to create cigars that are so similar in flavor and price that
they start to compete with each other. La Palina does not release a cigar just
to release a new cigar. What we’ve done in refocusing the company is to create
steps in flavor profiles while keeping the consumer in mind. For example, La
Palina Goldie is a premium cigar that is perfect for special occasions. The La
Palina Classic is a great cigar for everyday smokers or budget minded cigar
lovers. As you can see, we have something for everyone.
Neptune: How about strength?
Sam: La Palina is more focused on flavor than strength.
Except of course for the Kill Bill cigar.
Neptune: The Kill Bill cigar? Is that a nod to the Quentin Tarantino movie?
Sam: On the contrary. When the La Palina El Diario KB was
being developed, the initial blend was so strong that when Bill Paley tried it
thought it was going to kill him. So we jokingly referred to it as the Kill
Bill, the name stuck.
Neptune: Most cigar brands lean towards creating bold and
elaborate packaging. La Palina’s packaging stands out as being subtle. Why?
Sam: La Palina is all about the cigar. When it comes to
packaging, we like to keep things clean. We’re not too big on fluff.
Neptune: So are there any new releases in the horizon?
Patrick: Yes. During IPCPR 2018, we released the TAA limited
edition La Palina Blue Label which is a medium bodied cigar that is packed with
flavor. Since Neptune Cigars is a member of the Tobacconists Association of
America, your customers will be able to enjoy this delightful cigar. We are
also doing a pre-release of the La Palina Purple Label which will be available
through Neptune Cigars.
Neptune: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Sam: La Palina is making some really great cigars, and we’re
having a great time making them.
Patrick: We’re proud
of what we’re doing, and we hope that people give us a shot.