This is cool. The 601 Black os one of the most under-rated of Pepin's cigars, imvho, and the strongest Connecticut stick I've ever had. Fortunately I stocked up before they disappeared (and they age very well!).
News: 601 Black Returns as West Coast Cigars’ Evil Clown
The 601 Black is back with a new name and a new location. West Coast Cigars of San Jose, CA is the store and Evil Clown is the name.
The cigars arrived at the store Saturday morning, prompting owner Bill Davis to post these photos on the store’s website, saying that he “feels like a kid on Christmas morning!” Davis is releasing the cigars today, Super Bowl Sunday, which serves as the sixth anniversary of West Coast Cigars.
According to Davis, the Evil Clown is the original 601 Black that was discontinued in the summer of 2010. When news of its demise came out, Davis said he went to Eddie Ortega and inquired about turning that cigar into his own private label, saying that “the 601 Black was one of my favorite Connecticut wrapped smokes.” The recently departed Eddie Ortega confirmed that these Evil Clown is in fact the 601 Black.
The cigar is available in bundles of 20 and comes in three sizes:
- 6 x 50 Toro — $8.99
- 5 x 50 Robusto — $7.99
- 6 1/4 x 52 Torpedo — $9.49
The band features the Evil Clown logo that has become synonymous with West Coast Cigars in recent years. Davis said that the origin of the name is fairly simple: “It’s a take on my personality – I’m a jokester and like to have fun, and I can be evil at times.” He also has a tattoo of the Evil Clown on his leg. “It just kind of blew up, people seem to dig it,” Davis said.
The initial run of the Evil Clown is 100 boxes of 20, though some issues held up the production of the boxes, so the first shipment consisted of 30 bundles of 20. Davis expects the remaining 70 boxes to be arriving in the coming weeks. Currently, the cigars are being sold in-store only, but Davis will take phone orders as soon as the second batch arrives.
Davis is also the owner of Knickerbockers Cigars in Menlo Park, CA.
[...] 601 Black Returns as House Brand for West Coast Cigars — Details about the Evil Clown here. [...]