News: Liga Privada UF-13 Appears at Cigar.com
A small amount of prerelease versions of the Liga Privada Único Serie UF-13s have appeared on the market via Pennsylvania catalog retailer Cigar.com. The cigars were originally slated for the 2012 Cigar.com Gala, a charity event originally scheduled for September, but cancelled due to venue issues.
The 2,000 cigars Drew Estate provided for the event are now being offered for $20.00 $15.00 a piece with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Centro Sor Maria Romero orphanage in Estelí, Nicaragua, the planned beneficiary of the gala. The cigars are prerelease versions of the UF-13, which is slated for formal release later this year. According to Drew Estate CEO Steve Saka, the cigars do not feature the new proprietary head Drew Estate will use for the production 5 1/4 x 52 versions.
Originally the cigar were being sold for $15.00, but Cigar.com made the decision to raise the price in order to make more money for Centro Sor Maria Romero. However, as of Friday evening the cigars are back down to $15.00.
Cigar.com’s Chief Merchant Alex Svenson told halfwheel the cigars are being offered only via phone, but if there are cigars left on Monday, they will be added to Cigar.com’s “Luxury Collection” page on its website.
“We have been actively raising money to build them a new soccer field for the last year and have been doing several different sales initiatives with various vendors to help raise the necessary money,” said Svenson.
Early last year, Svenson wrote the following about the charity:
Several years ago a friend of mine took me to the Centro Sor Maria Romero Orphanage in Esteli, Nicaragua. This facility feeds and educates over 100 young children; including a small residential area which houses 15 girls between the ages of 5 and 13 who, due to horrible circumstances and abuse, are now cared for by the sisters at the orphanage. Walking through the gates, you’re always anxiously greeted by many young and needy children, so much so that your heart literally melts as you realize how a lack of love and care has dramatically affected these young individuals. Needless to say, our wallets are always much lighter leaving the orphanage than when we enter. The Centro Sor Maria Romero Orphanage remains a focal point of charitable giving from cigar makers in Esteli, given its important contributions to the community. For example, the Plasencia family donated the land for the orphanage while the Oliva family constructed the wall that surrounds its property line. Still, there are so many things the sisters need as needs of local children far outweigh the resources. These needs include such daily items as school supplies, medicine and food to much larger projects such as a computer labs and athletic equipment.
The “soft launch” follows Drew Estate’s pattern with new releases. In the past year, the Ratzilla, Feral Flying Pig and Velvet Rat have all been sold in limited quantities at a single retailer before larger releases.
Cigar.com can be reached at 1.800.357.9800.
(Update: The original published version listed the price as $15.00. As noted above, the price was raised to $20.00, but, shortly after 8:00 PM EST Cigar.com lowered the price back to $15.00.)
How the hell did I miss out on this?? Dammit!! ;-(
Oh MY! Listen Mr. Fatchop, Grizzle the Nizzle, Snacky Drewster... Are you trying to kill us all? I'm going to have to go get a LOAN buying up all these primo smokes 2 weeks after Christmas!
:P
My bank account wanted me to tell you to stop it!
SWAMMIE
More to this story to come ...
All the best from California.
Dizzle
@Jonathan Drew dude did once more DE is becoming the Olympus of cigars brother just need who is the thunder god
@RobertShkreli @Jonathan Drew Thank you my friend.
Glad to see Cigar.com and DE putting these cigars to good use even though the gala was cancelled --- and that the proceeds will still benefit Centro Sor Maria Romero.
Big thumbs up for both Cigar.com and Drew Estate - all class, guys. Keep it up.
Thank you Steve you and Drew are all class.
Awesome Halfwheel!!! Was able to get 5 because of your site.
I am very pleased that our friends at Cigar.com have honored their commitment to utilize these cigars on behalf of the original Charity.
The price change was my fault - originally the cigars were to be included in the ticket price of the event, so we never really intended for them to be retailed and in turn, we never actually set a price for them. When I saw them selling them it spawn a quick flurry of emails between us as no price has been formally established. I will be in Nica this month and will review all the costings so we can get this set.
Anyhow Cigar.com raised the price as they didn't want to hurt us be devaluing the brand before it was released, but I then asked them to drop it back to $15 as I was concerned that they might be accused of gouging if we were to release the product at lets say $17 this Spring.
So the increase in price was them trying to not hurt the brand's upcoming release and the reduction was our desire to not put them in a position of possibly looking bad in the future. In the end, this was about the Charity and there was no reason for anyone to end up with egg on their face while trying to do a good thing for Nica.
If you are one of those very few people who may have paid $20 (I don't know if anyone did), please know that extra spend went to a very worthy cause and that folks at Cigar.com and us at Drew Estate are very thankful for your generosity.
And if for any reason, you feel taken advantage of in anyway, just email me and I will make it right with you personally.
Both them and us were amazed at how quickly these cigars sold out - never seen anything like it!
I hope everyone who got in on this enjoys the UF-13s and thanks!
BR,
Steve Saka
CEO, Drew Estate
Ugh! Sorry to hear so. I only picked up 4.
Bummer, I missed out again...story of my life, trust...anyone wanna trade?
@djshalifoe did you call them, they had some just a bit ago, I got mine today. Not available online, just by phone.
@imcubanpete @djshalifoe
Yes indeed, I did call. The rep said they had sold out. =(
Thanks guys just got me some. Gotta love Cigar.com,
Have five coming my way!!! Can't wait to get them!!!
Just ordered some they said they were down to around 25 left as the old saying goes shit or get off the pot. Looking forward to finally getting to smoke the missing link in my U series collection.
Ordered mine too!
Got my 5 pack!!!
A box of fritas and a 10 pack of UF-13, my tail is waggin'. Thanks guys!
Score!! I just got my tracking info on my order.
Found this out yesterday at noon. I told a select few on a forum that I knew to also be Liga lovers. Needless to say I have some coming my way.
Have 5 on the way... thanks for the scoop!
I ordered 10 as well.
Picked up a bundle of 25 last night!
just purchased 10 of them!
If you buy more than 10the they'll drop the price down to 15$.
Damn... nothing online eh? Time to make a phone call!