Late last week, ACE Prime and Crowned Heads made the surprising announcement (in somewhat of a contentious manner) that the two would be ending their partnership. And the changes continue to unfold for ACE Prime, as the company has now announced they will be changing their name to Luciano Cigars.
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ACE Prime first debuted in 2019, with high-profile collaborations with the likes of Dominique Wilkins and Tiago Splitter making the company among the most talked about new brands of the year. There were five brands that debuted at the company’s launch, with the only Luciano-branded offering seeming to take a back seat to the Pichardo and MXS (sports collaborations) lines.
But the focus changed over the years, with Luciano Meirelles (co-founder of the company) stepping more and more into the spotlight, including interviews and overall brand identity. Cigars such as Luciano The Dreamer and Fiat Lux coincided with the aforementioned Crowned Heads partnership, with the two entities seeming to lift each other in rapid pace—their shared PCA booth being arguably the most talked about in both 2021 and 2022. Luciano’s influence again dominated the company’s releases for 2022, with both Mas Igneus and Maria Lucia having narratives from Luciano’s personal experiences.
This leads to the name change, not only for ACE Prime, but the Tabacalera Pichardo factory as well—now going by Luciano Cigar Factory (though it is officially named D’Hatuey Tabacos S.A.). Today’s announcement also reveals that the company will launch an independent US distribution, with the name helping to convey a cohesive direction from the newly established vertical integration. Crowned Heads will continue distribution through the end of October, with Luciano taking over November 1st.
The announcement came with high praise, as a press release from Luciano notes accolades from the likes of Jonathan Drew, Carlito Fuente, Jeremiah Meerapfel, Rick Rodriguez, Skip Martin, and Tiago Splitter.
“What’s in a name? When I was developing the Maria Lucia Cigar – a cigar dedicated to the memory of my mother, I was drawn to the idea of legacy. My heart is not for glory but I’m passionate to share the pleasure and beauty I experience when smoking a perfect cigar. Our goal is to build a brand that outlives us – something that’s meaningful and impactful for generations to come.”
Luciano Meirelles, Co-Founder &. President – Luciano Cigars
Finally, the company added that two additional announcements will arrive ahead of the distribution launch, as final preparations are organized.
The post ACE Prime Rebrands as Luciano Cigars appeared first on Cigar Dojo.
Originally posted on September 19, 2022 @ 11:20 pm