Going Abroad
Part of taking Casdagli international meant growing the brand beyond Europe. Since its start in the early 1990s, Casdagli wanted his cigar brand to have a presence in different markets. In addition to being available in the United Kingdom, Casdagli Cigars were distributed in Saudi Arabia, Ireland and Ukraine. When Casdagli moved his manufacturing to the Dominican Republic in the early 2000s, he was also able to get his cigars into the U.S.
Part of that international expansion strategy was having a brand ambassador that could represent and help promote Casdagli Cigars in the U.S. Vlada Stojanov got involved with Casdagli Cigars by sheer coincidence. Near the end of 2014, Stojanov saw a presentation given by Marko Bilic, founder of the Cigar Smoking Championship, and Jeremy Casdagli in Belgrade, Serbia. During that presentation, Stojanov had the opportunity to sample various Casdagli cigars, including the Gran Mareva, which he thought was delicious, and the Cotton Tail, which he described as being exceptional. It was after smoking the Grande Café Lancero that he was completely sold on Casdagli’s cigars.
When the presentation was over, Stojanov asked Casdagli if he could buy some of his cigars. When Casdagli responded that he could only gift the cigars, Stojanov proposed a trade: He’d give Casdagli some cigars he had on hand, which included several Cuban-made cigars, in exchange for some of Casdagli’s Grand Café Lanceros. The trade was made, and Stojanov smoked the Lanceros over the next two weeks. Between December 2014 and May 2015, Stojanov ordered 18 boxes of Casdagli from Jeremy. Evenwith two of the packages getting tied up in customs and having to pay 30-40 percent in taxes, Stojanov says the quality of the cigars made the effort worth it.
In 2015, Stojanov moved to the U.S. and began working at the Bacara Hotel in Santa Barbara, California, overseeing its beverage department. By this point, Stojanov was head over heels in love with Casdagli Cigars, and in his free time he’d travel to different cigar lounges in the area, promoting the brand to different U.S. retailers. In 2017, with the help of Tony Serino, Stojanov launched his own distribution company, which allowed him to further help promote Casdagli Cigars and grow its brand within the U.S.
“We’ve grown tremendously, going from only a few retailers to numerous partners around the country. I am enormously grateful for the support, and I hope they feel supported in turn,” says Stojanov. “We’ve reintroduced an improved version of Daughters of the Wind blend, made our first box-pressed and store-exclusive cigar, the Pony Express for our dear friends at Maxamar [Ultimate Cigars] and Small Batch [Cigar], and previewed our Villa Casdagli line at TPE in 2021. We will have one of the first three Casdagli lounges opening next year in partnership with some of our retailers where they will have access to Casdagli’s European lounge-only cigars as well as their own unique blends.”
Having someone as passionate as Stojanov serving as a brand ambassador is nothing but a good thing for Casdagli as it continues to grow its profile in the U.S. and around the globe. He understands the company’s “luxury, elegance and tradition” motto and what it means for everything Casdagli does and makes. To achieve these three qualities in its cigars, each blend is developed to be well balanced, complex and to deliver a luxurious smoking experience. For its accessories, Casdagli partners with companies that align with its values. This has resulted in collaborations with Les Fines Lames and unique releases like sterling silver cufflinks made by expert jewelers.
Partnering Up
Despite Casdagli Cigars being available in the U.S. for some time now, there are still many retailers that are unfamiliar with the brand. Retailers that do try Casdagli’s various cigars like what they smoke, says Stojanov, and he likes to follow up each first smoke with a series of questions to find which cigar in Casdagli’s portfolio will best suit each retailer’s customer base.
“Retailers that typically decide to work with us end up doing well with the Casdagli lineup. The lounge owners appreciate the quality, the consistency and the presentation at our price point, coupled with the continuous support we strive to provide. Shops that already have a clientele that gravitates towards some of the high-end options like Davidoff, Padron, Atabey and Opus X do incredibly well with Casdagli,” Stojanov shares.
One place that Casdagli was able to introduce its cigars to many retailers was at TPE21 this past May in Las Vegas. Stojanov states that he was completely surprised by the amount of business Casdagli did at TPE last year. Since he’s now based in Vegas, Stojanov says that it’s basically guaranteed that he and Casdagli will be attending all future shows going forward. At TPE22, Casdagli will be showcasing Peruvitas, a Petit 4 x 35 cigar that will be available in both five-count and 25-count packs. This cigar uses Peruvian tobacco, the same tobacco found in its Villa Casdagli line, that offers cigar smokers a complex flavor profile and smoking experience that can be enjoyed in a short amount of time.
Whether it’s at a trade show or in response to a query, Casdagli works hard to communicate to retailers the pride and confidence it has in its products. “We stand behind our cigars, accessories and everything else one thousand percent,” Stojanov proclaims. “Quality is paramount in everything we do, and it informs our every decision. Further, we are looking for partners, so the burden of promoting and educating consumers is not just on the shop owners and their team.”
Though Casdagli Cigars underwent a slight rebranding in 2018 to shed its previous “bespoke” moniker, it still takes a bespoke approach with its retail partners. When onboarding new retailers, Stojanov and the Casdagli team aim to become firm partners with the retailers rather than leaving them to sell product on their own. This means questions such as, “How can we support what youʼre doing?” and ‟Whatʼs worked best in the past?” are asked often. Casdagli Cigars tailors its approach to each shop rather than treating everyone the same, having realized that no two retailers are the same and that a one size fits all strategy doesn’t work in today’s market. Casdagli is looking for partners to help take its brand into new markets, and if your store partners with them, you can expect Casdagli Cigars’ team to support you in whatever way works best for you.
This story first appeared in the January/February 2022 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.
– Photography courtesy of Casdagli Cigars. Story by Antoine Reid, senior editor and digital director for Tobacco Business Magazine. You can follow him on Instagram @editor.reid.
