50 TOBACCO BUSINESS | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER | 22 industry was both a blessing and a curse. When a mistake was made or an obstacle was encountered, the Coburns had to figure things out very quickly. Since taking over Dissident, the Coburns have worked diligently to rebuild their stock of cigars and also make contact with and try to win back some accounts that had been lost over the years. Dissident, likemanyotherpremiumcigarbrands, isn’tanautomaticmoneymaker. According to Cynn, if it were not for the other jobs and businesses she and her husband have, making the investment in Dissident may not have been such an easy decision to make. Early on, they acknowledged that they may lose money on Dissident but that they could make a positive impact on people by being genuine and producing good cigars. “We’ve already seen some numbers change. People are excited about the brand. Everybody knows Dissident cigars are very good and that they’re made very well because they’re coming out of Oveja Negra. So it’s just a matter of getting Dissident out there and shining the light on it that it absolutely deserves. I think we made a good choice in not changing anything because everything was wonderful to begin with,” Cynn explains. The only real change the Coburns have made to Dissident’s portfolio was with the Soapbox blend, which used to use a Mata Fina wrapper but now uses a Sumatra leaf wrapper. The change was made primarily due to what was available, and it’s the one change Cynn feels actually made the existing product even better. TheBlends Dissident’s cigars are handcrafted in Nicaragua at Fabrica Oveja Negra, the factory owned by James and Angela Brown. Part of the appeal of buying Dissident was that it was already established and came with brands that retailers and consumers were already familiar with, buying and smoking. The Rave is a mild box-pressed cigar. When the Coburns assumed control of the Dissident brand, one of the first questions they posed to retailers was whether or not Rave should be made available in a smaller vitola. The response from retailers was a resounding ‘no.’ Even though Rave has a Connecticut wrapper, it’s different in that it has a bit of a kick to it and would appeal to those looking for a slightly bolder cigar. Next in the Dissident portfolio is Soapbox, which Cynn admits is perhaps her favorite Dissident cigar. “It’s Habano, full-on flavor. It is just ... oh my gosh, it is so good,” Cynn excitedly states. “Like, whether you have it with coffee in the morning or with whiskey at night, it’s just perfect. There is nothing bad to be said about that cigar.” The Bloc is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Soapbox. Described as being a much smoother cigar compared to the Soapbox, the Bloc has a maduro wrapper and would appeal to those that prefer their coffee black and their whisky neat. For those that enjoy strong cigars, the Rant and the Tirade are good choices. They have Nicaraguan filler tobaccos that give them their strength. Home is Dissident’s limited edition cigar that’s also on the stronger side. This cigar has an Ecuadorian maduro and Corojo barber-pole wrapper that covers an Ecuadorian binder and all-Nicaraguan fillers. Presented as a 6 x 52 box-pressed Toro, this cigar was last released in 2021 and is slated for a return to store shelves next year, according to Cynn. TheCoburnsbelieve in letting theDissident brandspeak for itself, something they’ve learned a lot about while working alongside James and Angela Brown at Oveja Negra. Cynn looks to James Brown as a mentor as she continues to learn more about different aspects of the cigar industry, including blending. The first cigar that she blended entirely on her own was the Molotov, which made itsdebut during this year’sPremiumCigarAssociation (PCA) trade show. Molotov challenged Cynn both in terms of blending and overall branding. Molotov is the first release blended entirely by Cynn Coburn for Dissident Cigars. The limited edition cigar made its debut over the summer at PCA 2022.
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