As the dust settles from the story of Torano Cigars being sold to General, the blogosphere is alive with theory as to why the company was sold, but the one thing getting lost in the mix is Sam Leccia and what the future holds for Leccia Tobacco. Originally a product of Oliva, Sam Leccia was the face behind Nub. A rock star in an industry, that was building brands around a face. The Nub success can be attributed to Sam’s Kid Rock looks and the fact that it was a good cigar with a great story behind it. The filet mignon part of the leaf might not have sold if it wasn’t for the tireless work schedule of Mr. Leccia.
After his departure from Oliva and exile from the industry, Sam Leccia was reborn with Torano Cigars. While he hadn’t achieved the success he had with Nub, he still had his cult following. That following isn’t surprising as Sam Leccia is fun to be around, and is very accessible when compared to others in the industry. In fact once could say Sam Leccia has mimicked the career of Kid Rock, which makes the comparison a good fit.
It’s been four days since we learned the news, and the rumors have begun to come in so while we wait for an official announcement lets take a look at those rumors.
Gurkha – This one has been persistent and The Cigar Authority has been told that Gurkha was a player in the Sam Leccia lottery. The key word being was, as numerous sources have flat-out denied it and one source with knowledge of the situation confirmed Gurkha was a player but they are no longer in the mix. Despite these denials the amount of emails, texts, and Facebook messages keep this rumor alive. Odds: 3-1
Crowned Heads – It seems as if Jon Huber is content being the mind behind the brand and he hired a former tobacconist to travel as a brand ambassador. With rumors about EP Carrillo being the next General acquisition still floating around the possible loss of a manufacturer could hurt the portfolio. Bringing on Sam Leccia keeps the company young, modern and Sam Leccia we believe fits the brand. It would give the company a true face of the brand as well as a couple of lines to add to the portfolio. Odds: 15-1
Drew Estate – With Willy Herrera being named Master Blender one would expect him to be on the road a little less. Sam Leccia gets a company with an advertising budget that could bring Sam back above the numbers he obtained as the face of Nub. Add to the fact that Sam can roll like very few, it gives Subculture Studios a face on the road that would be a huge draw with the demographic of the company. Odds: 5-1
Alec Bradley – A company that tried to create a face with a series of innovative ads featuring their sales force hasn’t really helped give the company an identity. As one source told me, Sam Leccia would give Alec Bradley a face that they desperately need. To quote the source, “Who is bigger these days though Alec Bradley or Sam Leccia. It’s a long shot, but I am hearing there is an interest”. Odds: 8-1
One thing is for sure, the rumor mill is in overdrive. Where Leccia winds up is anyones guess until someone makes it official. Hell, he might even follow Torano over to General.
Edit – Overnight some information has come in to The Cigar Authority from a trusted source that says Sam Leccia is most likely to wind up at General Cigar. We have updated the odds dropping the former front runner from even to 3-1. General cigar is now the odds on favorite. Odds: Even
