CH’UL MAHY

We connected with Oscar (Valladares) to arrange future placements when one thing lead to another, and we were discussing ideas to develop together. The notion around the most important one was along the lines of “reproducing an impeccable Connecticut-wrapped cigar like the Superfly, yet even more appealing for the typical non-Connecticut smoker.” If you have a mild idea (no pun intended) of the market stigma around Connecticut-wrapped cigars, then you’ll know it’s mostly a standardized love and hate relationships with them, or the generic “creamy with lack of body and complexity” balderdash.

Even though part of that stereotype, if you may, is true, we want to be part of the cause that slowly changes that. Not too long ago, most non-experienced smokers that saw a Maduro-wrapped cigar immediately thought it was a tremendously strong cigar or at least undoubtedly stronger than the lighter-wrapped cigar next to it, which is certainly not the case.

The idea mellowed within Oscar’s camp and with the help of his solid team we started working around a blend that would aim for the hearts of those who rapidly tend to discard these Connecticut-coated cigars due to “their lack of complexity and dynamism.” We’re proud of the results that have been attained so far, and we’re releasing this prequel of what will become a HONDURAN SPECIAL BATCH released in a collaborative effort between ourselves and OV to the general public.

THE PRODUCT

Ch’ul Mahy Honduran Special Batch by Oscar Valladares seems like a strange and long name, but you can simply call it Ch’ul Mahy (tchool-mahee). The product carries the “Honduran Special Batch” by the blessing of Leonardo Hercules, from Oscar’s camp. He acknowledged the importance of what we’re trying to do and made it a mission that this was a project carried on with pride of the Honduran tobacco and specialty from the OV factory. In terms of Ch’ul Mahy, we wanted to link this to Honduran heritage, and this was the term that the Mayan civilization used to dub their “holy tobacco.” This is a grade-A blend as refined and substantial as any other you may have smoked. We have compromised with a wrapper that is not the most elegant in order to make this viable within Factory Direct membership introduction, as the final production for these will have an elite wrapper. It is a single blend of one bold and dynamic Connecticut-wrapped cigar made with Honduras’ finest tobaccos.

THE ARTIST

We’ve been really pushing for more art integration in our platform.

El Mysterious Tiger by @imhueso was a drawing for a painting before it became a brand, and while we work on the evolution of other art forms within My Cigar Pack, we enjoy introducing similar concepts with Factory Direct and more permanent branding. Ch’ul Mahy’s artist holds a special place in our hearts as a long time friend and a genuinely talented soul. Virginia del Sol Rodriguez and myself (AB) go way back, so finally being able to introduce her art in a meaningful way is certainly special.

We’re honored to have her creativity illustrate what we were trying to manifest when we pictured this brand and what it represents… As we’ve covered, Ch’ul Mahy is inspired on Honduran heritage, and more particularly Mayan civilization. This concept made a perfect match to Virginia’s Virgin of the Suns, which is a collection of expressions that was born when she was in acting school in Paris a few moons ago.  A talented actress and artist in general, she draws these expressions that simply come to mind. “I simply take a posca pen and paper, and draw the first line. The rest just happens. Drawing makes me feel good and it’s my escape. I only draw for myself and this intimacy I enjoy is what makes it come to life. I can only find meaning in them in  hindsight. The passing of many months or even years is necessary for me to look back and understand what it meant. It’s funny, they usually speak more to others than myself before I understand them.”

We find the beauty of this craft on the spontaneity and raw expression. The selflessness of this piece is what drew us to relate it to the manifestation of Ch’ul Mahy’s image. We originally commissioned Virginia a specific work, but when we encountered “Puggled In,” we realized it was just perfect.

https://www.instagram.com/virginsofthesunss/

https://www.virginsofthesun.com/

DETAILS