Oliva Cigar Co. and a former company sales rep have introduced a cigar innovation that is creating tremendous buzz. The rep is Sam Leccia, who covered Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania for Oliva since 2004. Sam came from the liquor industry where he was a partner in an award winning vodka.

After learning from the Oliva family how cigars are rolled in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Oliva family and Sam created "nubs", which is a concept that seeks to deliver only that most enjoyable part of the cigar. The idea for the nubs came from the theory that a cigar finds its "sweet spot" at the 3 ½- 4 inch point. All "nub" cigars must exist within this window. No "nub" is longer than 4 inches. Further adding to this complex theory, the ring gauges range from 56-66. The result is a range of smokes that have the same amount of tobacco as any Churchill or even Presidente. Unbelievably, they also smoke as long.

Sam and Jose Oliva began experimenting with the concept in mid 2007. After hearing the sizes the no-nonsense Oliva Family was initially skeptical. The idea of a 4x60 or 4x66 sounded like a novelty to them. It was not until the family tested the concept and was able to see and smoke them that they understood that this was no novelty. They realized that there in fact was something that had not been done in this business. It is truly an innovation which has the ability to have one revisit wrappers that they may have had long since formed opinions about. Understanding that not everyone is in love with large ring gauges, you have to first grasp the theory of "nub" because in the world of "nubs" a 60 is not a large ring gauge. The only real way to understand it is to smoke one. The cigar starts at the sweet spot and gets better from there. The large ring gauge allows for a dense ash which insulates the cigar keeping it cool as you smoke. The large amount of smoke also allows you to really enjoy the complex flavors.

Sam's excitement really grew on the Oliva's as they began to experiment with the concept. After experimenting with hundreds of sizes and samples they felt ready to support the project. While the cigar is made and distributed by Oliva, it will be promoted by Sam Leccia.

The cigar will be launched in three wrappers: Habano, Cameroon, and Connecticut. There will be three sizes shared by all wrappers plus an additional size which is unique to each wrapper. The flavor range is from mild to full but always complex and hearty.

Sam Leccia was born and raised in Pittsburgh PA, joined the Navy at age 18, and was stationed on the USS Constellation (CV-64) for 4 years. After his hitch in the Navy he got into the liquor industry where for 7 years he worked for such brands as Bacardi, Dewars, Grey Goose, and Jack Daniels. He also was a partner in an award winning vodka.

It was when he worked for Dewar's scotch whisky where Sam's interest in premium cigars hit a tipping point. He was fortunate to go to a cigar factory and it was on that trip that Sam felt that the Cigar industry was a perfect fit. He was overwhelmed with the manpower, passion, tradition, and work ethic that goes into every cigar.

While living in Laguna Beach, Sam caught wind that Jose Oliva was putting together a sales force and marketing program to take the Oliva brand to new heights. This was just the opportunity he was looking for. Taking a considerable pay cut and even a demotion in position, Sam was determined to show Jose that he could help take his brand to a new level. He took a regional sales position and tripled his territory in annual sales in 2 years.

Prior to coming on board, Sam talked to Jose about being part of "something bigger". He mentioned that he would like to have his own brand. Jose's response was that the Oliva brand needed the attention at that time but when the timing is better he would very much be interested in hearing more.

Sam took Jose at his word, and after learning the craft of rolling, Sam spent countless hours of his spare time educating himself on tobacco and cigars. He would take cigars apart and learn more about their makeup. He then would remove wrappers from cigars he enjoyed, to place them on cigars he didn't to get a better understanding of what he liked and why. He also experimented with "coffee can" curing, using different techniques to get different flavor characteristics out of the tobacco.

It was doing some of his experiments that Sam found out that there is a "sweet spot" on every tobacco leaf, and by using only this sweet spot, you can create a cigar that is not only complex in flavor, but consistent from beginning to end. It was then that he created "Nub". A cigar innovation that Sam believes could change every preconceived notion on cigar making, and cigar enjoyment.

Theory

What started as some innocent garage experiment to see why the 2nd half of a cigar was typically better than the first half, Sam Leccia stumbled upon a theory. A theory that results in a cigar starting the way it is supposed to start, at the best part. This was a cigar that required no time to "develop". It started at the heart of the cigar.

This cigar is made by using only the sweet spot of the tobacco leaf, making the cigar's size within a 4 inch window. Sam also found that the initial prototypes burned a little hot, and smoked too quickly. Instead of compromising his theory, Sam gave the cigar more tobacco. Not to lengthen it, but to continue using only the sweet spot, and widen it. By giving the cigar a ring gauge of 54 or more, he achieved his goal. Not being a big fan of large ring gauges himself, it was the only way to achieve his goal: A cigar that starts at the best part, has intense flavor, draws cool, and burns slow. He soon realized, that in the realm of nub, even a 66 is not a too large of a ring guage.

Nub is born.