7-20-4 Cigar Brands

Urban legend has it that 7-20-4 cigars were so-named, because R.G. Sullivan, who founded the brand in 1874, got his start in business with the winnings from a lottery ticket with the numbers 7, 20, and 4. However, writer George Franklyn Willey, offered a more plausible explanation in his book, Willey's semi-centennial book of Manchester, 1846-1896, that Sullivan changed the brand's original name, "New Gold Dust Cigars" to "7-20-4," the address of his Manchester, NH cigar factory at 724 Elm Street. The cigars, which sold for 10¢, were hand-made with Cuban tobacco fillers and Sumatra wrappers. The brand was so successful that Sullivan's factory became one of the world's largest manufacturers of handmade cigars.

Today, Kurt A. Kendall, an entrepreneur and owner of two New Hampshire cigar stores, always had a fascination for vintage cigar memorabilia. Over the years he built-up an extensive collection of artifacts, and one of his passions was to revive the 7-20-4 cigars brand. So, Kendall acquired the then-defunct trademark, and began reproducing the historic cigars that now rank as one of the best boutique cigars on the market.

7-20-4 Cigar Brands

K.A. Kendall's 7-20-4 core line is blended with a highly diverse blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran, Mexican and Columbian long-fillers, a Costa Rican binder, and a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, then cedar-aged for 120 days. The smoke is smooth, well-balanced, earthy, and naturally sweet, making it an ideal selection if you prefer a medium-full cigar with plenty of flavor at a very reasonable price.

In another nostalgic presentation, 7-20-4 Hustler cigars are rolled "barber pole" style using alternating dark Brazilian and light Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers that conceal a full-flavored blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers and a Brazilian binder. Brimming with creamy smoke underpinned by subtle sweet and spicy flavors, the cigar mixes it up along the way, making the 7-20-4 Hustler a satisfyingly complex buffet for the palate.

If vintage cigar tobaccos make your mouth water, Erte cigars offer you a rare opportunity to taste the incomparable flavor a cigar that was rolled in 1996! The cigars were handmade in Costa Rica with Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, and Ecuadorian tobaccos that have mellowed beautifully over time. The smoke is ultra-smooth, laced with creamy flavors of sweet cedar, some earthiness, and a subtle sweetness on the finish. Presented with Erte's famed deco artwork on the boxes, and signature on the bands, Erté cigars are one of those rare finds. Just remember that once they're gone, they're gone forever.

If you like a more full-flavored cigar blended with a variety of different tobaccos, 7-20-4 Factory 57 cigars are made with high-priming tobaccos from Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica rolled in a high-priming, triple-fermented Nicaraguan Jalapa Habano wrapper, all aged for three years, plus an additional six months before shipping.

According to 7-20-4 Cigars owner, Kurt A. Kendall, the "Factory 57" name refers to the U.S. government's official designation of 7-20-4 as a licensed and taxed manufacturer of premium cigars. Medium to full in body, Kendall, describes the smoke as "bold, full, yet very smooth, with a distinct creaminess. Here again, 7-20-4 delivers a uniquely original flavor profile that must be smoked to be fully appreciated."