Caldwell Debuts Mooncake, a Connecticut Take on Yellow Cake
Caldwell Cigar Co. is releasing Mooncake, a new spin off of its Yellow Cake line built around a Connecticut seed wrapper, according to Halfwheel. The outlet reports the company is calling it a Connecticut version of the Yellow Cake, and that outside of the wrapper, Caldwell has declined to discuss any other specifics of the blend or where the cigars are made.
In a press release cited by Halfwheel, Caldwell described Mooncake as a fresh expression of the Yellow Cake blend, reimagining the original's signature profile with the creamy richness of a Connecticut wrapper. The company said the core notes that made Yellow Cake a fan favorite remain, now enhanced by the smooth, mellow sweetness Connecticut leaf brings, calling the result a delightfully smooth, pleasant smoke suited for fall.
Cigar Dojo, in its own report, added further detail: Mooncake comes in a single 5 inch by 50 ring gauge robusto, sold in five packs, with production limited to 2,400 five packs, or 12,000 cigars in total. Binder and filler remain undisclosed. Cigar Dojo reported the cigar was set to go on sale Wednesday, September 16 at 6 p.m. ET (its already live), a timed release rather than a broad retail shipment. Pricing is $6.38 for the robusto 5 × 50.
Yellow Cake, the line Mooncake extends, debuted in 2014 as an event only release, Halfwheel has reported, and has returned in recent years as a limited retail line offered in Habano and Maduro variants.
On Caldwell Cigar Co.: Founder Robert Caldwell got his start in the cigar business with Hotel Humidor, a company supplying cigars to hotels and restaurants in Miami, before launching Caldwell Cigar Co. in 2013 with co founder Juan Jaramillo, several months after Caldwell split with Camacho Cigars, according to Cigar Coop. The company built its early identity on unusual, often undisclosed blends and limited releases, including a "First 49" program that made certain cigars available only to an initial group of 49 retailers, and on lines such as The King Is Dead, Long Live The King, and Eastern Standard, per halfwheel's archives. Many Caldwell cigars have been produced at Tabacalera William Ventura in the Dominican Republic, though the company has also worked with other factories over the years.
In February 2024, Laudisi Enterprises, the pipe and tobacco company behind Smokingpipes.com, Cornell & Diehl, and Kapp & Peterson, acquired Caldwell Cigar Co. along with Lost & Found Cigars, a separate Caldwell/Jaramillo venture, according to halfwheel and Cigar Aficionado. Under the deal, Caldwell and Jaramillo joined Laudisi's management team and took on equity stakes in the company; Caldwell has continued to focus on branding, marketing, and product development. "We have been more than fortunate to have had an amazing first 10 years," Caldwell said in a press release at the time, adding that the partnership would help the brand "build and grow on a stronger foundation."
Sourcing note: Caldwell's founding story and factory background come from halfwheel's archival reporting and Cigar Coop; the Laudisi acquisition details are drawn from Halfwheel and Cigar Aficionado's coverage from early 2024. The Mooncake release details are per halfwheel and Cigar Dojo as noted above.