Kelner cigars, anyone heard or had one? Kuzi?

catfishbluezz

I was gifted two "Kelner" cigars from a friend who just got back from Procigar and knows Henke well. I've neer seen them or heard of them, anyone else ever heard??? I'll post pics in a bit when im done smoking. I can't find anything online.

catfishbluezz

The one on the left is a 5.5x46 or so and has a white band with what looks to be a conny shade wrapper, very light. The one on the right is darker, could habano or ecuadorian conny, and the band is more yellow. It's a DC or Churchill vitola

Rhamlin

Nice looking sticks

kuzi16

catfishbluezz:

The one on the left is a 5.5x46 or so and has a white band with what looks to be a conny shade wrapper, very light. The one on the right is darker, could habano or ecuadorian conny, and the band is more yellow. It's a DC or Churchill vitola

those are some old/rare cigars. Kelner came up with the brand "kelner k" in 1996 and had a short run abandoning the brand only two years later. I can't remember if the brand ever hit the shelves or not.
its a pretty sweet find.


edit: upon further brand research, i dont believe they ever hit the shelves.

catfishbluezz

I had seen the trademark applications online, but that was it. Either way, I'm pretty stoked being a Kelner fan. MY friend said Henke gave a few to him in the DR recently, and knowing I love his blends saved a couple.

rzaman

I smoked couple of this cigar. They are mild, flavorful but not very complex. It utilized US Connecitcut and also Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The binder is Dominican Olor and the fillers are Dominican Olor, San Vicente and Piloto Cibano.

Henke Kelner registered the trademark brand in 1996 under the U.S. Tradamark registration but never marketed the cigar. The reason is simply to protect his reputation and to maintain his business relationship with Davidoff, Avo, Griffins, Paul Garmirian, Troya and others. He thought if he come up with his own brand then those brand owners may believe that he only uses the best tobacco for his own brand name not for their brands. The majority share of his company is owned by Davidoff Oettinger and they didn't like the idea either. Though he really wanted to make a cigar with his name but he end up not doing it for long term business interest. he still holds a big stock of this cigar and share with people as a gift. However, I know that one B&M in NY got a big lot once and they used to sell them. I believe that was at least 10 years ago. I don't know how they managed it.

catfishbluezz:

The one on the left is a 5.5x46 or so and has a white band with what looks to be a conny shade wrapper, very light. The one on the right is darker, could habano or ecuadorian conny, and the band is more yellow. It's a DC or Churchill vitola

catfishbluezz

Thanks Rip, sounds like they are right up my alley.

rzaman

I will contact my friend in Davidoff and see if I can collect more information on this.

rzaman:

I smoked couple of this cigar. They are mild, flavorful but not very complex. It utilized US Connecitcut and also Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The binder is Dominican Olor and the fillers are Dominican Olor, San Vicente and Piloto Cibano.

Henke Kelner registered the trademark brand in 1996 under the U.S. Tradamark registration but never marketed the cigar. The reason is simply to protect his reputation and to maintain his business relationship with Davidoff, Avo, Griffins, Paul Garmirian, Troya and others. He thought if he come up with his own brand then those brand owners may believe that he only uses the best tobacco for his own brand name not for their brands. The majority share of his company is owned by Davidoff Oettinger and they didn't like the idea either. Though he really wanted to make a cigar with his name but he end up not doing it for long term business interest. he still holds a big stock of this cigar and share with people as a gift. However, I know that one B&M in NY got a big lot once and they used to sell them. I believe that was at least 10 years ago. I don't know how they managed it.

catfishbluezz:

The one on the left is a 5.5x46 or so and has a white band with what looks to be a conny shade wrapper, very light. The one on the right is darker, could habano or ecuadorian conny, and the band is more yellow. It's a DC or Churchill vitola

kuzi16

rzaman:

I smoked couple of this cigar. They are mild, flavorful but not very complex. It utilized US Connecitcut and also Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The binder is Dominican Olor and the fillers are Dominican Olor, San Vicente and Piloto Cibano.

Henke Kelner registered the trademark brand in 1996 under the U.S. Tradamark registration but never marketed the cigar. The reason is simply to protect his reputation and to maintain his business relationship with Davidoff, Avo, Griffins, Paul Garmirian, Troya and others. He thought if he come up with his own brand then those brand owners may believe that he only uses the best tobacco for his own brand name not for their brands. The majority share of his company is owned by Davidoff Oettinger and they didn't like the idea either. Though he really wanted to make a cigar with his name but he end up not doing it for long term business interest. he still holds a big stock of this cigar and share with people as a gift. However, I know that one B&M in NY got a big lot once and they used to sell them. I believe that was at least 10 years ago. I don't know how they managed it.

awesome info. i knew it was abandon because of something having to do with Davidoff but i just coulnt remember why. i didnt think any of these guys were still around.

i thought they were pretty much ghosts from the get go (because i thought then never rolled more than a few hundred) and i had never seen a picture of them till now. there is just to little info on them out there on the internet. this concept cigar came and went before cigars and the internet became such good friends. blends like that, and others before cigars got online are hard to find on the internet.

good lookin out.