Manifesto

First of all, I want to thank everybody for coming out and supporting us during the release of the Manifesto. I understand that some folks are frustrated because of the scarcity of the cigar. I can assure you that it was not my intention to upset anybody.

The Manifesto was created for a couple of reasons.

1. This marks 50 years since JFK signed the Embargo. His signature on that piece of paper was an integral part in the downward spiral of the freedoms and liberties our country was founded on. It's not the fact that the Embargo was signed; it's how JFK went about it. He made sure that he had his stash of Cuban cigars before the Embargo went into place. We continue to see the government living above the rules and regulations they are putting into place. Because of this, a portion of the sales of the Manifesto is being given to the CRA to help us fight for our right to smoke and enjoy cigars.

2. I can remember starting 262 with a handful of cigars, a botched sales pitch, and very little experience in the industry. There were a handful of retailers that 'took a chance on the guy from Virginia.' The Manifesto was my way of repaying these retailers that stuck their neck our for me and helped me grow my brand. My goal is not to become a predominately limited edition company, but a company that retailers enjoy working with because we're in their corner. Maybe that means we'll do a few short runs each year. Maybe that means that each year we'll run a special cigar that's available for one retailer. I'm not sure what it means, but I hope that you'll continue to support us and your retailer. As a good friend of mine always reminds me, "a rising tide lifts all boats."

Thank you for listening, and as always...smoketherevolution

The 262 Ideology - Fall 2010

The passion to create great cigars.
The fortitude to transcend the opposition.
The resolve to smoke free.

The collection of beliefs and doctrines the guide our thoughts, words and actions. Our Ideologies are what make us who we are. They're often shaped by our parents, friends, or heroes and often change or grow throughout our lifetimes due to new experiences and insights. Whatever your Ideology was 5, 10, 15 years ago, as a cigar lover, you now know that those in power will exploit any opportunity to gain more control over our daily lives...and you know that it is wrong.

At 262, we believe as our country's founders did; that our government should never be allowed to hold our God-given rights and liberties hostage in the name of "progress". We believe it's long past time to take back control of our own lives and be the creators of our own prosperity.

The 262 Ideology is a cigar that will ring home with your palate and take you back to what is was about a cigar that made you fall in love with it. The perfect counterpart to the Paradigm, this toasty, buttery smoke is mild, smooth and sure to set your troubles at ease. An even draw and bountiful smoke make for an effortless experience.

Fillers: Nicaragua, Mexico, Dominican

Binder: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Rosado

4Sixty Paradigm. Ideology. Underground.

That's right...a new size in the Paradigm, a new blend called Ideology, and the beginning of our blending process for our full-bodied cigar, The Underground. Things have been busy here at 262. The masses have spoken and we've heard the call. This month we are introducing a new size in the Paradigm line-up, the 4x60. This will offer all of you bigger ring gauge lovers something to write home about. We're also introducing the Ideology this month. This is our mild counterpart to the medium-bodied Paradigm. You can look forward to a grassy, toasty, buttery cigar with rich, billowing smoke. Some say they actually taste popcorn in this cigar! Last, but certainly not least, is the Underground. We've gone back to the drawing board again in an effort to perfect this full-bodied, full strength cigar. This is set for a 2011 launch and in the words of a good friend of mine, will be "wide open."

Smoke the Revolution!

~ Clint Aaron

The 262 Manifesto

Rev-o-lu-tion

• a sudden, complete or marked change in something

What’s your revolution? For many cigar smokers the revolution started when the Cuban Trade Embargo was signed in February of 1962. For some it started in April 2009 with the SCHIP tax. For others the revolution took place when the FDA was awarded authority over tobacco. Whatever your Revolution may be, we all have something that we’re passionate about: something we’re willing to take a stand for.

NYC Trip

we kicked off the trip at peter lugar's steakhouse in brooklyn. i've never seen so much steak in one place. after we digested the cow, we grabbed a couple of cigars and then called it a night.

the next day would be filled with cold calling on local shops. we stumbled upon some old friends and made some new friends as well. i married into a new york family, and let me tell you, they are a different breed of people. growing up in the midwest, i'm used to people holding the door for others, offering help with luggage, and smiling. i was hoping the local tobacconists were more like the midwest locals that i was fond of growing up. turns out they were. i was a little intimidated walking in blind off the street to some of these places. they all treated us like we were family. (many thanks to Luis at Nat Sherman)

the next day was spent in SOHO hitting the local favorites. lombardi's pizzeria, davidoff of geneva, and columbus circle. the night was capped off with a few cigars at lexington bar and books.

saturday was spent smoking more cigars (mainly cabaiguan guapos). thanks to Gus at the Cigar Inn for turning me onto that great cigar. then a little frank sinatra at the carnegie club to cap off the evening and trip. now we're just waiting for our cigars to come in so we can send them to the shops.

anxious

here we are, a mere month away from launch. there's still so much to be done. we're still putting the finishing touches on the website, there's still some paperwork to be done, we're looking for a merchant to process credit cards (no thanks to PayPal), we're also working on a compensation package for sales reps.

all that being said, we've got our work cut out for us, but we'll be ready for the december launch.

SmokeTheRevolution

smoke the revolution

t-minus 57 days and counting until the revolution begins