Bocock Brothers Unveils New Collegiate Cigars
If you have vaguely followed the progression of collegiate athletics in recent years, there’s a common theme you’ve likely come across: college sports are not the same. In the pay-to-play era of NIL money and the exhaustive transfer portal, the game has changed across all sports. Regardless of how you feel, there are positives cigar aficionados should happily embrace. Universities and their athletic programs are opening up streams of revenue to stay competitive, and one of those cash avenues has come in the form of college-themed cigars. Bocock Brothers, a boutique cigarmaker known for its officially-licensed, collegiate smokes, has led the charge. Now, the company is back with more releases, this time to celebrate Syracuse University basketball and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during his time at Mississippi State.
Bocock Brothers has released numerous collegiate cigars in conjunction with various universities over the past few years. The boutique cigarmaker has carved a niche for itself in this new era of college sports, starting with Louisiana State University (LSU) then expanding to additional schools in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and now beyond. Typically, their releases honor the school, but specifically hone in on a particular sport and team, which is the case with their new cigar collaboration that pays homage to Syracuse University’s esteemed basketball program.
The partnership includes a signature line of cigars and officially-licensed Syracuse accessories, including cutters, lighters and travel cases, which will be released throughout the basketball season. “This officially licensed release celebrates the Orange legacy, its championship tradition, world-class alumni and enduring commitment to excellence on and off the court,” said Bocock Brothers in a press release.
The cigars are made with Honduran Corojo wrappers, Nicaraguan binders and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. The Syracuse smokes are available in just one size, a Toro that measures 6 inches long by 52 ring gauge, and come packed in 20-count boxes, each finished in Syracuse blue, with the orange school logo prominently displayed on the top lid. Inside, the moniker “‘Cuse” overlays a court-storming scene from Syracuse’s iconic JMA Wireless Dome (or as some still remember it, the Carrier Dome), offering an attractive backdrop to the cigars. The cigars are outfitted with a main band that displays the Syracuse logo, accompanied with a ‘Cuse secondary band that adds to the school spirit.
The cigars will be available for $290 a box, or $14.50 per cigar. For now, you can only buy them on the Bocock Brothers website. However, the company says it is actively working on expanding into select brick-and-mortar retailers in the northeast.
In case you’re not ready to dive into basketball just yet, you can keep hanging onto football season with the other new release from Bocock: Dak Prescott-themed cigars honoring his Mississippi State days. This is not the first Mississippi State-themed release from Bocock, but it is the first that honors an athlete, specifically the current quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.
“This project is about more than cigars—it’s about pride, history and capturing the spirit of what Dak means to Mississippi State,” said Bryant Bocock, co-founder of Bocock Brothers.
The blend for the Prescott cigars centers around Sumatra wrappers, anchored by Honduran binders and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras. As with the Syracuse smokes, the cigars will come in 20-count boxes. Although, Bocock says this release will be more limited, which is also reflected in the price. The cigars will be available for $325 a box, or $16.25 per cigar.
Each box features Mississippi State's logo and Prescott’s signature, which is also repeated on the main and secondary bands on the cigars. The interior features a photo of Prescott during his playing days in Starkville, Mississippi.
You can buy the cigars now on the Bocock Brothers website and at select retailers in Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.
The Dak Prescott cigars and the Syracuse smokes are both made at the San Judas Tadeo factory in Danlí, Honduras, as with the other collegiate lines the company has released.
