Cigar Assessor

Cigar Assessor

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Drew Estate Press Release
Drew Estate Announces Exclusive Distributorship of
Tsuge Pipe Company
Miami, FL.
May 2, 2014:
Drew Estate and Tsuge Pipe Company Ltd. have announced a new strategic alliance between the 
two companies with news that Drew Estate will become the exclusive distributor of Tsuge in the 
United States and Canada. Drew Estate will begin selling the Tsuge lineat the 2014 IPCPR show in 
Las Vegas, Nevada in July 2014. Drew Estate entered the pipe market byreleasing a line of custom 
pipe tobacco blends at the 2013 IPCPR tradeshow, and this new announcement stands to cement 
their involvement in the premium pipe and pipe tobacco market.
Started in 1936 by Kyoichiro Tsuge, Tsuge Pipe Company and the Tsuge family have a rich history
of craftsmanship.  Prior to making pipes, the Tsuge family were Samurai swordsmiths for hundreds of 
years. Kyoichiro Tsuge started making pipes around the turn of the century and, as a company, Tsuge 
has mastered the art of pipe making. Tsuge draws from the traditions of Italian and Danish pipe makers,
having trained with world renowned pipe maker Sixten Ivarrson, and has added unique touches of 
Japanese artisanship along the way.

Tsuge is best known for their renowned “Ikebana” line of handcrafted briar pipes. The “Ikebana” collection 
features Tsuge’s highest quality work, retailing for up to multiple thousands of dollars. Tsuge is also known 
for their machine made line of briar pipes, which features unique shapes and metals. This portion of Tsuge’s 
pipe collection is a more affordable option compared to the “Ikebana” line. When reached for comment, Drew 
Estate president Michael Cellucci stated,  “I have been a fan of Tsuge’s incredible pipes for many years.
We approached Tsuge about distributing their pipes in the United States and Canada, and they were receptive 
of the idea. Drew Estate’s efforts in the pipe tobacco market have proved to be successful, and we hope to 
channel this success into representing the Tsuge brand in the United States and Canada.” Jonathan Drew, 
co-founder of Drew Estate, commented from his Miami office: “One of the most honored moments of my life 
was when Sab Tsuge, president of Tsuge,came to our third meeting in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan dressed in a 
formal black kimono and accepted our proposed deal to grow the Tsuge brand in North America together.

Drew Estate Announces Exclusive Distributorship of Tsuge Pipe Company Mario Takeyama, Executive 
Director of Drew Estate Solution Lab and Head of Marketing, my dad ‘Bait Fish Gary’, and I shared a 
unique experience of eating a loach fish together with Sab Tsuge, Hiro Mitsui, Lars Ivarrson, his daughter, 
Nanna Ivarrson, and 10 of Tsuge’s top Japanese resellers at Komagata Dojo restaurant in old downtown Tokyo. 
We listened to stories and history; Mario Takeyama’s family is from Asakusa town where Tsuge has their factory 
and headquarters. The bond between Mario and Sab Tsuge was evident throughout all of our meetings and 
illustrates the global direction of Drew Estate. Drew Estate representatives will be stationed at the Tsuge booth 
at the upcoming Chicago Pipe Show, being held at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois on May 3rd 
and 4th, 2014. If you would like to speak with Drew Estate representative about this news, please visit the 
Tsuge booth.



About Drew Estate:
Founded in New York City in 1996. Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco
companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”™.
Drew Estate has led The“Boutique Craft” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique
tobaccos and blending styles that have attracted new and old cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica
Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces successful brands such as ACID,
Herrera EstelĂ­, Java by Drew Estate, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Natural, Nica
Rustica, Tabak Especial and UnderCrown.
About Tsuge:
TSUGE has paved the way of the Japanese pipe making with Kyoichiro who dedicated his life to
pipes. The global brand TSUGE continues to step forward as a bearer of smoking culture in 
the future. Pipes of the TSUGE brand are made with infinite passion and excellent techniques 
of the craftsmen. The unparalleled beauty and quality have attracted pipe lovers around the world.