OZ Family Cigars Revives Limited-Edition “Cigar Game” Release for Football Season
Football season is back, and so is one of the sport’s smokiest traditions. OZ Family Cigars has re-released its Cigar Game Limited-Edition, timed with the legendary Alabama–Tennessee rivalry.
A Smoky Rivalry With History
The annual clash between Alabama and Tennessee, officially called The Third Saturday in October, is one of college football’s oldest rivalries. The schools first met in 1901, and in 1961, cigars became part of the tradition. Alabama’s head trainer promised players cigars if they broke their losing streak against Tennessee. They did, and ever since, the winning team and its fans celebrate by lighting up.
The tradition has only grown. By the time the coaches meet for post-game handshakes, the air is already filled with smoke from the winning side.
OZ Family Cigars Steps Into the Tradition
Based in Nashville, OZ Family Cigars has played an active role in recent years. After supplying Tennessee’s locker room during victories in 2022 and 2024, the brand released a dedicated Cigar Game cigar last year. It sold out instantly, with retailers limiting purchases to one per customer.
For 2025, OZ Family Cigars has scaled up production and moved shipments earlier. Half the stock shipped in early August, ahead of Tennessee’s season opener, with more following this week. The final wave will arrive closer to the October showdown.
Details of the 2025 Release
The Cigar Game Limited-Edition is a soft-press toro, 6 x 56, part of the company’s Firsat line. It features a high-priming Connecticut-seed wrapper from Ecuador, an Ecuador Habano binder, and Nicaraguan filler that includes leaf from Ometepe.
Box count: 12 cigars
Price: $14.95 each / $179.40 per box
Production: 1,200 boxes (up from 300 in 2024)
Factory: Casa Carrillo in the Dominican Republic
Exclusively available through Tennessee retailers, the cigars are once again blended and crafted at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s acclaimed factory.
Marking the Calendar
This year’s Cigar Game is set for 18 October in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Recent history favours the home team, but Tennessee will look to change that narrative. Win or lose, fans on both sides will be ready with cigars in hand, keeping alive one of the most unique traditions in sports.
