Back in 2013, John Laurendi was diving headlong into cigars in Toronto, and exploring new smokes as often as he could. He enjoyed bringing cigars to social functions, but physically carrying them was a pain, especially when you took into account the lighter, cutter, and other everyday carry items already in his pockets.

Any cigar smoker will tell you that your pockets fill up quickly when that hobby is involved. Laurendi was frustrated; cramming things into your pockets doesn't exactly do wonders for your silhouette. “Obviously that many accessories didn’t compliment the look of a fitting sport coat,” explains Laurendi. And his wife, who had generously carried his three-smoke cigar case on several occasions, was fed up as well. Desperate for a solution, he started searching for something better. “I took to the forums and to the online shops to find a case that would carry my cigars, lighter and cutter that had some style to it, something fashionable.”

But a case fitting those specs was nonexistent at the time, and the options that were available were sturdy Pelican-style cases that, in Laurendi’s words, “didn’t fit the gentleman’s lifestyle.”

He shared his frustrations in a smoky gathering of fellow cigar lovers, who later in the night discussed manufacturing something of their own, to their own specifications, and to his surprise, one of the group, Matthew Henderson, called him early the next morning, saying, "Okay, where do we start?"

"His girlfriend at the time was just as fed up with carrying our cigars and accessories around," says Laurendi. "He had an admirable drive and ambition to get this off the ground. From that day forward Matt and I became business partners."

Peter James Leather Co. was born, and over the next eight months the two prototyped what would later become their first case.

The final product, the Aficionado, seems to handle every need for the average cigar smoker. Dedicated pockets hold a multitude of cigar and other accessories, from lighters, cutters, and matches to spaces for the likes of your passport, and some limited humidification options, such as a small Boveda pack. Most importantly, aluminum-reinforced slots for up to six cigars, each of which can be up to 7 1/2 inches, and up to 60 ring—far larger than traditional breast pocket cases are built for.

"It is quite diverse," explains Laurendi. "It really can be used for any on-the-go occasion. It is very popular for dining out, golf, travel, vacations, just a night on the town, or even [going] to a friend’s house. The beauty of the product is it can be dressed down and comfortable to fashionable."

At about 10 inches by 5 inches, it's about the size of a clutch, and small enough to fit inside a messenger bag. It comes in several color options, including: Koral (a reddish vegetable tan), Oceana (navy), and Castano (classic brown, pictured).

The Aficionado retails for $395, and is also available through Davidoff of Geneva retailers (Swiss-based Davidoff of Geneva is well known as one of the finest crafters of cigars and cigar accessories themselves).