Cohiba Goes to Nicaragua
There are Cuban Cohibas, Dominican Cohibas and even Cohibas with Cameroon and broadleaf wrappers, but for the first time in the brand's history, there will be a Cohiba from Nicaragua this fall.
Aptly named Cohiba Nicaragua, the new cigar was unveiled by General Cigar Co. at last week's International Cigar & Pipe Retailers trade show in Las Vegas. It's made in Nicaragua at the Scandinavian Tobacco Group Estelí S.A. factory, and contains mostly Nicaraguan tobacco. Before production started on this brand, General made all of its Cohibas in the Dominican Republic.
"It was a laborious process to develop a Nicaraguan cigar to complement the existing Cohiba portfolio," said Jhonys Diaz, vice president of operations for General Cigar.
The blend starts with a Honduran sun-grown wrapper that the company classifies as Colorado oscuro in color. Underneath, a binder leaf from Nicaragua's Jalapa growing region holds together a blend of Nicaraguan tobacco from Estelí.
Cohiba Nicaragua cigars come in four sizes: N45 at 4 inches by 45 ring gauge ($9.99); N54, 5 1/2 by 54 ($13.99); N60, 6 by 60 ($14.99); and N50 En Crystale, a 5 by 50 cigar that comes in a glass tube ($12.99).
All sizes will be packaged in 16-count boxes, save for the tubed N50 En Crystale, which will come in boxes of eight.
Cohiba Nicaragua should start shipping to retail shops in early October.
