tags on every page of your site. --> Macanudos Made With Barrel-Aged Binders | Cigar Aficionado

The Big Smoke Returns To Las Vegas—Tickets On Sale Now

Cigars

Macanudos Made With Barrel-Aged Binders

General Cigar and Flint Knoll winery collaborate for the second time
Sep 26, 2023 | By Gregory Mottola
Macanudos Made With Barrel-Aged Binders
Photos/General Cigar Co.

General Cigar Co. and Flint Knoll winery have once again teamed up to produce the Macanudo Estate Reserve Flint Knoll No. 2. This limited-edition blend, the second collaboration between the two companies, is made with a binder leaf aged in wine barrels aimed at creating synergy between the cigar and Flint Knoll’s California Cabernet. 

The new Macanudo consists of a Connecticut-seed wrapper from Connecticut broadleaf binder. The oak casks used to age the binder previously housed Flint Knoll’s 2019 Royal Appointment, a wine that brand owner Aaron Michaelis calls a “valley floor” Cabernet on of the relatively low-elevation districts where the grapes are grown, namely Calistoga and Stag’s Leap.

Macanudo Flint

Although the blend of this second release is the same as the first, the differences come with the barrels. Last year, the binder was aged in barrels that held Flint Knoll’s 2018 Royal Appointment. This time, it’s a different vintage.

“By aging the binder leaf in our French oak barrels, the complexity and spice of our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon comes to life in a distinctive new smoking experience that’s spicier than the original release,” Michaelis explains.

The Macanudo Estate Reserve Flint Knoll No. 2 comes in two sizes, a Toro, measuring 6 inches by 54 ring gauge, and a 7-by-52 Churchill. They have suggested retail prices of $19.99 and $21.99, respectively, and come in 10-count boxes. Both the boxes and the bands are designed with the same scrolling, ornate filigree found on Flint Knoll’s wine labels. 

“It was a time- and labor-intensive process,” says Justin Andrews, new business development manager for General’s parent company Scandinavian Tobacco Group, “one that had us test binder varietals and aging durations.”

The new cigars are scheduled to start shipping next week on October 2. 

Read Next: Cuban Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No. 3 Debuts

scandinavian-tobacco-group

More in Cigars

See all
E.P. Carrillo Connecticut Shipping Now

E.P. Carrillo Connecticut Shipping Now

A new brand in the E.P. Carrillo Essence Series is on its way to retailers and it’s the mildest blend …

Jun 5, 2025
CAO Amazon Basin Gets Small New Size

CAO Amazon Basin Gets Small New Size

The dark CAO cigars with jungle tobacco are now available in petit coronas.

Jun 2, 2025
A.J. Fernandez And Eladio Diaz Collaborate For New Line

A.J. Fernandez And Eladio Diaz Collaborate For New Line

The new cigar is made in partnership with industry veteran Eladio Diaz, and shipped to retailers …

May 28, 2025
A Hoyo Made In The Shade

A Hoyo Made In The Shade

The newest Hoyo de Monterrey comes in a Honduran, shade-grown wrapper.

May 22, 2025
Plasencia’s Sky-Kissed Alma del Cielo Now Available

Plasencia’s Sky-Kissed Alma del Cielo Now Available

The Nicaraguan cigar with high-altitude tobacco is making its way to retailers.

May 16, 2025
Eladio Diaz 72 Aniversario Arriving Next Week

Eladio Diaz 72 Aniversario Arriving Next Week

A birthday blend with Dominican tobacco from the country’s northern and southern regions.

May 15, 2025
CIGAR AFICIONADO NEWSLETTERS
Check out Cigar Aficionado's newsletters, bringing you our latest ratings & reviews, cigar news and our guide to the good life.