Habanos S.A. Releases Its Cancellation List
There's a good chance that you'll be saying goodbye to some of your favorite Cuban cigars, and some convenient packaging options, too. Habanos S.A. has released its roster of "delisted" cigars—smokes that it plans on discontinuing this year—as well as some packaging formats that will no longer be available.
Among the most glaring cigars on the chopping block are the Bolivar Coronas Gigantes, a 7 inch by 47 ring gauge Churchill; the Romeo y Julieta Cedros de Luxe No. 1 (6 1/2 by 42); and the Punch Royal Coronations, which come in tubos (5 3/4 by 43). These cigars all had high ratings in Cigar Aficionado's blind tastings, but critical aclaim doesn't always necessarily translate to commercial success. The Bolivar scored 93 points, the Romeo and Punch, 91 points—excellent by our 100-point scale. Another large cigar, the Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro (7 5/8 by 49) is on the commercial cancellation list.
Fans of the Bolivar Tubos No. 1, Hoyo de Monterrey Hoyo du Prince and H. Upmann Petit Coronas should buy as much as they can—these are slated for discontinuation, too, as are the Jose L. Piedra Cremas and Petit Cetros sizes.
A number of small-format packaging options will also be getting the ax, mostly three-packs and five-packs.
Discontinued three-packs include: Montecristo Petit No. 2 (not the tubos), Montecristo Tubos, Partagás Corona Seniors and Romeo y Julieta Los Tres Romeos.
Discontinued five-packs include: Cohiba Corona Especiales, Cohiba Siglo V, Rafael Gonzalez Perlas, Romeo y Julieta Petit Coronas, Romeo y Julieta Petit Julias, Trinidad Coloniales and Trinidad Reyes.
Some 10-count box formats are also up for decommission: Montecristo No. 1, No. 3 and Petit Tubos.
Collectors should take note: 50-count cabinets of Punch Punches and Punch Double Coronas will no longer be in production. Cabinets of 50 are often cited by connoisseurs as ideal boxes for long-term aging.
Each year, Habanos S.A. issues a cancellation list to its retailers and distributors worldwide, however, not every proposed deletion actually happens. Occasionally, a cigar will stay in production for another year or so.
This article first appeared in the February 7 edition of Cigar Insider.
