Cigar Aficionado

General Cigar Co. continues to expand its Macanudo Inspirado series with a new line that features a shade-grown wrapper from Brazil. Called Macanudo Inspirado Brazilian Shade, the cigar is shipping to retailers on May 4, three weeks from today.

The wrapper is grown from Connecticut seed, which is known for its mild qualities when cultivated in the Connecticut River Valley in the United States. This version, however, is grown under shade in the Bahia region of Brazil.

There’s a little more Brazilian leaf in the blend, as part of the filler, which also includes Nicaraguan and Dominican leaves. The binder is Mexican San Andrés tobacco. According to General, the Dominican filler is Piloto Cubano as well as a proprietary cultivar called Dominican Cubita, a Cuban-seed varietal from a one-acre plot in the Mao area of the Dominican Republic.

The new, limited-edition smoke comes in two sizes: Toro, at 6 1/2 inches by 52 ring gauge with a retail price of $10.49, and Churchill, measuring 7 by 48 at $10.99. Both are packaged in colorful, 10-count boxes and are made at the General Cigar Dominicana factory in the Dominican Republic. Only 3,500 boxes will be released—2,000 boxes of the Toro and 1,500 boxes of the Churchill.

The Macanudo Inspirado Brazilian Shade should not be confused with the Macanudo Inspirado Green, a different line centered around a dark, Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper.

Brazilian Shade brings the Macanudo Inspirado series to seven brands, including Orange, Black, White, Red, Green and Palladium.