More 2011 Cuban Cigars Announced
Worldwide distributor of Cuban cigars Habanos S.A. has announced the new cigars that will be released throughout 2011. Attendees of this week's Habanos Festival—including a team from Cigar Aficionado—will get the opportunity to smoke some pre-release samples throughout the event.
Adding to its regular-production portfolio, Habanos will be introducing the Partagas Serie E No. 2, a 5 1/2 inch by 54 ring cigar (factory name: Duke) and the Serie D No. 5, a stout petit robusto measuring 4 3/8 by 50.
The Serie E No. 2 represents the first time that a Partagas has been offered in the thick Duke size. The Serie D No. 5 first appeared as an Edición Limitada in 2008, but has now been incorporated into the normal line. Festival-goers got the chance to smoke these Partagas cigars at Monday night's welcome gala dinner.
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Also being inducted into the regular-production portfolio will be the diminutive H. Upmann Half Corona, which Habanos describes as a novice friendly, accessible format deigned to "enjoy at any time." It measures 3 1/2 by 44 and comes in five-count tins or boxes of 25. This cigar will be offered at tonight's H. Upmann dinner.
For the first time, the Montecristo brand is enjoying Gran Reserva
designation. The size of choice is the Montecristo No. 2, which uses
tobacco from a 2005 harvest. Only 5,000 numbered boxes of 25 were
produced. An advanced tasting of the Montecristo No. 2 Gran Reserva
takes place Friday at the closing dinner.
For information on the trio of 2011 Edición Limitada cigars, see the
article by David Savona.
