Plasencia’s Year Of The Horse Galloping In Early
According to the Chinese Zodiac, it’s still Year of the Snake, but that hasn’t stopped Plasencia Cigars from looking ahead. Next month, the company will be launching Year of the Horse, 2026’s assigned animal for the Lunar New Year in February. The equine theme is represented on both the packaging and on the cigar itself.
The release is officially called El Año del Caballo, which translates to “year of the horse” in Spanish. The limited-edition, single size is aptly named Parejo Gordo, and it measures 7 inches by 58 ring gauge. What makes it distinct is the long, braided tail extending from the cap. Each cigar is topped with a long piece of braided tobacco that resembles a horse’s plaited (or braided) mane or tail. According to the company, making the braid is an elaborate process that involves a third roller just to make this particular cap properly.
“The process requires twice the time of a standard cigar and precision humidity control to maintain the cap’s structural integrity,” says Nestor Andrés Plasencia, fifth-generation owner of Plasencia Cigars. “Each braid is sealed with a dual pañuelo [handkerchief] wrap, preserving the integrity of this heirloom-quality finish.”
Every cigar consists of a Nicaraguan wrapper grown organically in Jalapa, Nicaraguan binder and filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco. All the tobacco was grown and aged by the Plasencia family.
The braided motif recurs on the lid of each decorative, 10-count box, which will have a suggested retail price of $590, or $59 per cigar. Only 6,000 boxes are being produced.
