The artisans of Cohiba are proud to unveil COHIBA SPECTRE, a small batch release unmatched in the world of handmade cigars. This extraordinary expression of Cohiba speaks of luxury and prestige, embodying painstaking fermentation and aging techniques employed exclusively in this rarefied offering.

Spectre features eight varietals of tobacco, showcasing a broad spectrum of growing regions, soils and microclimates. In all, five countries of origin are represented, elevating the smoking experience to the point of transcendence.

Jhonys Diaz, master blender for Cohiba said, “Cohiba Spectre is like the finest Bordeaux wine. The tobaccos we selected are the product of ideal climatic conditions and a passion for tending to the tobacco at every step of the process. Through proprietary aging techniques, these tobaccos have developed in flavor and complexity, resulting in a smoking experience that cannot be otherwise be replicated.”

The wrapper is a rare Ecuadoran Sumatra. During the curing process, a small percentage of upper-priming leaves developed a unique reddish hue and were set aside for deeper aging. These extraordinary leaves underwent additional fermentation lasting six months, during which time the tobacco’s flavor became profoundly more elegant. Ultimately, only eight barrels of wrapper tobacco were deemed worthy of adorning Cohiba Spectre.

The blend speaks to the highest art of tobacco mastery. Dominican Piloto Cubano, aged in tercios since its 1995 harvest, is configured at the center of the bunch, flanked by Nicaraguan Esteli leaves from the 2011 and 2014 crops. The hand-selected Nicaraguan leaves were aged in Spanish Sherry barrels to impart a rich aroma and a delicate undercurrent of sweetness. A trio of Honduran leaves (Olancho San Agustin from the 2002 crop, with Jamastran and La Entrada from the 2011 crop) form a circumference of complexity, lending earthy notes and subtle spice to the blend.

This is a cigar of refinement, one with aesthetics and construction that can only be described as flawless.  As such, a mere 180 boxes of Cohiba Spectre have been produced, and the exquisite cigars are made by just one roller, Ms. Xirolma Céspedes and one buncher, Mr. Ruben Dario Perez Peña. Representing a combined expertise spanning nearly five decades, these artisans are renowned for their exceptional dexterity and meticulous attention to detail.

To maximize the flavor of the tobaccos contained within, Cohiba Spectre has been made solely in a 7.25” x 54 format. The cigars are presented in a circular red and silver box, in which ten cigars are housed.  A box can be purchased for $900, and individual cigars selling for $90.

About General Cigar Company

General Cigar Co. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of handcrafted cigars for the premium market in the US. The company is owned by Scandinavian Tobacco Group.

Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo®, Cohiba®, La Gloria Cubana®, Partagas®, CAO®, Punch®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends and has a dedicated R&D practice that develops new varieties of tobacco and revitalizes vintage seeds. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through wholesalers and retailers in the US. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City.

Read more: www.cigarworld.com.