August 2016
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As you probably know, this years IPCPR Convention just wrapped up a few days ago, running from July 24th-July 28th at Sands Expo in Las Vegas. Hopefully you already read our first update where we shared news on new releases from Drew Estate, General Cigar, Nat Sherman, Joya De Nicaragua and others. Now I would like to share some additional updates!

Davidoff of Geneva USA: Yamasá

Davidoff of Geneva USA is always a big booth, and this year it seemed larger than ever. There were numerous Davidoff products on display as well as products from a number of other big cigar brands: Room101, AVO, Camacho and Ditka.

Davidoff-yamasa

The big deal however was definitely the Davidoff Yamasá, which is a brand new addition to the Davidoff catalog. This was its official unveiling and the first time that members of the public got a chance to smoke it.

The Yamasá includes a Dominican wrapper and binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler leaves. Flavors are bold and include notes of coffee, cedar, nuts and spices. It will be launching in August, and will be available in four sizes:
– Davidoff Yamasá Petit Churchill (4 x 48) $12.90 (Box of 14, $180.60)
– Davidoff Yamasá Robusto (5 x 50) $19.70 (Box of 12, $236.40)
– Davidoff Yamasá Pirámides (6 1/8 x 52) $23 (Box of 12, $276)
– Davidoff Yamasá Toro (6 x 52) $22.70 (Box of 12, $272.40)

The Yamasá is actually a somewhat fascinating story. It was pioneered by blender Henke Kelner, who has literally been working on it for 20 years. The name of the cigar pays tribute to the swampland of Yamasá. Unbelievably and against the odds (and the doubts of others), Kelner managed to convert the swamp into a tobacco-producing region. How and why? That part I am not sure about, but it is a spectacularly impressive feat resulting in a charismatic new cigar.

Oliva: Rebranding and Virtual Reality

The Oliva booth is another biggie. Overall it looked much like it did in previous years, but you could sense the change in ownership (J. Cortès now owns it). Perhaps this accounts for some of the re-branding of Oliva products, for example the Nub Café, which is now known as the Nub Nuance. Additionally, two new blends are available. The first is called the Nub Nuance Fall Harvest, which includes additional notes of pumpkin spice. The wrapper is Indonesian while the binder is Nicaraguan. The filler leaves are Nicaraguan and Dominican.

– Nub Nuance Fall Harvest 354 (3 3/4 x 54) $6.15 (Boxes of 20, $123)
– Nub Nuance Fall Harvest 460 (4 x 60) $7.18 (Boxes of 20, $143.50)
– Nub Nuance Fall Harvest 542 (5 x 42) $6.15 (Boxes of 20, $123)

The second new blend is the Winter Blend, which contains an added note of mint:

– Nub Nuance Winter Blend 354 (3 3/4 x 54) $6.15 (Boxes of 20, $123)
– Nub Nuance Winter Blend 460 (4 x 60) $7.18 (Boxes of 20, $143.50)
– Nub Nuance Winter Blend 542 (5 x 42) $6.15 (Boxes of 20, $123)

All of the new Nub Nuance cigars will be available in September.

New Nub Nuance blends were not the only means by which Oliva impressed booth visitors at IPCPR 2016. Oliva is a brand that is on top of the latest technology. If you happen to be a gamer, you probably are familiar with virtual reality headsets. VR headsets are cutting edge, but should soon be available for your PlayStation or Xbox console. As it turns out, their applications go far beyond gaming.

Oliva had the very cool idea of allowing trade show attendees to visit their company plantation and factories through a virtual reality tour. This is really quite an amazing concept and a mind-blowing and unique experience for everyone who dropped by the Oliva booth. As a bonus, Oliva demonstrated their generosity and appreciation to all of their dedicated buyers by giving away a complimentary cigar at the end of their virtual tour.

Quick Updates:

Avo’s new blend this year is Classic Covers Volume 4. This cigar is based on the Avo Domaine, and includes Yamasá filler leaves, an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper. The Avo Syncro Nicaragua is also getting an expansion with the new Fogata.

Boutique Blends has four new cigars on the way. Two are Oliveros and two are Aging Room.

Recluse Cigar Company has announced the fourth expansion of their Draconian Blend with the Recluse Draconian Habano. This cigar includes a Sumatra binder and Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Dominican Ligero, Iconic Ligero, Braziago and Piloto Cubano fillers. It will be available in 14 formats.

Thanks for following along with this years IPCPR updates here on CigarInspector.com! Be sure to check back each week for ongoing industry news!

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