Asia Pacifico Punch 8-9-8 released. Pacific Cigar Company, the Habanos distributor for South East Asia and the Pacific has released the regional edition last week. And even though it was released in October 2019, officially it’s a 2018 release. But more often than not, Habanos can’t deliver limited editions or regional editions in time to the distributors.

The 8-9-8 controversy 

Within the Habanos community, the name raised some eyebrows. The vitola itself is called a Lonsdale. It’s a very popular vitola amongst aficionados who like classic, slender cigars. Within the Cuban manufacturers, this 6¾x43 cigar is called a Dalia. 

The 8-9-8 name comes from the way the original 8-9-8 cigars were packaged. Instead of having two layers of cigars, this type came with three layers in a box. First a layer of 8, then a layer of 9, and a top layer of 8, hence the 8-9-8 reference. But the Punch 8-9-8 Edicion Regional Asia Pacifico doesn’t come in boxes of 25, with those three layers. They come in boxes of 10. So the 8-9-8 reference is completely lost. Some high profile Habanos connoisseurs raised the question of why that name is used on social media. Why pick an 8-9-8 when the cigars aren’t packed like that? Why not call it the Punch Dalia?

Asia Pacifico releases

Pacific Cigar Company released 8888 boxes of 10. The number 8 is a lucky number in Chinese tradition, that’s why that amount was chosen. In the past, the company released several regional editions for the whole region. But last year, Pacific Cigar Company released a Hong Kong exclusive Punch Sir David. That cigar was in honor of PCC founder Sir David Tang, who passed away at the early age of 63 a year earlier. Sources close to us confirm that Pacific Cigar Company will release more regional editions for single countries in the near future, starting with Malaysia. Details about that cigar have yet to be confirmed.