El Septimo announced that it will be releasing a new cigar blend part of its best-selling series, The Emperor Collection, called “Empress of Sheba.” El Septimo will launch this 6” x 60 Maduro Gordo worldwide at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association’s (PCA) Annual Trade Show.

“I was asked by a dear friend to design a cigar that reflects on the rich history and culture of African Americans.  Before we started to design this cigar, we wanted to find a powerful person in African history to be part of our Emperor Collection. The search ended soon when we learned the history of Queen Sheba,” says Zaya Younan, CEO of El Septimo.

Known for her beauty, wisdom, and wealth, Queen Sheba appears in religious texts as a potential equal to King Solomon, both having lived 950 years before the birth of Christ. Her kingdom stretched from modern Ethiopia to Yemen. Empress Sheba appears in the Bible, in the antiquities of Josephus (8.5.5). According to Josephus (Ant. 8:165-173), Queen Sheba was the Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia, who brought to Israel the first specimens of the balsam, which grew in the Holy Land in the historian’s time. The “Empress of Sheba” will retail at $20 and comes in a Box of 20 cigars.

Younan finishes, “We wanted to do something that we have never done before, so we designed our first Maduro 6 x 60 Gordo cigar. Back then, regions in Africa were known for their rare and special spices, so we made sure we included these notes, creating a rich, aged cigar that is powerful by its brand and yet enjoyable to smoke. This cigar has a beautiful appearance caused by an incredibly special, shiny Maduro wrapper that you notice in the cigar the moment you lay your eyes on it. The taste and aroma are tangible elements in a cigar which we have mastered at El Septimo, and this medium to full-bodied blend highlights that by offering a smooth and balanced flavour and aroma. It truly touches your seventh sense. The construction and consistency in a cigar are our specialties, and for the “Empress of Sheba” we used the best ruler and most talented blenders in the industry – masters of the nose and mouth sensory tasting experiences. This ultra-premium cigar retails at $20 per stick, includes rare and aged tobacco, and comes in a great size and shape that you can enjoy for long time.”