Habanos is releasing a new regional edition, one from the 2021 program, and is raising the prices yet again.

Another price hike

With the commencement of the new year, Cuban cigar distributors worldwide are initiating adjustments to prices in response to the price hikes implemented by Habanos S.A., the Cuban cigar monopoly.

In Spain, a key market for Cuban cigars, the adjustments translate to an approximate 8.23 percent increase across the affected SKUs, encompassing nearly the majority of Cuban cigars available in the country. This percentage is derived from about 350 SKUs, accounting for certain cigars listed multiple times due to their availability in various packaging formats.

It’s important to note that this calculation does not consider certain recent releases, such as the Ramón Allones Allones No.3, which was not included in the January 2023 price adjustments list. Additionally, there are random SKUs featured in the 2024 adjustments, like the La Gloria Cubana Medaille D’Or No. 4, now priced at €7.70 in Spain, if one can locate the cigar.

Interestingly, there is one brand that has seen minimal impact on prices: Trinidad.

The Trinidad Short is the sole SKU experiencing an increase, rising from €1.35 to €1.45 per cigar. This stands out, especially considering that Trinidad was the brand most severely affected by Habanos S.A’s unprecedented price hike in 2022, which tripled the price of Trinidad cigars overnight.

Diplomatico El Emisario

The Diplomáticos El Emisario, a distinguished member of the 2021 Edición Regional cigars line-up, is poised to make its debut in Switzerland in the coming month, three years after it was supposed to arrive.

Intertabak AG, the Swiss distributor for Cuban cigars, has officially announced the availability of El Emisario at La Casa del Habano stores in the country starting on February 6. The cigar will subsequently be made available at other retailers from February 13, with an exclusive launch event scheduled for February 5.

Measuring 5 11/20 (141mm) x 50, El Emisario features a vitola described as “gordito con cabeza tombada,” signifying a unique 109-style cap. This cap design represents a harmonious fusion of the round cap of a parejo and the pointed tip of a belicoso.

Priced at 38 Swiss francs per cigar, approximately $43.80, the Diplomáticos El Emisario is presented in limited production, with only 15,000 numbered boxes of 10 cigars each available.

Edicion Regional Program

The Edición Regional program, orchestrated by Habanos S.A., empowers distributors worldwide to select a cigar commissioned exclusively for their respective regions. While the standard practice is to choose one cigar per region annually, exceptions have been made, allowing some distributors to select multiple cigars. The chosen cigars must belong to a brand not included in the former “Global Brands” and must introduce a size not currently offered within that specific brand.

Identifiable by a secondary red and silver band bearing the inscription “Edición Regional,” followed by the region represented by the distributor, these cigars often exhibit a delay in reaching stores, occasionally extending beyond the year of their selection. The Diplomáticos El Emisario embodies the essence of this exclusive program, offering Swiss enthusiasts a unique and limited-edition smoking experience.