Macanudo debuts a stronger Cigar

It had to be the biggest surprise of the trade show — a new Macanudo cigar with power. America's famed mild brand now comes in a blend built for those who enjoy gutsy cigars.

"It's a total departure," said General Cigar president Angel Daniel Núñez. "Macanudo has always been on the lower end for strength."

Macanudo 1968 debuted this week in Las Vegas at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe retailers trade show, and it will reach cigar shops in August. Covered in a wrapper leaf grown in San Agustín, Honduras, it has filler from the volcanic Nicaraguan island of Ometepe as well as Dominican filler.

The cigar will come in boxes of 20, ranging in price from $8.50 to $11 per cigar. It won't be sold online or in catalogs.

For more on the release, see the July 29 Cigar Insider. For James Suckling's view on the new Macanudo, read his blog.