General Cigar Company will be launching a new brand at the 2012 IPCPR show called Foundry. Initial details of this new brand were reported in a 7/31/12 article in Cigar Aficionado.
The Foundry will use a theme from the Steampunk movement. Steampunk is typically a type of Science Fiction that incorporates element’s of technology into it. This is often done through fantasy-type machinery (i.e. H.G. Wells’ Time Machine) The most striking feature around this cigar will be the banding as it will feature a metal-gear that represents some of the machinery. While this is often a genre associated with the Victorian era, many elements have found their way into contemporary works.
General Cigar is not releasing many details on the blend other than they are using a proprietary H-47 Plen Sol wrapper and binder/filler from five countries.
The vitolas pay homage to figures associated with Steampunk works or artifacts. There will be four vitolas initially launched and according to the article should make it to retailers this fall.
Wells: 6 x 50
Pays homage to H.G. Wells. His work the “The Time Machine” is associated with exactly what the work is – a fictional time machine.
Talbot: 5 x 60
Pays homage to Bryan Talbot. Talbot is a modern day comic book artist that incorporates elements of Steampunk into his work
Lovelace: 6 1/4 x 54
Pays homage to Ada Lovelace. Lovelace is often considered the first computer programmer as her algorithm was incorporated into Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine. Lovelace (and Babbage) is featured in a modern day historical fiction work called The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua. In that work, Lovelace’s work is used to fight frime. She is also depicted (fictionally) as a pipe smoker.
Cayley: 6 1/2 x 60 x 56 x 43
Pays home to Sir George Cayley. Cayley is considered a pioneer in aeronautics. He is the designer of the first glider (before the Wright Brothers had the first successful powered flight). Cayley’s flying machines are often associated with Steampunk artifacts.
