Boutique Blends has announced a major restructuring of its Aging Room portfolio of products. The restructuring includes the establishment of a core line and well as an expansion of the popular Quattro-branded cigars. The revamped look of Aging Room will be showcased when the IPCPR Trade Show opens in Las Vegas on July 13th.

The changes put an emphasis on the Aging Room brand, arguably the most successful one in the Boutique Blends portfolio. It also adds company co-owner Rafael Nodal’s name to the branding – arguably the most well-known person at the company. It is the company’s first major change to its portfolio since it entered into a strategic alliance with Altadis U.S.A. to handle its distribution.

Under the restructuring, the Aging Room brand will now have four main pillars:

  • Aging Room by Rafael Nodal: This gives Aging Room a core line of cigar featuring three new offerings with the Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Connecticut, Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Habano, and the Aging Room Maduro.
  • Aging Room Quattro by Rafael Nodal:  Quattro is Aging Room’s box-pressed offerings. This brings the popular Aging Room Quatro F55 and Aging Room Quattro F55M where they are renamed Aging Room Quattro by Rafael Nodal Original and Aging Room Quattro by Rafael Nodal Maduro. In addition, there will be two new Quattro cigars: Aging Room Quattro by Rafael Nodal Connecticut and Aging Room Quattro by Rafael Nodal Nicaragua.
  • Aging Room Solera: This was a line introduced in 2016. It uses a method of aging tobaccos from different vintages. This line stays intact, keeping the Aging Room Solera Corojo, Shade, Maduro, and Dominican Sun Grown offerings.
  • Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Specialty Line: Includes some of the brand’s more limited offerings such as Aging Room Pelo de Oro, Aging Room Bin No. 1, and Aging Room Pure Cepa.

Boutique Blends also announced they have discontinued the Aging Room Quattro F59, a second Quattro blend released in 2015. While there is not any specific word of brands such as La Boheme, Swag, or Oliveros, it is clear the emphasis is on Aging Room. Some offerings such as Aging Room M356/M356ii, Aging Room M21/M20/M19 Fortissimo, Aging Room Haváo Connecticut, and the original Aging Room Maduro were not specifically mentioned as part of the announcements.

Aging Room by Rafael Nodal

 

The Aging Room by Rafael Nodal introduces regular production  blends with three wrapper options: Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Connecticut (Ecuadorian Connecticut), Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Habano, and Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Maduro. Each of the three cigars features Dominican binder and filler and are made at longtime partner Jochy Blanco’s Tabacalera Palma factory.

Nodal keeps true to Aging Room’s homage to the music business with the vitola names. The Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Connecticut features three sizes: Rapido (5 x 48), Vivase (6 x 50), Andrante (7 x 50). Pricing for the Connecticut is between $8.95 to $9.95 SRP per cigar. The Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Habano and Maduro will each be available in three sizes: Rondo (5 x 50), Mezzo (6 x 54), and Major (6 1/2 x 60). The Habano is priced at $8.90 to $9.95 per cigar while the Maduro is priced $10.00 to $11.00 per cigar

Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Quattro

The Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Quattro Original (formerly the F55) and the Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Quattro Maduro (formerly F55M) will feature the same blends, but receive new packaging and band upgrades. These cigars continue to be produced at Tabacalera Palma.

The Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Quattro Connecticut will also come out of Tabacalera Palma. It introduces a box-pressed Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper offering into the Quattro line. Meanwhile, Aging Room by Rafael Nodal Quattro Nicaragua is all Nicaraguan box-pressed offering coming out of AJ Fernandez’s Tabacalera Fernandez. The new Quattro offerings ship in the same four sizes: Espressivo (50 x 5), Maestro (6 x 52), Vibrato (6 x 45), and Concerto (7 x 50). Pricing for the Quattro Connecticut ranges from $10.75 to $11.15 SRP while pricing for the Nicaragua ranges from $10.65 to $10.95 SRP.

“Aging Room is a brand for those looking to enjoy something special, something just for them,” said Nodal in a press releasel. “And just as musical preferences can vary tremendously, therein lies the need for diversity in a premium cigar lineup. That’s why I strive to present various combinations of superior tobaccos, so that I can provide all customers with unique products, for unique moments.”  

Photo Credits: Boutique Blends