2018 would be a big year for Mel Shah and Bombay Tobak as the company would launch a new brand known as MQBA. In a time when innovation is on the decline in the cigar industry, Shah and his company brought something a little different to the IPCPR Trade Show with MQBA.

MQBA is made up of four unique cigars, each consisting of 100% percent tobacco grown at the company’s farm in Ventana, Ecuador. The first seeds for the tobaccos used were planted in 2009. Not only is it a single-farm project for Bombay Tobak, but it delivers an 100% Ecuadorian puro to market – something not commonly seen in the industry.

MQBA consists of four marcas: Diadem (7 x 56), Toro (6 x 52), Torpedo (6 x 52), and Nikka (6 x 44). The cigars will be presented in 24-count boxes. The MQBA Diadem will be available in 3-count gift packs while the other sizes will be available in 4-count gift packs. Pricing is set at $12.00 to $16.60.

It was a quieter year for Bombay Tobak’s Gaaja brand. This is the all box-pressed line that is available in natural or maduro that incorporates tobacco from Paraguay. There were no new extensions to the line, but it was nonetheless proudly on display.


 

Also on display were the blends under the MBombay line. The only change in that line is the MBombay Classic Torpedo, a new size in the MBombay Classic line that was previously only available in sampler packs and will now be available in 25-count boxes.

Shah was a guest on Prime Time Special Edition #35 on the eve of the 2018 IPCPR on July 10th and talked more about his projects.

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2018 Product Reports

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop