PCA 2022 Report: Bellatto Premium Cigars / La Barba Cigars

This has been a big year for Tony Bellatto. It commemorates both ten years of La Barba cigars and his father Gene’s 50 years in the cigar business. While it’s ten years for La Barba, Tony is getting ready for the next ten years as he is partnering with his father to form a new cigar company called Bellatto Premium Cigars. While he is forming a new company, Tony will shift his focus for new projects to Bellatto Premium Cigars. He will maintain his ownership in La Barba and will continue to produce his existing lines under that brand. Being this was a big year for the Bellatto family, there were several new releases – including three blends under Bellatto Premium Cigars and a new one under La Barba.

Prior to this year’s PCA Trade Show, Bellatto Premium Cigars announced its first release, Knockaround. Knockaround is intended to be a cigar for everyday occasions. The cigar is a Habano wrapper over a Dominican binder and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. It will come in three sizes: Robusto 550 (5 x 50), Toro 650 (6 x 50), and Gordo 660 (6 x 60). Each is presented in 20-count boxes. It’s meant to be an affordable cigar with pricing ranging from $7.00 to $9.00. Production comes from Tabacalera William Ventura.

At the trade show, Bellatto Premium Cigar introduced Edition. This is intended to be a more premium offering. It comes in two blends, one featuring a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper and the other featuring an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. The Edition Brazil Habano blend consists of a dark Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper over an undisclosed binder and fillers. It comes in three sizes: Lonsdale (46 x 6, SRP $12.00), Robusto (50 x 5, SRP $14.00), and Toro Grande (54 x 6, SRP $15.50). Each is presented in 20-count boxes. The Edition Connecticut blend consists of a dark Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over an undisclosed binder and fillers. It comes in three sizes: Lonsdale (48 x 6, SRP $13.00), Robusto (50 x 5, SRP $14.00), and Toro (50 x 6, SRP $15.50). It is also presented in 20-count boxes. Tony Bellatto says this comes out of the facility run by William Ventura. This differs from the rest of Bellatto’s production which comes out of William’s son Henderson’s factory. Edition is expected to ship this summer.

The La Barba brand does have a new blend called La Barba Ricochet Crü Shade. It is the third blend under La Barba’s Ricochet brand and is intended to complete the Ricochet trilogy. La Barba Ricochet Crü Shade introduces a Connecticut Shade offering under the Ricochet line. In addition to a Connecticut Shade wrapper, the Ricochet Crü Shade features a Sumatra binder over Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. It is available in four sizes: Cafe (42 x 4), Robusto (50 x 5), Toro (50 x 6), and Magnum (60 x 6). La Barba Ricochet Crü Shade is a regular production line with each size packaged in 25-count boxes.