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PCA 2024 United Cigars

United Cigars always has a lot of new activity at their booth, and the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was no exception. This year, United Cigars reintroduced an old brand, expanded its eponymous United brand, and celebrated the 30th anniversary of the La Gianna Havana brand. However, there was a slight difference as Selected Tobacco, owned by Nelson Alfonso and distributed by United Cigars, did not have a separate booth due to visa problems for Alfonso. Instead, the current Selected Tobacco products were showcased at the United booth.

Firstly, United Cigars brought back a brand from the 1990s called Gold Star. The first release is limited. The Gold Star Limited Edition comes from Tabacalera William Ventura factory. The Gold Star is meant to honor the Navy Seals.

The Gold Star features a Habano 2000 Intermedio wrapper and a Sumatra binder and contains Connecticut Broadleaf and Dominican filler. It comes in one size, a 6 x 54 vitola that is presented in 20-count boxes. A total of 200 numbered boxes (4,000 cigars) are being released. Twenty-five signed boxes featuring the signatures of active and retired Navy Seals will be donated to raise charitable funds at auction for the Navy Seal Museum Trident House Charities and Swim With A Mission. (www.SWAM.org). The cigar is expected to be popular among cigar enthusiasts, collectors, and supporters of military families alike. The Gold Star Limited Edition is priced at $20.00 SRP.

Secondly, the United Connecticut adds a Connecticut Shade offering into United Cigars’ eponymous line. This blend completes the trifecta, joining the United Natural and United Maduro offerings. Like the other two lines, the United Connecticut comes from Tabacalera Magia in the Dominican Republic. The wrapper for the United Connecticut is a higher priming Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. The wrapper covers a blend of Dominican tobaccos that includes Dominican Broadleaf in the filler. Presented in 20-count boxes, United Connecticut comes in three sizes: Robusto (5 x 54, $7.00 SRP), Toro (6 x 54, $8.00 SRP), and Churchill (7 x 54, $9.00 SRP).

Thirdly, La Gianna Havana celebrates its 30th anniversary and United has released the La Gianna Havana 30th Anniversary Limited Edition to mark the occasion. La Gianna Havana debuted in 1994 as a release to celebrate the birth of United Cigars’ owner, David Garofolo’s daughter. Over the years, the brand has grown to three regular production blends: Natural, Maduro, and Angelic (sweet tip).

The new La Gianna Havana 30th Anniversary is a barber-pole offering featuring aged tobaccos. The barber-pole combines elements of the Natural and Maduro offerings by intertwining Ecuador, Connecticut, and Mexican San Andres wrappers. The wrappers cover a Honduran Habano Criollo binder and fillers from Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. Packaged in 20-count boxes, the 30th Anniversary comes in one size—a 6 x 54 Toro. The cigar has a $12.00 MSRP.

All three of the PCA releases by United Cigars have already shipped to retailers.

Interview with Oliver Nivaud, United Cigars


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