There will be a new version of La Gloria Cubana’s Serie R Estelí and Serie R Black lines coming to retailers in early July, as the General Cigar Co. brand will be adding maduro versions to each.

In a “Light and Learn” live video session on Facebook last Wednesday, Michael Giannini announced the new extensions, which use a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper and will begin shipping to retailers on July 1. Each line retains its Nicaraguan binder and fillers and both will come in the same boxes as the current versions, though a sticker will be added to indicate that they are the maduro version.

Both lines were released in July 2013, with the Serie R Estelí designated for brick-and-mortar retailers and the Serie R Black as an exclusive to catalog and internet retailers. While the company has not confirmed it, it figures that the same will hold true for the maduro versions.

General Cigar Co. has not confirmed the pricing of the new maduro versions or what sizes will be released. The original version of the Serie R Estelí comes in three sizes, No. Fifty-Four (6 x 54, $6.49), No. Sixty (6 x 60, $6.99) and No. Sixty-Four (6 1/4 x 64, $7.49), as does the Serie R Black: No. Sixty (6 x 60, $6.99), No. Fifty-Eight (6 7/8 x 58, $7.25) and No. Sixty-Four (6 1/4 x 54, $7.49).

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.