Robert Duran is bringing back an old Cuban brand, Azan. Duran made the announcement yesterday and sent members of the media a brief explanation about the new Azan before it debuts in the U.S. at the 2013 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show this Sunday in Las Vegas, Nev.

As per the e-mail:

Roberto Duran Premium Cigars represents the best expression of my life’s work which commenced in my birth land of Havana, Cuba. Our team is a unique combination of respected, talented, and well-traveled cigar professionals that complement our foundation, which is a boutique wrapper plantation in Ecuador and a Factory in Estelí, focusing entirely on quality. We produce medium to full-flavor cigars, comprised of a very classic approach with excellent quality

We look forward to introducing our first brand, Azan at the IPCPR in Las Vegas. Azan is one of the biggest kept secrets in the history of Cuban cigar brands. Azan is particularly unique as it is the only Cuban cigar brand ever founded by Chinese immigrants.

In 1928, Kwan Ben Sen (Domingo Azan) and his brothers starting producing handmade cigars in Manicaragua (province of Villa Clara), in Cuba. With the traditional Oriental dedication, focus and with a strike of good fortune, Domingo Azan was able to build one of the most successful tobacco brands in the center region of Cuba. We are fortunate to revitalize Azan as the great-granddaughter of Domingo Azan, Maria Isabel Alvarez Azan stands proudly with the Roberto Duran team.

According to an article in Cigar Insider, Azan will debut in three lines: Burgundy, Maduro Natural and White Premium. The former uses an Ecuadorian wrapper over Nicaraguan fillers in four sizes priced between $3.50 and $4.00. Maduro Natural uses a darker Ecuadorian wrapper over Nicaraguan tobaccos with two sizes priced around $10.00. Finally, White Premium uses an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Brazil and Nicaragua. Its three sizes will debut between $6.00 and $8.00. All three lines are made at D.Hatuey Tabacos S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The cigars have already made at least one appearance, this Facebook post shows an event held in Hong Kong in May.

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.