July 26, 2012 Patrick Lagreid Main,  News,  Press Releases

Press Release: Bolivar 681, the First Regional Edition for Bulgaria

July 26, 2012 — Bolivar 681, a mild-to-strong taste habano that was around between the 1960s and 1990s within the Partagas portfolio, was picked by Habanos S.A. to be the first Regional Edition ever rolled out for Bulgaria.

This exceptional habano, that had been previously recreated in 2006 as an original replica of the Partagas Ancient Humidor, featuring 200 boxes distributed around the world, was presented by Habanos S.A. and Kaliman Caribe GmbH, exclusive distributor in Bulgaria.

The habano within this Regional Edition for Bulgaria was handpicked through a referendum among over a thousand habano smokers, held between March and April 2010.

Among the half dozen brands, ten different ways and lots of names for the new cigar in the ballots, people chose the one that best captures the spirit, culture, history and image of the Bulgarian connoisseur, his or her face before the world community.

“681” (vitola Sobresaliente, ring gauge 53 x 153mm long), was the name suggested by a habano aficionado.

The official launch of this singular gem –held on Nov. 17, 2011 in Sofia- was attended by over 40 representatives of all major mass media. Function attendees were entertained by Bulgaria’s Olympic-gold-medal-winning gymnastics team, together with celebrated crooner Desi Slava and members of the Pambos Dancing Center.

The unveiling of this habano included a unique 3D mapping, interactive animation and screenings whereby guests witnessed the birth of the BOLIVAR 681 cigar, followed its passage across the continents and its born-again stance before more than 350 habano lovers.

The Bolivar 681 was ritually introduced with the accompaniment of the La Guardia Orchestra.

In his keynote remarks, Habanos S.A.’s Vice President for Entrepreneurial Development, Javier Terres, said the BOLIVAR 681 is a very peculiar cigar designed for smokers of all stripes, yet most for those who can actually puff on a genuine habano.

Attendees had the opportunity to scribble down their views in a special guestbook called “Creation of History”, an event that has definitely gone down in the records of Bulgaria’s modern cigar history.

As it’s been customary, Kalima Caribe handed out the Habano Awards that recognize the most faithful habano buffs in Bulgaria.

During the gala dinner, the commemorative BOLIVAR 681 silver coin was specially minted to authenticate the Regional Edition.

  • BOLIVAR 681 Exclusive Regional Edition Bulgaria 2011
  • Factory Vitola: Sobresalientes
  • Length: 153 mm (6 Inches)
  • Ring Gauge: 53
  • Format: Large
  • Strength: Mild to Strong
  • Presentation: Limited quantity of 2,500 boxes
  • Box featuring the traditional Bolivar lithograph and an additional band that represents the Regional Edition Bulgaria
  • 10 units in each box
  • Additional band “Exclusivo Bulgaria”
Bolívar (Cuban) Bolívar 681 Bolivar 681 Edicion Regional Bulgaria Bulgaria Habanos S.A.
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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, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, 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.

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