Protocol’s Sir Robert Peel Adding Corona Gorda

The Protocol Sir Robert Peel line from Cubariqueño Cigar Co. is getting a new corona gorda vitola, and unlike the box-pressed toro that the line debuted in, this new size will be round.

The new size measures 5 5/8 x 46 and is offered in 10-count boxes, with MSRP set at $11.50 per cigar at $115 per box. The blends for both cigars remain the same, with the Sir Robert Peel Natural using an Ecuadorian rosado wrapper, while the Maduro version uses a Pennsylvania broadleaf wrapper. Both versions have a Nicaraguan binder and filler, and are produced at the La Zona Cigar Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

“The Sir Robert Peel was such a different project for us, we wanted to do something out of our comfort zone,” said Juan Cancel, co-owner and founder of Cubariqueño Cigar Co., via a press release. “It has been such a huge success that we want to expand the Lawmen Series with not only the Protocol Eliot Ness, but also with the Sir Robert Peel Corona Gorda. I can’t think of a better size to expand the Sir Robert Peel Line than with a corona gorda,” he added.

The Sir Robert Peel Corona Gorda will be launched on April 17 at The Royal Leaf in Millville, N.J., with the store having exclusivity on the new size through the end of the month. On May 1, the new size will be available to all retailers.

The line debuted in the summer of 2018 as the first in the company’s Lawmen Series, which honors notable figures in the history of law enforcement. Peel, who lived from 1788-1850, was twice the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and twice the country’s Home Secretary. In addition, he founded the Metropolitan Police Service in 1829, setting up their headquarters at Scotland Yard. Among his numerous reforms and contributions to police work were the Peelian Principles, a code of ethics for police to follow in order to be effective. As a result of his work, he is considered to be the father of modern-day policing.

The series recently added the Eliot Ness, named for the Prohibition-era federal law enforcement agent in Chicago who is best known for his efforts to take down Al Capone and enforce Prohibition laws.

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 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.