Alfonso Gran Selección Debuting at PCA 2023

Last year, Selected Tobacco S.A. released the Alfonso Extra Añejo, a cigar noted for its use of French oak in the aging process, and now the company is preparing to release what it is describing as the sequel to the Extra Añejo, the Alfonso Gran Selección.

The Extra Añejo isn’t going away, but according to the company, those wanting a darker flavor profile should look to the new Gran Selección. It uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper over a Peruvian binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

Like the Alfonso Extra Añejo and Byron 1850, this line was aged for a total of five years. Part of that process is done in rooms lined with Spanish cedar, where the humidity is increased and decreased throughout the process. The final part of the aging process is done in rooms lined with French oak, which the company says was inspired by winemaking. As with the other Selected Tobacco S.A. products, the cigars are made at Tabacos de Costa Rica in Costa Rica.

The Alfonso Gran Selección will debut in five sizes:

• Alfonso Gran Selección Estelares (5 1/2 x 54)
• Alfonso Gran Selección Exclusivos (6 x 54)
• Alfonso Gran Selección Enormes (6 1/2 x 60)
• Alfonso Gran Selección Preciosos (7 1/2 x 40)
• Alfonso Gran Selección Grandiosos (8 x 50)

Pricing has not been announced but is said to be similar to the Extra Añejo line, which is priced between $29.99-49.99 per cigar. Production will be limited to 200 boxes of 25 cigars per size.

“Our experimentation with French Oak aging has lead to amazing cigars ” said Nelson Alfonso, owner of Selected Tobacco, in a press release. “The Alfonso Gran Selección is the next great example of our dedication to patience and exploration.”

The cigars will be on display at the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, which takes place July 8-11 in Las Vegas, before shipping to retailers in the fall. In the U.S., United Cigars distributes Selected Tobacco S.A.