It’s called Cuban Copy and it’s exactly what it sounds like.

Berger & Argenti is launching a new line of cigars created specifically to mimic the taste of iconic Cuban cigars. The Cuban Copy cigars are substantially less expensive than their Habanos S.A. counterparts and of course, legal in the United States.

There are a dozen Cuban Copy cigars, all made in Nicaragua at an undisclosed factory and sold in boxes of 20.

  • Cuban Copy H. Upmann Petit Corona (5 1/8 x 42) — $5.40 (Boxes of 20, $108)
  • Cuban Copy Montecristo #4 (5 1/8 x 42) — $5.50 (Boxes of 20, $110)
  • Cuban Copy Punch Punch (5 5/8 x 46) — $5.70 (Boxes of 20, $114)
  • Cuban Copy Partagas Serie D (4 7/8 x 50) — $5.90 (Boxes of 20, $118)
  • Cuban Copy Cohiba Lancero (7 1/2 x 38) — $6.40 (Boxes of 20, $128)
  • Cuban Copy Romeo y Julieta Churchill (7 x 47) — $6.50 (Boxes of 20, $130)
  • Cuban Copy Cohiba Esplendidos (7 x 47) — $6.60 (Boxes of 20, $132)
  • Cuban Copy Cohiba Behike 52 (4 3/5 x 52) — $6.90 (Boxes of 20, $138)
  • Cuban Copy Bolivar Belicosos Fino (5 1/2 x 52) — $7.40 (Boxes of 20, $148)
  • Cuban Copy Montecristo #2 (6 1/8 x 52) — $7.60 (Boxes of 20, $152)
  • Cuban Copy Partagas Lusitania (7 5/8 x 49) — $7.80 (Boxes of 20, $156)
  • Cuban Copy Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona (7 5/8 x 49) — $8 (Boxes of 20, $160)

Of note, the bottom of the sales sheet has this disclaimer:

PUNCHTM, COHIBATM, BOLIVARTM HOYO de MONTERREYTM and PARTAGASTM are trademarks of Habanos SA and General Cigar Cigar Company; ROMEO y JULIETATM, H. UPMANNTM and MONTECRISTOTM are trademarks of Habanos SA and Altadis USA and are in no manner affiliated with CUBAN COPYTM or BERGER & ARGENTITM.

Blend information has not been disclosed beyond stating the cigars use Cuban-seed tobaccos.

This is not the first time this concept has been done, as Santa Clara, Inc., the parent company of JR Cigar, has a similar concept called JR Alternatives. One major difference between the two is that Cuban Copy cigars are being sold in boxes, whereas JR Alternatives are sold in bundles.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2017 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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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.