Blanco Cigar Co. will be adding a new 4 1/2 x 38 vitola to its Blanco NINE line in the near future, as David Blanco told halfwheel that it is his only new addition for the trade show, at least under the Blanco Cigar Co. name.

“I believe in quality rather than quantity,” he said, referring to his decision not to release a number of new products at the upcoming IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.

The new size retains the Blanco NINE’s blend, with a Nicaraguan corojo oscuro wrapper, Nicaraguan binder from Jalapa and a triple ligero filler blend from Nicaragua. Pricing and the exact packaging format are still being finalized; while Blanco refers to the new vitola as a “tin size,” it will likely come in five- or 10-count paper-wrapper soft packs.

The Blanco NINE is also offered in a Double Corona (7 x 52), Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52), Lancero (7 x 38), Toro (6 x 52) and Robusto (5 x 52), all of which are made at Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Blanco said that he is also working on a rebranding of the Blanco Premier Selection, updating its look to bring it in line with the company’s current branding. As part of that refresh, the habano criollo wrapper version is being discontinued.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2016 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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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 and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, 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.