In an attempt to “shoot the gap” between his Connecticut Classic and Corojo Oscuro lines, Mel Shah of Bombay Tobak has created and recently released the new MBombay Habano.

“It is our passion as a brand to create an enjoyable experience for cigar smokers of all levels,” Shah said via a press release, adding that this new medium-bodied blend “truly encompasses the complexity and nuances a tasty cigar should provide.”

MBombay Habano 2

The MBombay Habano uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper and Ecuadorian criollo binder, with the fillers coming from Nicaragua and Peru. The regular production line is being released in five sizes, a corona (5 x 43, $8.50), robusto (4 1/2 x 48, $9), belicoso (5 x 52, $10.50), Churchill (7 x 48, $11.50) and gordo (6 x 60, $12.50). All five sizes come in 20-count boxes.

The gordo and corona will be dressed in a smaller band than some MBombay fans will be accustomed to, while the robusto, belicoso and Churchill will wear two bands, the ornate larger band that MBombay has become known for, and the smaller band underneath.

Shah launched the MBombay brand in June 2014 and also owns Fame Wine and Cigar Lounge in Palm Spring, Calif., which is where the brand debuted as a house blend. Since launching the Connecticut Classic and Corojo Oscuro, MBombay has released two more lines, Kesara and Mōra. All of Bombay Tobak’s cigars, including the new MBombay Habano blend, are made at Tabacos de Costa Rica, otherwise known as Vegas Santiago S.A.

The cigars began shipping to retail on May 6 and should be at stores this week.

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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.