Crowned Heads Releasing Paniolo Especiale 2022 Next Month

After a one-year hiatus, Crowned Heads’ Hawaii exclusive will return next month.

The Paniolo Especiale 2022 is a 5 1/4 x 52 robusto extra that uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Connecticut habano binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. It is being produced at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr.’s Tabacalera La Alianza, only the second time a Paniolo Especiale has been made at that factory; the other one was released in 2017.

“We missed out on a 2021 Paniolo release due to the pandemic, so it was important to me that we come back this year with a bang,” said Jon Huber, co-founder of Crowned Heads, in a press release. “I’d reached out to Ernesto earlier this year and expressed interest in creating a ‘throwback blend’ to some of the cigars he was famous for in the 1990s because I was a fan of those hearty, robust blends. Once we nailed down the blend, I knew I wanted to utilize it and debut it to our family of supports in Hawaii at our Paniolo event which has become near and dear to my heart.”

That event will take place on Sept. 9 at the Prince Waikiki Hotel, hosted by R. Field Wine Co., a chain of specialty food stores that also sells wine and cigars. Tickets are on sale through R. Field Wine Co.

The Paniolo Especiale 2022 has an MSRP of $11 per cigar, though will likely retail for more in Hawaii due to the high state taxes on cigars. It is limited to 400 boxes of 10 cigars.

Crowned Heads introduced the Paniolo Especiale in 2015. Previous versions have also been produced by Drew Estate and My Father Cigars S.A.