While last year’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show had many talking about the resurgence of Connecticut-wrapped cigars, it could very well be this year’s show that solidifies that sentiment, as Duran Cigars has announced that it will be unveiling the Azan Blue Connecticut in Las Vegas next month.

The cigar is based around an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper that comes from the first crop of Connecticut seed grown at Fincas Azan, a farm in Ecuador owned and operated by Roberto Duran. In addition to Connecticut, they grow habano, criollo and corojo seed tobacco. While most of the yields are sold to factories in Nicaragua, the company keeps a percentage for use on its own cigars, and this particular batch of Connecticut has had Duran beaming.

“I am very excited about our incursion into the Connecticut wrappers,” he said in a press release, noting that he has been closely following the crops over the last year and was impressed with both the size and quality of the leaves. “Tasting the cigars and appreciating the beauty of the wrapper now gives me trends joy and I can’t wait to see the reaction of Azan smokers,” he added.

Underneath the wrapper is a blend of Nicaraguan tobacco for the filler and binder. The line will come in three regular production sizes, Robusto (5 x 50, $7), Campana (6 x 52, $7.50) and Toro de Luxe (6 1/2 x 54, $8), and sold in 20-count boxes. The cigars are being made at the company’s NicaTobaco factory and should be on store shelves in August.

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.