El Rey del Mundo Royal Series & Por Larrañaga Fénix Debut in Cyprus

Two new Cuban cigars debuted during an event that took place over the weekend in Limassol, Cyprus.

The first new release is the El Rey del Mundo Royal Series, a 6 1/8 x 50 vitola known as Dobles that is shared with numerous previous releases from Habanos S.A., including the Montecirsto Double Edmundo, as well as various Edición Regional cigars like the La Gloria Cubana Gloriosos, the Punch Gran Robusto and the Ramón Allones King of North. In a text, Walid Saleh, ceo at Phoenicia T.A.A. Cyprus Ltd.—the Cuban cigar distributor in the region—told halfwheel that the cigars will be priced locally at €33 ($35.54) each or €660 ($712.30) for a 20-count box.

According to Habanos S.A., the El Rey del Mundo Royal Series is an exclusive release sold by La Casa del Habano (LCDH) stores around the world. The stores are independently owned but licensed franchises from Habanos S.A. In order to gain an LCDH license, stores must meet certain qualifications including requirements for the type of humidor and lounge features a store has. LCDHs have access to specific LCDH-exclusive products like this and oftentimes get priority for the first shipments of new cigars.

In addition, the Por Larrañaga Fénix Edición Regional Phoenicia also debuted during the event in a 7 1/4 x 50 Churchill extra vitola known as a 109, which features a unique cap that tapers like a belicoso, but ends with a rounded top with no point, more akin to a standard parejo shape. The new Edición Regional cigar was created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the partnership between Habanos S.A. and Phoenicia T.A.A. Cyprus Ltd., which is the distributor of Cuban cigars in Cyprus and much of the Middle East.

Habanos S.A. offers the Edición Regional program to its various distributors around the world. Each year, distributors can select one cigar to be commissioned for their region, though there have been exceptions when some distributors have been able to select more than one. Those cigars must come from a brand that was not part of the company’s former “Global Brands”—such as Cohiba, H. Upmann, Montecristo, Partagás, Romeo y Julieta, etc.—and must be a size currently not offered in that specific brand.

The Fénix is limited to 6,666 individually numbered boxes of 15 cigars, a total run of 99,990 cigars. According to Saleh, pricing is set at €660 ($712.30) per 15-count box, which works out to €44 ($47.49) per cigar.

Phoenicia T.A.A. Cyprus Ltd. is the Cuban cigar distributor for roughly 60 countries throughout the Middle East, Africa and Europe.