H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Arrives in Stores

The new barber pole from H. Upmann has begun arriving in stores.

It’s called the H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier, a five-vitola line that uses two contrasting wrappers to create its unique appearance. In this case, both wrappers are from Ecuador, but one is a Connecticut shade and the other is a Sumatra varietal. The binder comes from Indonesia while the fillers are from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and broadleaf that comes from an undisclosed country. Barbier is made at Tabacalera de García in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Corona (5 x 44) — $7.25 (Box of 25, $181.25)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Robusto (5 x 50) — $8.47 (Box of 25, $211,75)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Belicoso (6 1/8 x 52) — $9.50 (Box of 25, $237.50)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Toro (6 x 54) — $9.62 (Box of 25, $240.50)
• H. Upmann 1844 Special Edition Barbier Churchill (7 x 50) — $9.75 (Box of 25, $243.75)

“The use of these contrasting shades of wrappers makes for an eye-catching, barber-pole-like presentation,” said Pedro Ventura, hand-made operation and product development manager of Tabacalera de García, in a press release when the cigars were announced. “The wrappers work together to add an entirely new flavor profile to the cigar, making one’s smoking session a lot more interesting as well.”

Barbier is the German word for barber. The cigar term barber pole refers to how the wrappers’ stripes create an appearance similar to the barber’s pole sign.

This is the second time Altadis U.S.A., which sells the non-Cuban version of H. Upmann in the U.S., has come up with a new barber pole line in recent years. Last year, it launched the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Twisted.