In a year when there were numerous companies who didn’t roll out any new products, Felix Assouline Cigars rolled out several new lines, and with numerous vitolas and box configurations available, the full list of SKUs is even longer than a cursory glance of the list below would suggest.

Assouline’s plan for this year’s trade show was to focus on Nicaraguan puros, and while not completely the case, there are numerous Nicaraguan-dominant cigars on the list. Assouline said that many of them weren’t guaranteed to be at the show given the issues in Nicaragua at the moment, and it was only until Assouline himself went to his factory just over a week before the show that he was able to secure enough samples and feel confident to offer the new lines to retailers. Most of the lines won’t get full releases until September or the holiday season, but there a number of new products coming from the energetic Assouline.

Felix Assouline CSB Fuerte Box Pressed Black Habano

One of three new releases for the CSB line, and as suggested by the name this is a full-bodied blend driven by all Nicaraguan tobacco. All six sizes are being released in two packaging formats, 10- and 24-count boxes, that are slated for a holiday season release.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano Criollo 98)
  • Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Felix Assouline CSB Fuerte Box Pressed Black Habano Belle Anne (7 x 48) — $8 (Boxes of 24, $192; Boxes of 10, $80)
  • Felix Assouline CSB Fuerte Box Pressed Black Habano Intrepide (7 x 44) — $7.50 (Boxes of 24, $180; Boxes of 10, $75)
  • Felix Assouline CSB Fuerte Box Pressed Black Habano N’aie Pas Peur (6 1/2 x 52) — $9 (Boxes of 24, $216; Boxes of 10, $90)
  • Felix Assouline CSB Fuerte Box Pressed Black Habano Sang-Froid (6 1/2 x 54) — $9 (Boxes of 24, $216; Boxes of 10, $90)
  • Felix Assouline CSB Fuerte Box Pressed Black Habano Ta Gueule (6 1/2 x 58) — $10 (Boxes of 24, $240; Boxes of 10, $100)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: Winter 2018

Felix Assouline CSB RED Connecticut (not pictured)

The mildest of the three new additions to the CSB line, the RED Connecticut is a mild to medium blend of Honduran and Ecuadorian tobacco that comes in five sizes.

  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Binder: Honduras (Jamastran)
  • Filler: Honduras (Jamastran)
  • Felix Assouline CSB RED Connecticut Fat Man (6 1/2 x 56) — $9.50 (Boxes of 25, $237.50)
  • Felix Assouline CSB RED Connecticut Monument (6 x 54) — $8 (Boxes of 25, $200)
  • Felix Assouline CSB RED Connecticut Salva Vida (5 x 58) — $8 (Boxes of 25, $200)
  • Felix Assouline CSB RED Connecticut Shorty (5 x 50) — $7 (Boxes of 25, $175)
  • Felix Assouline CSB RED Connecticut Torero (6 x 52) — $7.50 (Boxes of 25, $187.50)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: July 2018

Felix Assouline CSB WHITE Habano (not pictured)

According to the company, the Nicaraguan habano wrapper kicks up the body and flavor of the CSB White Habano in comparison to the RED Connecticut version, nudging into medium-full territory. It is scheduled to get its widespread release ahead of the holiday season this winter.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano Criollo 98 Jalapa)
  • Binder: Honduras (Jamastran)
  • Filler: Honduras (Jamastran)
  • Felix Assouline CSB WHITE Habano Fat Man (6 1/2 x 56) — $9.50 (Boxes of 25, $237.50)
  • Felix Assouline CSB WHITE Habano Monument (6 x 54) — $8 (Boxes of 25, $200)
  • Felix Assouline CSB WHITE Habano Salva Vida (5 x 58) — $8 (Boxes of 25, $200)
  • Felix Assouline CSB WHITE Habano Shorty (5 x 50) — $7 (Boxes of 25, $175)
  • Felix Assouline CSB WHITE Habano Torero (6 x 52) — $7.50 (Boxes of 25, $187.50)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: Winter 2018

Felix Assouline EGO Gold

Just like the CSB line is getting a number of new additions, the EGO line is adding several new extensions as well, and two of them—this and the Ocean Blue—are on the full end of the flavor and body spectrum.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano 98)
  • Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Filler: Honduras (Jamastran) & Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold 24KT (6 x 50) — $9 (Boxes of 10; $90, Boxes of 24, $216)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold Fiebre Del Oro (6 1/2 x 54) — $10 (Boxes of 10, $100; Boxes of 24, $240)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold Money Shot (6 1/2 x 54 Belicoso) — $10.50 (Boxes of 10; $105, Boxes of 24, $252)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold Fortis Fortuna Juvat (6 1/2 x 58) — $12 (Boxes of 10, $120; Boxes of 24, $288)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold Dias Del Oro (6 1/2 x 56) — $11 (Boxes of 10, $110; Boxes of 24, $264)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold Fuerza Fuerte Redondo (9 x 56) — $15 (Boxes of 10, $150)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Gold Fuerza Fuente Cuadrado (9 x 56 box press) — $15 (Boxes of 10, $150)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: September 2018

Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue

The other new full-bodied extension to Felix Assouline’s EGO line, the Ocean Blue has the most sizes in any of the new lines—a total of 11 sizes that come in a mix of 10- and 24-count boxes.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano 98)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Rogue Wave Redondo (7 x 48 Belicoso) — $9 (Boxes of 10, $90; Boxes of 24, $216)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Rogue Wave Cuadrado (7 x 48 Box Pressed Belicoso) — $9 (Boxes of 10, $90; Boxes of 24, $216)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Monsoon (6 x 50) — $9 (Boxes of 10, $90; Boxes of 24, $216)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Perfect Storm (5 x 52 Box Pressed Perfecto) — $9.50 (Boxes of 10, $95; Boxes of 24, $228)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Tsunami (6 1/2 x 54) — $10.50 (Boxes of 10, $105; Boxes of 24, $252 )
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Cyclone (6 1/2 x 54 Belicoso) — $11 (Boxes of 10, $110; Boxes of 24, $264)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Typhoon (6 1/2 x 56 Figurado) — $14 (Boxes of 10, $140; Boxes of 24, $336)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Hurricane (6 1/2 x 56) — $13 (Boxes of 10, $130; Boxes of 24, $312)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Tempest (6 x 58 Torpedo) — $12.50 (Boxes of 10, $125; Boxes of 24, $300)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Barbaro Redondo (9 x 56) — $15 (Boxes of 10, $150)
  • Felix Assouline EGO Ocean Blue Barbaro Cuadrado (9 x 56) — $15 (Boxes of 10, $150)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: September 2018

Felix Assouline EGO White

The lone line that the company announced prior to the show, the EGO White builds on the company’s existing EGO and EGO Connecticut lines with a new blend that uses a wrapper grown on Assouline’s Omega Tobaccos farm in Nicaragua’s Jalapa region. The company announced four vitolas in early July—Divine, Magic, HEX and Taboo—with plans for a total of nine sizes, all of which were included on the order forms at the show. While it’s a regular production offering, the company is staggering production to an every other year basis, meaning that once the 2018 production is depleted, it won’t go back into production until 2020.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Criollo 98 Jalapa)
  • Binder: Indonesia
  • Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Divine (6 1/2 x 44) — $12 (Boxes of 24, $288)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Magic (5 1/2 x 44) — $14 (Boxes of 24, $336)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White HEX (6 1/2 x 54) — $13 (Boxes of 24, $312)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Taboo (6 1/2 x 56 Belicoso) — $16 (Boxes of 24, $384)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Legerdemain (5 1/2 x 44) — $10 (Boxes of 24, $240)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Illusion (7 x 44) — $8.50 (Boxes of 24, $204)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Taboo Press (6 1/2 x 56) — $7 (Boxes of 24, $384)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Voodoo Box Press (6 1/2 x 56 Belicoso) — $14 (Boxes of $336)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White HEX Press (6 1/2 x 54) — $13 (Boxes of 24, $312)
  • Felix Assouline EGO White Diablo (6 1/2 x 58) — $15 (Boxes of 24, $360)

Production: Regular Production

Launch Date: July 2018

Felix Assouline Cigars The Ultimate Sampler

The sampler brings together 12 different cigars from the Felix Assouline portfolio, all measuring 6 1/2 inches long with ring gauges ranging from 54 to 58. The first, limited batch is expected in September, while there should be another shipment in time for the holidays. Two cigars are included in seven of the offerings with single cigars in the remaining five lines:

  • EGO Red Maniac (6 1/2 x 56) — 2 cigars
  • EGO Gold Dias Del Oro (6 1/2 x 56) — 2 cigars
  • EGO Ocean Blue Typhoon (6 1/2 x 56 Figurado) — 2 cigars
  • EGO Ocean Blue Tsunami (6 1/2 x 54) — 1 cigar
  • CSB Connecticut Fat Man (6 1/2 x 56) — 2 cigars
  • CSB Habano Fat Man (6 1/2 x 56) — 1 cigar
  • CSB Fuerte Sang Froid (6 1/2 x 54 Belicoso) — 2 cigars
  • Havana Sunrise Brilliance (6 1/2 x 56) — 2 cigars
  • Something Special Virtuoso (6 1/2 x 54) — 2 cigars
  • IISaints Platinum Coup De Feu (6 1/2 x 54 Belicoso) — 1 cigar
  • IISaints Platinum La Vie Est Belle (6 1/2 x 58 Belicoso) — 1 cigar
  • IISaints Platinum Coup De Foudre(6 1/2 x 58 Figurado) — 1 cigar
  • MSRP: $220
  • Production: Regular Production
  • Launch Date: September 2018

IISaints Platinum

Felix Assouline has had a longstanding relationship with the French jeweler and metalworker 2Saints, which has worked with a number of cigar accessory companies throughout the years. Following up on 2014’s II Saints line, the two have paired up again to create IISaints Platinum, a full-bodied Nicaraguan puro that comes in eight vitolas, all with French names.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano Crillo 98)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • IISaints Platinum L’enfant Terrible (6 x 50) — $9 (Boxes of 10, $90; Boxes of X, $216)
  • IISaints Platinum Joie De Vivre (6 1/2 x 52) — $9.50 (Boxes of 10, $95; Boxes of 24, $228)
  • IISaints Platinum Coup de Feu (6 1/2 x 54 Belicoso) — $11 (Boxes of 10, $110; Boxes of 24, $264)
  • IISaints Platinum Je Te Veux (6 1/2 x 56) — $12.50 (Boxes of 10, $125; Boxes of X, $300)
  • IISaints Platinum Coup De Foudre (6/2 x 56 Figurado) — $13.50 (Boxes of 10, $135; Boxes of 24, $324)
  • IISaints Platinum La Vie Est Belle (6 1/2 x 58 Belicoso) — $13 (Boxes of 10, $130; Boxes of 24, $312)
  • IISaints Platinum La Fleche Ronde (9 x 56) — $15 (Boxes of 10, $150)
  • IISaints Platinum La Fleche Carre (9 x 56 Box Pressed) — $15 (Boxes of 10, $150)

Production: Regular production

Launch Date: September 2018

In addition to the IISaints cigars, there was also a table of ashtrays and a few cases of cigar accessories from the company—also referred to as 2Saints—including this incredible ashtray.

 

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2018 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.