I will keep the intro to the General Cigar Co. booth recap short: there’s a lot going on and enough words about that below.

The General booth is largely the same as it’s been for the last couple of years. The one difference is that Cohiba got to be the featured brand, i.e. the one upfront and with the largest presence, whereas last year that honor went to CAO. I will say, it’s a bit odd this year because the Cohiba portion faced inwards, meaning if you walked in front of the booth it looked rather closed off. For the longest time, General would have a check-in station of sorts where you would be greeted by a receptionist—or someone working as a receptionist—who would find the person you were supposed to meet with and you would the enter the booth.

As always, the General booth is packed. And after 15 minutes or so with Niels Frederiksen, the ceo of STG, I began the marathon through the General booth.

CAO Flathead V19

As I stated prior to the show, I’m looking forward to smoking this. The idea here is an amped up version of CAO’s popular Flathead.

  • Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
  • Binder: U.S.A. (Connecticut Habano)
  • Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
  • CAO Flathead Camshaft V19 (5 1/2 x 50) — $11.99 (Box of 20, $239.80)
  • CAO Flathead Carb V19 (6 x 60) — $12.99 (Box of 20, $259.80)

Production: 4,700 Boxes of 20 Cigars (94,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: Aug. 1, 2019

CAO Session

For the first time in quite some time, there is a new CAO being made in the Dominican Republic. I’m not entirely sure I understand why the company decided to make a CAO in the Dominican Republic as the brand seems to be doing well with its Nicaraguan factory.

  • Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
  • CAO Session Garage (5 1/4 x 54) — $8.59 (Box of 20, $171.80)
  • CAO Session Bar (6 x 49) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)
  • CAO Session Shop (6 x 60) — $9.59 (Box of 20, $191.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2, 2019

CAO Orellana

The next in the CAO Amazon Basin Series is the Orellana. It was in the General booth, though very much tucked into a corner. The name refers to Francisco de Orellana, the Spanish explorer who discovered the Amazon River.

  • Wrapper: Brazil (Cuban-seed)
  • Binder: Undisclosed
  • Filler: Undisclosed
  • CAO Orellana (6 x 52) — $11 (Box of 20, $220)

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: October 2019

CAO Spark Plug Lighter

General has made this lighter for events. It’s very realistic though I don’t think Bosch should be too worried.

Cohiba Spectre 2019

The Cohiba Spectre is back. It’s the same concept as last year: flashy packaging, high prices and limited production.

Once again, the company says that it set aside some of its best leaves, aged them in various barrels and then tasked a single pair with rolling the cigars.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Binder: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
  • Filler: Brazil & Nicaragua (Estelí & Jalapa)
  • Cohiba Spectre (6 x 49) — $90 (Box of 10, $900)

Production: 180 Boxes of 10 Cigars (1,800 Total Cigars)

Release Date: October 2019

Cohiba Silencio

The Cohiba Silencio is a cigar made just for brand ambassador Sean Williams. It’s only been available through Sean and not for sale, until now. The company has created an ashtray gift pack that contains five Silencio cigars. It will be available for the holiday season.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Cameroon
  • Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
  • Cohiba Silencio (6 x 50) — $30 (Box of 5, $150)

Production: 498 Boxes of 5 Cigars (2,490 Total Cigars)

Release Date: Late 2019

Cohiba Connecticut Soft Packs

In case you needed anymore evidence that the Cohiba Connecticut is trying to go after the eponymous Davidoff white label, the cigar is now offered in familiar soft packs.

Cohiba Rebrand

Cohiba has a new look for its core brands. I like the bands more than the boxes though I’m not sure if this is needed.

One interesting note is that the core Cohiba line, previously known as Cohiba, is now being formally branded as Cohiba Red Dot, which has been the informal name for the brand. The red dot refers to the red dot in the o of the General-branded Cohiba compared to the Cuban Cohiba.

Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask

The latest in the partnership between Rabbit Hole Distillery and General’s Diesel brand. For this release, tobaccos were aged in barrels that held Spanish sherry and then bourbon. One interesting note: this is the second year in a row where Diesel has released a cigar in early June, right before the show. Diesel’s Justin Andrews told me this is intentional and his goal is to “own (the month of) June.”

  • Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
  • Binder: Brazil (Arapiraca)
  • Filler: Nicaragua (Habano)
  • Diesel Whisky Row Sherry Cask Robusto (5 x 52) — $8.49 (Box of 20, $169.80)
  • Diesel Whisky Row Sherry Cask Toro (6 x 50) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)
  • Diesel Whisky Row Sherry Cask Gigante (6 x 58) — $9.49 (Box of 20, $189.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: June 3, 2019

Hoyo de Monterrey El Torcedor

While much of the General booth contains brands that are modernizing their looks, the Hoyo de Monterrey El Torcedor is a throwback. It’s a 6 1/2 x 49 perfecto shape in packaging that is very much not new age. That being, it’s not the exact packaging of yesteryear, General’s Ed Lahmann told me that small tweaks were made like the use of the bright gold foil.

  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
  • Hoyo de Monterrey El Torcedor (6 1/2 x 49) — $12.99 (Box of 20, $259.80)

Production: 1,000 Boxes of 20 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: July 2019

Hoyo de Monterrey La Amistad Dark Sumatra

The Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra is now the La Amistad Dark Sumatra. The new version is offered in the same sizes as the original Dark Sumatra and uses the same blend components. The one difference? A.J. Fernández. General has tasked A.J. Fernández to make the La Amistad version, mooving production from its own STG Danlí factory.

  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra)
  • Binder: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
  • Filler: Dominican Republic, Honduras & Nicaragua
  • Hoyo de Monterrey La Amistad Dark Sumatra Espresso (4 1/2 x 50) — $7.99 (Boxes of 20, $159.80)
  • Hoyo de Monterrey La Amistad Dark Sumatra Media Noche (5 3/4 x 54) — $8.49 (Boxes of 25, $212.25)
  • Hoyo de Monterrey La Amistad Dark Sumatra Noche (6 1/2 x 52) — $8.59 (Boxes of 25, $214.75)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2019

M Bourbon by Macanudo

Last year General introduced the coffee-infused M by Macanudo, now it’s the M Bourbon. It’s an infused cigar that is designed to mimic an Old Fashioned cocktail.

  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Binder: Ecuador
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • M Bourbon by Macanudo Robusto (5 x 50) – $7.49 (Box of 20, $149.80)
  • M Bourbon by Macanudo Toro (6 x 50) – $7.99 (Box of 20, $159.80)
  • M Bourbon by Macanudo Churchill (7 x 47) – $8.49 (Box of 20, $169.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: Aug. 1, 2019

Macanudo Heritage Nuevo

This is the first of what will be a trio of releases, each centered around a specific type of tobacco from a different country. The first is Ecuador and the Connecticut shade wrapper. Expect another release under the Heritage banner next year.

  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Binder: Mexico (San Andrés)
  • Filler: Dominican Republic, Mexico (San Andrés) & Nicaragua
  • Macanudo Heritage Nuevo Robusto (5 x 50) – $12.99
  • Macanudo Heritage Nuevo Toro (6 x 52) – $13.99
  • Macanudo Heritage Nuevo Churchill (7 x 50) – $14.99

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: Oct. 1, 2019

Macanudo Inspirado Palladium

Most of the time we talk about palladium it’s because of a finish on an accessory. This time, it’s because of a new Macanudo Inspirado. The cigar uses tobacco aged in the tercio process, where the tobaccos are packaged tightly in a large bundle made from the leaves of a palm tree and left for two years. It’s a rather intense process and one that isn’t done at very many factories.

  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Binder: U.S.A. (Connecticut Habano)
  • Filler: Dominican Republic, Mexico & Nicaragua
  • Macanudo Inspirado Palladium Lonsdale (6 3/4 x 43) — $8.49 (Box of 10, $84.90)
  • Macanudo Inspiirado Palladium Robusto (5 1/2 x 50) — $8.99 (Box of 10, $89.90)
  • Macanudo Inspirado Palladium Churchill (7 1/2 x 49) — $9.49 (Box of 10, $94.90)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: Aug. 1, 2019

Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas 2019

The Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas is back. After a handful of years of the market, General has brought back the brand with a more modern look. The decadas refers to the age of the wrapper, it’s (at least) 10-years-old.

  • Wrapper: Cameroon
  • Binder: Honduras (San Agustín)
  • Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto Cubano) & Nicaragua (Ometepe)
  • Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas 2019 (5 1/2 x 49) — $14.99 (Box of 10, $149.90)

Production: 2,500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (25,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: July 14, 2019

La Gloria Cubana Packaging Update

No new products for La Gloria this year, but the packaging has been updated for the entire line.

Odyssey Sweet Tip

While it’s probably not the most exciting thing to readers of this site, the bundle brand Odyssey is now offered in a sweet tip version.

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
  • Odyssey Sweeet Tip Corona (5 1/2 x 43) — $1.69
  • Odyssey Sweet Tip Robusto (5 x 50) — $1.89
  • Odyssey Sweet Tip Toro (6 x 50) — $2.09
  • Odyssey Sweet Tip Churchill (7 x 48) — $2.39
  • Odyssey Sweet Tip Gigante (6 x 60) — $2.59

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: Aug. 20, 2019

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2019 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
Avatar photo

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.