One of Habanos S.A.’s Edición Limitadas will make its worldwide debut in Italy this week, but it may still be some time before reaching retailers on a global level.

The Montecristo Supremos is slated to make its first appearance at the XIV Encuentro Amigos de Partagás event in Matelica, Italy on Sat. July 6th. A representative from Diadema S.P.A., the distributor of Habanos S.A. products in Italy told halfwheel that the event is being considered the cigar’s premiere in the sense that it will not be available for sale. The distributor is still awaiting a timetable for the cigar’s official release, saying it could be anywhere between October and December, adding that the first delivery will be made in Italy.

The cigar measures 5 1/8 inches long (130mm) with a 55 ring gauge, a robusto vitola known as the Montesco. It’s the same vitola as the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills, and is the thickest Montecristo to be released.

It is one of three Ediciónes Limitada for 2019, joining the Ramón Allones Allones No. 2, a belicoso that measures 5 1/2 x 52, and the Quai d’Orsay Senadores, which measures 6 3/16 (157mm) x 48.

A formal announcement from Habanos S.A. is expected by the end of the week.

Update (July 4, 2019) — Habanos S.A. released a press release and new images of the cigar, which have been added to the story. Additionally, the company confirmed that the cigars will come in 25-count boxes, and made no mention of a formal release date for the cigar, referring to the event as a “premiere” for the approximately 450 guests who will be in attendance. This story was originally published on July 3.

An earlier version of this article referred to the Ramón Allones as a robusto; it is a belicoso and has been corrected.

Images courtesy of Habanos S.A.

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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, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, 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.