New Hoyo de Monterrey Oscuro & Rojo Shipping Next Week

General Cigar Co. has signaled that it plans to update the look of the Hoyo de Monterrey cigars that are sold in the U.S. That will start on Monday, June 3.

Next week, the company will begin shipping the new Hoyo de Monterrey Oscuro and Hoyo de Monterrey Rojo, two new blends that the company says “signal (the) storied brand’s new beginning.” Both cigars are made at STG Danlí in Honduras.

Rojo uses a wrapper from the Jamastran Valley in Honduras over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The Oscuro uses a Brazilian mata fine obscure wrapper—the company says is the first time this wrapper has been used for a Hoyo de Monterrey—over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Rojo is described as medium, while General’s press release pegs the Oscuro as “medium-plus.”

Both blends are offered in the same three vitolas, each priced the same:

• Hoyo de Monterrey Oscuro/Rojo Rothschild (4 1/2 x 50) — $5.99 (Box of 10, $59.90)
• Hoyo de Monterrey Oscuro/Rojo Toro (6 x 52) — $7.49 (Box of 10, $74.90)
• Hoyo de Monterrey Oscuro/Rojo Gigante (6 x 60) — $8.49 (Box of 10, $84.90)

“The launch of these blends represents more than just new cigars. They are about honoring the brand’s deep-seated foundation in Honduras,” Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager, in a press release. “As one of the first Cuban ex-pat brands available in the US, Hoyo de Monterrey laid the foundation for Honduran cigarmaking nearly 60 years ago and has become a living legend in the world of premium cigars. With the launch of ‘Rojo’ and ‘Oscuro,’ the brand’s journey is reflected in its commitment to balancing traditional Honduran craftsmanship against the handmade cigar category’s ever-changing tides.”

General Cigar Co. owns the Hoyo de Monterrey trademark in the U.S. and sells its non-Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey cigars exclusively in the U.S. Habanos S.A., a different company, sells the Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey to countries outside of the U.S.