PCA 2023: Nova Cigar

It was four years ago, at the 2019 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, where Nova Cigars made its debut, which I described as “a fairly sizable splash with some sponsorships of the show as well as a booth that seemed to be drawing people from every angle as it was located at a fairly busy intersection of aisles.” Having not covered the company since that debut, I couldn’t recall if this year’s booth was new or not, but judging by Brooks Whittington’s coverage of the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show, this year’s appears to be an adaptation of the one used last year, if a bit smaller.

The Nova Cigar booth might not have been big or flashy, but I have to say that I like the aesthetic. I’ve always like the color of the company’s logo and branding, and the graphics on the wall panels were done well. If anything, this simply felt a bit out of place, as even though it was at the front of the hall, three much larger booths surrounded it, almost swallowing it up.

As for new products, the company had a pair of displays labeled “New Release,” which is quite helpful, while the two cigars were also featured on the white cabinet. One line is named for a planet millions of light years away, while the other is named for a world a bit closer.

Platinum Nova New York 5 Boroughs Edition

This collection of five cigars may look like it is a sampler of blends, but the five cigars all feature the same blend, despite being named for the five boroughs of New York City. The line is inspired by Leonor Abzaradel’s, ceo of Platinum Nova Cigar, love for New York and its many neighborhoods, as while she is not from New York City, she has lived there for the past 20 years. This is also the first time that a release from Nova Cigar has used a double binder.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Colombia (Cubita) & Undisclosed (Corojo)
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Platinum Nova New York 5 Boroughs Edition (7 x 50) — $18 (Box of 5, $90)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2023

Platinum Nova Trappist 1G

This beefy figurado is named for a planet in the Trappist-1 System, located just over 40 light-years from Earth. The planet is slightly larger than Earth and has a color that is very similar to that of Platinum Nova’s branding. That planet is featured on the secondary band that the cigar wears, while a graphic of the Trappist-1 System appears on the inside of the box’s lid. While the line is debuting in one size, it may grow to include more blends and vitolas in the future, according to Abzaradel.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano 2000 Oscuro)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: U.S.A. (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)

• Platinum Nova Trappist 1G (7 1/4 x 54) — $18.50 (Box of 10, $185)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2023