Ventura Cigar Company has announced that their Pura Sangre line will be going dormant for the remainder of 2014 while the brand is given a new look and blend in anticipation of a spring 2015 relaunch.

Kevin Newman, brand manager for Ventura Cigar, told halfwheel that the current iteration of Pura Sangre will sunset at the end of 2014 and reemerge in spring 2015 with a look that will take on many of the attributes found in the brand’s Edición 2012 release.

Newman said that the new Pura Sangre will be crate-aged for a minimum of 300 days, which is very similar to the Edición. “The extra crate aging gives the tobaccos a chance to marry and imbues each cigar with a remarkable consistency, body and a creamy smooth finish,” he added. The new line will be limited in its release, with less than 100,000 cigars produced for a one-time release per year, spread across a few vitolas. Specific production numbers have not yet been determined at this time.

The new Puro Sangre blend will use the existing Edición Blend, which is similar to the original Puro Sangre blend, will be a Nicaraguan puro with a Viso Habano Colorado wrapper, Viso Habano binder, and what Newman says is a “phenomenal blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos” for the filler, including an extra leaf of ligero for that he said will offer a bold impression.

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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.