United Expanding Red Anchor With Four More Sizes at PCA 2023

Last year, United Cigars resurrected the Red Anchor cigar brand with a single new size called The Admiral. The company always said there would be more vitolas in the future and now we know what the next four will be.

At the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, United Cigars will add four new vitolas to the Red Anchor line:

• Red Anchor Gunner (6 1/2 x 43) — $20 (Box of 25, $500)
• Red Anchor Captain (5 x 50) — $20 (Box of 25, $500)
• Red Anchor Commodore (7 x 55) — $30 (Box of 25, $750)
• Red Anchor Cooper (4 1/2 x 43) — $15 (Box of 25, $375)

Of note, the Cooper is limited as an event-only size. Furthermore, The Admiral (6 x 52, $25) is also expected to return.

Blend-wise, the cigars use an Ecuadorian habano 2000 wrapper over a binder from Monte Planta, Dominican Republic and fillers from the Dominican Republic—habano 92 and San Vicente—and Pennsylvania. The line is produced at the Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic and uses tobaccos from the family’s farms.

According to United Cigars, the history of the Red Anchor brand dates back to 1770 when a trademark was registered by a cigar shop. Two years later, Albertus Hillen Sigarenfabriek started making the Red Anchor cigars at a factory in Delft, Holland. The brand was passed to various family members until it was sold to Martinus Hioolen in the 1890s, who expanded the brand’s reach. In 1909, the company added new machines and started using tins but the brand faced challenges in the 1920s due to market saturation and new excise taxes. In March 1937, Red Anchor went out of business.

“The blend means a lot to my family and myself, this is a cigar that represents the colorful history of the Red Anchor and our Dutch family roots,” said Hendrik Kelner Jr. of the Kelner Boutique Factory in a press release.

The Admiral was limited to just 250 boxes in 2022; it’s unclear whether the new sizes will also have annual production limits.

A ship date has not been announced, but the company says “preferred United Cigars retailers” will be able to place orders at PCA 2023, which takes place July 8-11 in Las Vegas.

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.