United Releases Planned “Dragon Slayer” Cigar

United Cigars had planned on releasing a cigar called Dragon Slayer, in celebration of the Year of the Dragon, the symbol on the zodiac calendar. However, seemingly in response to a trademark lawsuit filed by Gurkha over Davidoff’s Year of the Dragon, United has decided to no longer call the cigar “Dragon Slayer,” at least not on the packaging:

However, in a shocking turn of events, the Dragon Slayer’s journey took an unexpected twist as it faced the fiery breath of US trademarking laws, wielded by corporate behemoths. Despite its noble intentions, the Dragon Slayer found itself stripped not only of its majestic bands of red and gold, but also of its very identity. United Cigars once again took the righteous path to keep the cigar industry’s unwritten laws at peace.
The saga unfolded in Tamboril as the Dragon Slayer, once poised to conquer palates with its bold flavors and captivating allure, found itself stripped of its quest. The given name had been locked in a tower and rights were taken away minutes before the cigars took flight for freedom. Imprisoned in a cage of trademark laws, United Cigars was forced to rearm its 6” x 54 frame by going naked.

In a press release, the company said that it planned to release the 6 x 54 cigar using the name Dragon Slayer, though it will now be an unnamed cigar. Blend-wise, it uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Dominican binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. It is made by El Artista in the Dominican Republic.

United says that it planned on packaging the cigar with red and gold bands, though the cigars will now ship without bands, packaged inside of a Humidif Ashtray. The MSRP is set at $180, or $12 per cigar.

Production numbers have not been disclosed.

Davidoff, General Cigar Co., Gurkha, Habanos S.A., Oliva, La Galera, Maya Selva, Plasencia, Rocky Patel and Vega Fina have also announced Year of the Dragon-themed cigars.